The Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy was established to assist in elevating the level of arts criticism in the United States and to help writers to grow at the same pace as the arts and artists whose work they review and interpret. These goals are made possible by daily critiques of plays and films in tutorial sessions with a resident master critic at ITJA’s four-week conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut each summer. Students must be nominated by a faculty member to participate.  

KCACTF, in association with The Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy, will present a National Critics Institute Scholarship. At each of the regional festivals, students nominated from institutions that have entered an Associate or Participating production will be asked to write critiques of a selected number of plays presented at the regional festival. During the festival, they will participate in intensive writing and dramaturgical workshops with a professional writer/critic. One student from each of the eight regions will be selected as a finalist for the national award. Critiques from these eight will be forwarded to the KCACTF national office, and the finalist will be selected by the national The Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy Director. The national winner will attend the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center during its national playwriting conference in July, working with leading professional newspaper and magazine critics from across the United States. All expenses are paid.

Information & Guidelines:

The LMDA/ATHE/ KCACTF Student Dramaturgy Award recognizes contributions by student dramaturgs to the conception, development and production of theater within their colleges and universities, or to educational projects in dramaturgy. The philosophical foundation of this award – like that of dramaturgy itself – rests in the belief that art benefits from examination on the parts of both artist and audience, and that creative inspiration accompanied by analysis and reflection is most likely to lead to productions and projects that fulfill the spiritual, social and personal potential of the theatrical event. 

Also inherent in the guidelines is the belief that the dramaturg should participate fully and uniquely in the collaborative act of making theater and in promoting social discourse around the theatrical event. To validate the significance of the dramaturg’s contributions – and to raise awareness of dramaturgy in the academic field – we require a letter of nomination from a faculty member.

This award is the result of a unique collaboration between Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), the professional association of dramaturgs and literary managers working in North America; the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) which promotes excellence in theatre education; and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), a national program dedicated to improving the quality of college and university theater in the United States.  Three judges, at least one professional dramaturg, along with active members of ATHE and KCACTF who live in each region will select the winner of that region’s Student Award in Dramaturgy. To be eligible, a student must be at a university who has entered at least one production as an associate entry

Who is eligible:

Undergraduate and graduate students who work specifically as the dramaturg on a production or workshop, or who submit work created for a dramaturgy class are eligible. If the project is a workshop or production, the student must be credited as the dramaturg. A student who also writes, directs, designs, performs in, or otherwise collaborates on a project will be responsible for articulating the boundaries of the dramaturgical work and speaking on its behalf. The student need not be enrolled full-time to submit work for this award. Projects must be completed (plays closed, workshops completed, projects turned in) by December 31, each year to be eligible for the festival.

How to Apply:

PLEASE NOTE: All dramaturgical packets must be submitted in PDF form. (No print copies.) Click here  for suggestions regarding submitting your packet as a PDF.

• Submit a Completed Application Form, including two statements written by the dramaturg.

• Signed Letter of Nomination from a faculty member.

• Your dramaturgical packet ("protocol") in PDF format.

• OPTIONAL:  Any support material you would like to add.  These may include additional letters from persons directly related to the project - collaborating artists or audience members for a workshop or production, fellow students/faculty in a classroom project.  These are NOT "reference" letters, but letters from collaborators who directly worked with the dramaturg on the project.

Due Date:

Completed applications with dramaturgical packet ("protocol") must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 7th in order to be considered.  Filed should be submitted electronically by sending them to Michael Phillips at phillipm@wou.edu.