The Stage Managers' Association Reveals 2023 Del Hughes Awards

On Monday November 6th, 2023, the Stage Managers’ Association (SMA) will present its annual Del Hughes Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Art of Stage Management, at the National Opera Center’s Marc A. Scorca Hall in NYC.  The distinguished 2023 honourees are theatrical production stage managers John M. Atherlay and Gwen Gilliam, and opera production stage manager Brett Finley.  In addition to these Lifetime Achievement Awards, the SMA will honour Elynmarie Kazle with The Founders Award.  

This year’s Special Recognition Awards will celebrate honorees who are steadfast advocates for and uplift the stage management industry past, present and future.  Robert J. Bruyr strengthened stage managers’ position in Actors’ Equity and provided decades of dedicated leadership for stage managers.  The organization Broadway & Beyond: Access for Stage Managers of Color, founded by Lisa Dawn Cave, Beverly Jenkins, Jimmie Lee Smith and Kenneth J. McGee, has created a resource to open doors of opportunity for stage managers and raised their voices in service of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the stage management profession.

The Del Hughes honor is awarded to those who represent the finest qualities and artistic achievement in stage management throughout their lifelong career.  Instituted in 1986, the award was named for Del Hughes, who had an illustrious career as a Broadway and television stage manager as well as a TV director from 1933 to the 1970s.  Honorees are chosen each February from nominations submitted by industry members.  

Adrienne Wells, Chair of the Stage Managers’ Association, states “This year we have seen change throughout the entertainment industry as professionals and organizations, alike, have evaluated what it means to work and exist in a post-pandemic entertainment environment. Through their steadfast and enduring advocacy for stage managers, via their life work, and by supporting inclusive industry-wide changes, our honorees this year embody the resiliency and compassion that are so very important as a stage manager. I celebrate these amazing honorees and continue to be grateful for their presence and continued engagement with long-standing colleagues as well as emerging artists.”

Honoree John M. Atherlay reflects “I am thankful that I have been able to give back to this industry through my 20 years as a councilor for Actor’s Equity Association and help create work rules that benefit every member of AEA.  Being blessed with so many wonderful associates over my career, it is so exciting to see them grow into full time stage managers or prosper in other aspects of the entertainment industry.  Every day I live by my motto “If you have the knowledge; let others light the candles in it.”  I continue to work with young, up and coming stage managers on different shows and I also personally mentor one college senior per semester.  I just feel blessed beyond all expectations to have made a lifetime in a career I have loved every day since I started.”

Taking in this moment, honoree Brett Finley speaks to mentorship “I mentored dozens of opera stage managers over the years, starting at the University of Michigan when I was teaching there. Every year we took our students to the Spoleto Festival, and then recommended them for other gigs.  I think that through my can-do attitude, my love for the business, and my sense of humor, a lot of them were willing to give opera a try!”  

In speaking personally about the start of her career and hopes for the future, Honoree Gwen Gilliam expressed “Looking back it seems so improbable that I would have a career stage managing.  When I first started not only was it male oriented, there really was almost no one of color.  But I guess ignorance is bliss and being a hardheaded Midwesterner I pushed ahead.  I’m hoping that the small black theatre companies I got my start in can continue to exist.  Sadly, diversification is a two-edged sword and large cultural institutions have swallowed up the monies and talent away from these small organizations.  These small companies were wonderful learning spaces and jumping boards for many stage managers, technicians and actors.

Elynmarie Kazle, being honored with The Founders Award for her faithful, steadfast, and dedicated leadership over four decades serving stage managers and the stage management profession affirms that “Advocacy is at the heart of the founding of this organization and also has been at the heart of my career.  I believe I have been able to do the most good through advocacy and empowering others in their advocacy goals.  I have learned and gained so much from the many gifted colleagues who have shared their time and knowledge with me.  It has enriched every stage of my career.  I count myself fortunate indeed.  I am so pleased to be honored with The Founders Award from the Stage Managers’ Association.”

On receiving the Special Recognition Award, Broadway & Beyond: Access for Stage Managers of Color shared “To be acknowledged by one's peers is an honor. To be recognized that we are a necessary part of the stage management community is long awaited.  Since its first event in December 2020, Broadway & Beyond alumni have accepted more than 90 jobs across the country – including 15 in the 2022 Broadway season – via connections made through the organization and its networking events.  The theater industry is a beautiful community to be a part of.  We want to give BIPOC stage managers direct access to the people who are responsible for filling stage management positions, to eliminate the phrase ‘I don’t know where to find them’ from the hiring process and create necessary opportunity pathways for a group of folks who are woefully underrepresented on production teams around the country.”

Also receiving a Special Recognition Award is Robert J. Bruyr who states “To be honored for pursuing a Stage Management career and, most important, advocating on behalf of Stage Managers for over twenty-five years while always earning a living wage doing so is remarkable.  I am most grateful.”

Cheryl Mintz and Matthew Stern, Chairs of the Del Hughes Event and Directors-at-Large of the Stage Managers’ Association, are pleased to announce the guest speakers at the event, which include Broadway Production Stage Managers Ira Mont and Rick Steiger, past Del Hughes honoree theatrical and corporate Production Stage Manager Andrew Feigin, and Lighting Designer / Production Manager Greg Hirsch.  SMA Chair Adrienne Wells will give the keynote.  The hosts of the event are Cheryl Mintz, and past Del Hughes Honoree Arthur E. Lewis.  The SMA thanks Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids for their leading sponsorship of the event.

The event is available virtually on Monday, November 6th, 2023 at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT.  Registration is required and the event is free.  Go to https://SMADH2023.eventbrite.com to register.  

To join the SMA go to www.stagemanagers.org

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