Founders Award

The SCTA Founders Award is the most prestigious honor the South Carolina Theatre Association can bestow. It is given to recognize the individual or organization that has made the most significant contribution to theatre in South Carolina during the year most recently completed.

1984 — Clemson University
1985 — Jay Thompson
1986 — Electric City Playhouse
1988 — Elbin L. Cleveland
1989 — Arthur McDonald
1990 — University of South Carolina
1993 — Marvin-Joe Merck
1994 — Elbin L. Cleveland
1995 — Nancy Whitaker
1997 — Trustus Theatre
1998 — Clifton S.M. Egan
2003 — Jack Benjamin
2005 — Jim & Kay Thigpen
2006 — Jon Tuttle
2008 — Glen Gourley
2010 — South Carolina Children’s Theatre
2011 — Edgefield County Theatre Company
2012 — Applied Theatre Center
2013 — Dewey Scott-Wiley
2014 — The Warehouse Theatre
2015 — Mill Town Players
2017 — USC Aiken
2018 — Chad Henderson, Trustus Theatre
2019 — The Market Theatre Company 2020 — Larry Hembree 2021- Palmetto Dramatic Association 2022- Proud Mary Theatre Company

Theatre of Distinction Award

Given to a theatre in South Carolina that has exhibited a history of artistic, professional, or educational excellence, producing seasons of high artistic quality and establishing a strong presence in the statewide theatre community. 

2013 — Trustus Theatre
2014 — Florence Little Theatre
2015 — Greenville Little Theatre
2016 — Town Theatre
2017 — The Footlight Players
2018 — South Carolina Children’s Theatre
2019 — Spartanburg Little Theatre
2020 — PURE Theatre 2021 — Columbia Children’s Theatre 2022 — Charleston Stage

Theatre Advocacy Award

Given to an individual or organization that has an outstanding record of advocacy for theatre across South Carolina  during the previous year.

 2014 — League of Charleston Theatres
2015 — Betty Plumb
2016 — Diane Lee
2018 — Bert Wakeley
2019 – Carolina Curtain Call
2020 – SC Arts Alliance 2021- Daryl Byrd

Lifetime Service Award

Awarded to a person judge to have contributed significantly to theatre in South Carolina throughout her/his career.  Long-standing service to the field and an active role in SCTA over time will be considered.

2000 — H. Jefferson Corbin, Jr.
2002 — Mary Nicholson
2004 — Jim Patterson
2006 — Barbara Bise
2007 — Philip G. Hill
2008 — Christine Fischer
2010 — Donna Wilson
2011 — Richard Hefner
2012 — Frank Mundy
2013 — Dr. Virginia Uldrick
2014 — Roy Fluhrer
2015 — Dr. Kathryn Ballou
2016 — D.Keith Best
2017 — Chip Egan
2018 — Jimm Cox
2019 – Ken May
2020 – Robert Osei-Wusu 2021 — A. Glen Gourley 2022 — Jon Tuttle

Outstanding Theatre Educator Award

Awarded to the K-12 theatre educator, college/university professor, and/or a teaching artist judged to have done the most for theatre students in South Carolina during the year most recently concluded. 

2000 — Donna J. Wilson
2002 — Timothy Brown & James R. Gross
2005 — Patrick Gagliano
2006 — Anita Sleeman
2007 — Shannon Horn
2008 — Mark Charney
2009 — George Younts
2010 — Jimmy Chrismon
2011 — Monique Sacay-Bagwell
2012 — Steven Gundersheim
2013 — Jayce T. Tromsness
2014 — Stephanie B. Daniels
2016 — Kendra Johnson
2017 — Peter Duffy
2018 — Sandra Dietel
2019 – Lou Layton
2020 – Anne Tromsness 2021- Derek Pickens 2022-Harry Culpepper, Jr.

Deborah Smith Hoffman
Outstanding Mentor Teacher Award

Awarded to the K-12 theatre educator judged to have contributed the most to rising, new and even experienced theatre educators in South Carolina during the year most recently concluded

2007 — Stephanie Daniels
2008 — Leslie Dellinger
2009 — Donna McKenna-Crook
2010 — Linda Wolford Linke
2014 — Lori McKelvey
2015 — Nancy Pope
2016 — Jimmy Chrismon
2018 — Martha Hearn Kelly
2019 — Anne Boggs Lavely
2020 — Kathleen Arcovio Pennyway 2021 — Leah Wren 2022 — Laura Turner