Festival Awards
Roving Adjudicator Merit Awards
Awards Available for Members
The TANYS Scholarship & Awards Fund has been established to honor individuals and companies who have
made significant contributions to TANYS, and/or to their home theatre companies, with the following awards:
Shirley Cockrell Community Theatre Excellence Award
TANYS member companies may be nominated for the Shirley Cockrell Community Theatre Excellence Award, which recognizes a company that provides exemplary service to its community and aspires to maintain the highest level of artistic achievement. Shirley is a former TANYS president and board member, longtime adjudicator, and primary architect of the nationally respected TANYS adjudication program.
Fredric Blumberg Distinguished Volunteer Award
The Fredric Blumberg Distinguished Volunteer Award is to be given to an individual under the age of 65 who has faithfully provided significant and valuable service to community theatre for 15 years or more. A longtime professor of theatre and speech at SUNY Cortland, Fred was a founder and the first president of TANYS.
From nominations received, an award is presented at the annual TANYS Festival held in November.
Sherman C. Ward, Jr. Distinguished Volunteer Award
The Sherman C. Ward, Jr. Distinguished Volunteer Award is to be given to an individual over the age of 65 who has faithfully provided significant and valuable service to community theatre for more than 25 years. Sherman, a longtime TANYS member, served on the AACT Board as Region II Representative 2005-2012. He received AACT’s Robert E. Gard Superior Volunteer Award in 2005 and was made an AACT Fellow in 2012.
From nominations received, an award is presented at the annual TANYS Festival held in November.
This award honors the memory and contributions of TANYS Past President J. Richard Mahlstedt.
It is given at the discretion of the TANYS Festival Adjudicators.
This award honors Mary Eva Duthie, the guiding spirit behind the founding of the New York State Community Theatre Association in 1946.
It is given to an individual or organization in the State who has made significant contributions to community and/or academic theatre.
Regional Service Award
Given to honor an individual who provides services to area community and academic theatres in New York State.
The Ruth R. Legg Memorial Scholarship is given by TANYS to a current high school senior who has been active in community theatre and is accepted as a Theatre major/minor at an accredited college or university. Applications are due by May 1 each year.
