Awards

The Suzanne M. Davis Memorial Award was established to honor one SETC member each year for distinguished service to SETC over a number of years and is presented during the annual SETC Convention awards banquet. Administration of this award is assigned to the Nominations Committee, with the final choice made by vote of the Board of Directors.

The awardee receives:

• An engraved plaque

• Recognition in SETC publications.

If you would like more information about this award and the selection process, please contact us.

Established by SETC in 2015, the Southeastern Theatre Conference Hall of Fame recognizes persons, living or deceased, who have made major contributions to the organization. These contributions may be administrative, artistic, and/or financial and have made a significant impact on SETC’s success over a sustained period of time. The Hall of Fame commemorates their achievements and celebrates their meaningful contributions to the organization.

The Distinguished Career Award is the highest award bestowed by SETC and is established to honor one individual or artistic team each year who has a distinguished career in the theatre. The recipient is requested to speak at the annual SETC Convention as a keynote address, and to accept the award during the Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony.

Administration of this award is assigned to the Executive Committee in collaboration with the Executive Director. SETC members are invited to make suggestion for consideration. Email VPservices@setc.org to submit your recommendation(s) for this award.

The Charles M. Getchell New Play Contest is dedicated to the discovery, development and publicizing of worthy new plays and playwrights.

The awardee receives:

• $1,000 honorarium

• Certificate of Recognition

• Acknowledgement at the Saturday evening Gala

• Staged Play Reading at the annual SETC Convention

• Travel and hotel accommodations.

• Acknowledgement in an SETC publication

The Getchell New Play Award is sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

Submissions closed

We appreciate your interest in the Charles M. Getchell New Play Award. Due to the high volume of incredible submissions, we’ve closed the application. We’ve reached the submission capacity our volunteer committee can responsibly manage this year, in order to give every script the thoughtful consideration it deserves. Although submissions are now closed, we hope you’ll continue developing your work and submit again next year. We look forward to seeing you in Chattanooga in 2026.

This award was established to honor one high school teacher each year for innovative instruction in playwriting. Nominate your favorite teacher (including yourself). The administration of this award is assigned to the Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award Committee. 

The awardee receives: 

• A Certificate and $1000 Honorarium

• Recognition at the Convention

• Recognition in an SETC publication

Submission Period: May 1st - October 15th annually.

The John Spiegel Theatrical Artist Award is presented annually to a student pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the following areas: lighting design, properties design, scenic design, sound design, or technical direction.

The awardee receives:

• A Certificate of Recognition

• $1,000 honorarium

• SETC registration to the SETC Annual Convention for the award year

• Reimbursement of up to $600 to cover hotel accommodations to attend the Convention

• Recognition at the Convention Design Tech Awards as the John Spiegel Theatrical Artist Awardee

Students are encouraged to self-nominate.

Submission Period: May 1st - October 15th annually.

The Distinguished Design/Tech Award is established to honor individuals each year with a distinguished career in costume, sound, lighting, and scenic design. Each awardee also serves a distinguished adjudicator for the student Design Competitions.

Administration of this award is assigned to the Design/Tech Committee. SETC members are invited to make suggestion for consideration. 

The awardees receive:

• Honorarium of $1,000

• Air travel and hotel accommodations

• Registration waiver

• Per diem for dining and incidentals.

• Honored Design/Tech Keynote Panelists

• Acknowledgement and plaque presented at the Design/Tech Awards

Submit your recommendation(s) for this award between May 1st and September 15th annually.

SETC invites costume designers, makeup designers, lighting designers, projection designers, properties designers, scenic designers, sound designers, and technical directors to compete in the annual Design Competition Awards. The competition is held at the annual convention and is an opportunity to have designs adjudicated by SETC's Distinguished Design/Tech Keynotes. 

The Awardees Receive:

• A Certificate of Recognition

• Recognition at the Convention Design Tech Awards 

• 1st Place: $125

• 2nd Place: $75 

• 3rd Place $50 

Competitors must be registered for the SETC Convention and will be invited to apply once registration is completed.

Convention Registration Period: October 1 - December 15 annually.

Competition Application Submission Period: October 1 - January 26 annually. 

Established in 1990, this award recognizes significant contributions by an individual to a specific outdoor drama, or to the outdoor drama movement as a whole, including but not limited to playwriting, directing, acting, design, theater architecture, patronage, scholarship, musical composition, technology and innovation, producing and administration. The award is presented annually at the National Conference on Outdoor Theatre in October.  

The awardee receives:

• Acknowledgment of achievements at the closing dinner of the NCOT

• Plaque of Recognition

• Acknowledgement in an SETC publication

Nominations are accepted from May 1st to July 31st annually.

Presented to an exceptional volunteer in the field of outdoor theatre. This individual is nominated by an IOT committee member for their extraordinary, dedicated and unpaid service to the organization over a significant period of time. The award is presented annually at the National Conference on Outdoor Theatre in October. 

The awardee receives:

• $500 honorarium

• NCOT registration waiver

• Plaque of Recognition

• Acknowledgment in an SETC publication

Nominations are accepted from May 1st to July 31st annually.

SETC’s Tom Behm Award provides professional development funds — whether to attend a conference or to assist with education credits — to people who have a demonstrated record of professional employment related to the field of Theatre for Young Audiences, Theatre for Youth, or theatre education; OR people who are currently enrolled in a graduate program with emphasis in Theatre for Young Audiences, Theatre for Youth, or Theatre Education.

The awardee receives:

• $1,000 Honorarium 

• SETC registration to the SETC Annual Convention for the award year

• Registration to the SETC Teachers Institute for the award year

• Recognition in SETC publications. 

Submission Period: May 1 - October 15th annually.

This award recognizes an individual or organization for distinguished achievement in child drama. Nominees can excel in such areas as playwriting, performance, audience development, curriculum development, funding, scholarship, community programs, research, television programming, creative drama or other enrichment programs at their community, state, regional or national level. This award honors children’s theatre pioneer and founder of the Children’s Theatre Press (now the Anchorage Press) Sara Spencer. Spencer was the first recipient of SETC’s Suzanne M. Davis Award in 1965.

The awardee receives: 

• An engraved plaque 

• Recognition in SETC publications.

Submission Period: May 1st - October 15th annually.

The Southeastern Theatre Conference implemented an initiative to support and encourage young theatre artists in our region: The Keynote Emerging Artist of Promise Award (KEAP). The idea for the award was born when 2005 Convention Keynote Speaker Samm-Art Williams asked that his honorarium as a speaker that year be used to bring one or more promising high school students to the 2006 convention - students who would not ordinarily be able to attend the convention and who could take advantage of the excitement and encouragement that the country’s largest theatre gathering would provide.

The KEAP Award is presented to four (4) secondary school students who reside within one of the original ten charter states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia). Recipients will demonstrate a love of learning, growing passion for theatre, and evidence that they would benefit from financial assistance to support their attending the annual SETC Convention. 

The awardees receive:

• A Registration waiver to SETC's annual convention.

• Hotel accommodations.

• A $1,000 travel stipend.

• Acknowledgement in a SETC publication.

• Acknowledgment at the Friday luncheon and award ceremony. 

• A Certificate of the Award

NOTE: Nominations can be submitted by anyone (self-nominees included). Awardees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone.

Nominations are accepted from May 1st - October 15th annually.

SETC’s History/Theory/Criticism/Literature Committee invites submissions from graduate students and undergraduate students relating to the committee’s interest areas of history, theory, criticism, and literature. One graduate and one undergraduate paper will be chosen to win a cash prize and to present their winning papers at the annual SETC Convention.

The awardee receives: 

• $400 Honorarium

• SETC registration to the SETC Annual Convention for the award year

• Invitation to the Friday Awards Luncheon 

• Recognition in an SETC publication. 

Submission Period: May 1st - October 15th annually.