IT Awards Returns To Recognize Off-Off Broadway

The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, which for the past 17 years has celebrated New York City's independent theatre artists by honoring those who have achieved artistic excellence in the Off-Off Broadway/Indie theatre realm, is now accepting applications for its 2020-21 Honorary Awards.

This year, the NYITA will present its 2021 awards in a modified capacity, focusing on the non-production based "Honorary Awards". Awards will be presented in six different categories, including the Caffe Cino Award, the Ellen Stewart Award, the Artistic Achievement Award, the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award, the Outstanding Stage Manager Award and announcing the Indie Theatre Champion Award. Two of these awards, the Caffe Cino and Doric Wilson Independent Playwright award, include a financial grant.

This exciting news comes after NYITA announced a pandemic-related pause to review their 2019-2020 awards season and begin an evaluation of the company's organizational structure. The organization was able to expand its committee membership, review transparency and equitable process for the honorary awards, and continue its ongoing work towards improving its structures and removing barriers for inclusive involvement.

Co-Executive Directors Cat Parker, Jazmyn Arroyo and Akia Squitieri also spent this time working with the award committee members to create a way to celebrate the Indie theatre artist spirit and are pleased to be able to present the Honorary Awards as a way to commemorate individual artists and companies for their bodies of work and long standing contributions to the indie community.

This year they are introducing a new award, created especially for what's happening in our community today: the Indie Theatre Champion Award. The Champion Award will celebrate individuals, groups, businesses or organizations who have risen to the occasion and helped the Indie theatre community during the pandemic, industry and economic crises and the continued fight against White Supremacy. The NYITA will continue its partnership with the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award Committee and will present this award on their behalf. Also unique this year is the ability for artists and theatre makers to self nominate for the Outstanding Stage Manager and Doric Wilson Independent Playwriting award categories. In previous years, these two awards categories were closed to either peer/producer or committee nominations for eligibility.

The Application forms are available as of May 24th, 2021 and materials will be accepted until June 20th, 2021. Detailed information about the awards can be found at NYITAwards.com, and includes links to the nomination application forms, information about our staff & committee members, and best practice tips for completing the nomination forms.

The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation is a not-for-profit organization recognizing the great work of New York City's Off-Off-Broadway/Independent theatre artists, honoring its artistic heritage, and providing a meeting ground for this extensive and richly varied community. The organization produces the New York Innovative Theatre Awards, co-directed by Cat Parker, Akia Squitieri and Jazmyn Arroyo, to advocate for OOB/Indie theatre and recognize the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to NYC, American and global theatrical cultures. They believe that publicly recognizing excellence in this sector will expand audience awareness and foster greater appreciation of the New York theatre experience. www.nyitawards.com

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