Award Process

WHAT?
The Theatre Arts Guild annually presents awards in categories recognizing outstanding achievement by theatre/production companies and by individuals in performance and technical support areas during the theatre season.

WHY?
The Theatre Arts Guild purpose is to advance and promote the Live Theatre art form in the metropolitan Omaha area. Though everyone readily acknowledges that it is virtually impossible to “compare” widely differing artistic efforts in order to give an award to only one in each category, the Guild nevertheless intends its awards to advance and promote live theatre in general via recognition of specific outstanding achievements during the theatre season.

WHO?
TAG members in good standing at the time of deadlines for returning nomination and/or final voting ballots may vote.

WHEN?
Nominations are gathered in June following the end of the traditional theatre season (July through June). Voting on nominated shows and individuals is completed in July and a gala awards event is held in August to present the awards.

HOW?
The basic (honor system) “rule” for the nomination ballot and the final ballot is that voters must have seen the productions they vote for. Ballots are numbered and voters’ names are NOT shown on the ballots when they are counted.

For the nomination ballot, sent out in June, the package includes a list of eligible productions and the voters must check off the shows they have attended. NOTE: If the list fails to include a particular production, the voter may write it in and check its box. Then, if the production is otherwise eligible for the season’s awards, the votes cast for it will be counted.

Items checked off on the production list are tallied up and the ballot is assigned a value number which reflects a weighted combination of BOTH the number of different productions seen AND the number of theatre or production companies presenting those shows. This is done to encourage attendance at the largest possible number of different “venues” as well as recognizing attendance at the largest possible number of shows, regardless of where they were presented. The idea is that the more shows one sees at different venues, the more “educated” one’s vote can be in evaluating and comparing shows AND the artistic and technical components thereof. Each possible nominee included on a given voter’s ballot (five slots per category) receives the point value calculated from the production list.

A Counting Committee composed of TAG members in good standing meets to record and total up the votes in the various categories. Individuals/productions receiving the top FIVE point totals in each category are declared “Nominated” and are included on the final voting ballot sent out in July.

On the final ballot, the package includes a list of the productions in which nominees appeared or worked. Voters check off shows seen and votes are weighted within each category. An outside accountant tabulates the votes. There are five nominees in each category. If you have seen all five shows with nominees, your vote for is worth five points. If you have seen two of the five, your vote is worth two points … and those points will only count if you have seen the production or person you voted for.  In each category, the “winner” is the nominee getting the highest vote total. Ties are possible, but rare.

WHERE?
The 45th annual TAG Awards Night Gala will be held Sunday, August 12, 2012, at the Swanson Conference Center, Fort Omaha Campus, Metropolitan Community College. Invitations will be mailed to all TAG members in good standing in July, 2012.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Programs 2011-2012
Need a reminder of the name of the actor who played your favorite character this season? These programs were submitted by helpful members to the TAG Board as a resource for you to help complete your ballot.

Q & A Discussion Series
Were you wowed by the technical aspects of the shows you saw this season, but don’t feel “in the know” enough about sound or lighting design to make an educated vote? Check out this discussion series with local technicians and you’ll feel more like a pro in what to look for in sound, lighting, costume and properties design in a flash.

Support live theatre in the Omaha metropolitan area!