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Eligibility & Requirements

Your Work Deserves to Be Witnessed

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IS YOUR PRODUCTION ELIGIBLE?

The Oscia Theatre Awards welcomes locally produced live theatre from both Equity and non-Equity communities. Eligibility is based on the work presented—not the production’s budget, theatre size, company reputation, commercial status, or institutional affiliation.

Theatre should be experienced as theatre.

The Oscia Theatre Awards uses a structured, independent, and confidential evaluation process designed to recognize artistic excellence as it is experienced in live performance.

Eligible Productions
 

Eligible theatrical productions may include:

  • Plays

  • Musicals

  • One-person theatrical productions

  • Theatrical revues

  • Theatrical cabaret productions

  • Revivals and remounts

  • Bona fide co-productions

  • Other fully mounted works recognized by Oscia as live theatrical productions
     

Productions may engage guest artists, celebrity performers, or creative professionals who reside outside the applicable market without affecting eligibility. National touring productions appearing only as a tour stop within an Oscia market are not considered locally produced productions.

Productions Not Eligible for Competitive Consideration
 

The regular competitive Oscia Theatre Awards do not include:

  • Staged readings or script-in-hand presentations

  • Workshops or developmental presentations

  • Youth or student productions

  • Concerts, tribute concerts, or ordinary live-music performances

  • Musical showcases that are not constituted as theatrical works

  • Stand-up comedy or motivational presentations

  • Poetry or spoken-word presentations that are not constituted as theatrical works

  • Standalone opera, ballet, or dance productions

  • Film or film adaptations

  • Recorded theatre

  • Livestream-only or digital-only productions

  • Private, invitation-only, industry-only, or closed performances

  • Dress rehearsals
     

Music, dance, spoken word, or operatic performance may be included within an otherwise eligible theatrical production.

Young performers may participate in an eligible production. The youth-production exclusion applies to the production’s classification—not simply to the age of an individual performer.

Participation Requirements
 

Productions accepted into the evaluation process agree to:

  • Provide complete and accurate registration information

  • Submit the production title, producing organization, venue, performance dates, complete schedule, running time, public-access information, and ticket or production link

  • Submit a complete cast and creative-team roster before the official opening and before Fellow attendance

  • Promptly report cast substitutions, cancellations, schedule changes, venue changes, or other developments affecting eligibility

  • Provide complimentary admission for up to seven assigned Oscia Fellows

  • Provide seating that allows Fellows to see, hear, and meaningfully experience the production

  • Maintain professional communication throughout the process

  • Refrain from identifying, lobbying, questioning, or attempting to influence assigned Fellows
     

Premium or VIP seating is not required. Fellows must simply receive reasonable, substantially unobstructed audience seating.

Eligible Performance Venues
 

Productions may be presented in:

  • Traditional theatres

  • Black-box theatres

  • Community arts centers

  • Converted performance spaces

  • Galleries

  • Permanent outdoor theatres

  • Dinner theatres

  • Commercial performance spaces

  • Other legitimate venues configured for live theatrical presentation
     

Productions presented in churches or other houses of worship are not eligible for competitive consideration.

Second Milestone

Register early enough for Oscia Fellows to complete the required evaluation process

Have a running time of at least 60 minutes, excluding intermission

Present a minimum of six public performances,

Run for at least two consecutive performance weeks.

Be presented within the published geographic area and awards season for the applicable Oscia market

DOES YOUR PRODUCTION QUALIFY?

Registration and Eligibility Review
 

Production registration must be submitted or authorized by the producing organization or its designated representative. An individual artist may recommend a production to Oscia, but may not enroll it without authorization from the producing organization.
 

Submitting a registration form does not automatically establish eligibility or guarantee acceptance. Oscia reviews every registration before confirming that the production has entered the official evaluation process.
 

Acceptance allows the production to be evaluated under Oscia’s established standards. It does not guarantee a particular score, nomination, or award.

Before You Register
 

Please have the following information available:

  • Production title

  • Producing organization

  • Primary production contact

  • Venue and location

  • Opening and closing dates

  • Complete performance schedule

  • Running time

  • Public ticket or production information

  • Preview schedule, if applicable

  • Cast and creative-team information

  • Details regarding alternating performers or multiple venues

Questions About Eligibility?
 

If you are uncertain whether your production qualifies, contact Oscia before registering.
 

welcome@houseofoscia.com
 

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Theatre takes many forms. Oscia’s responsibility is to ensure that every participating production enters the awards process through standards that are fair, consistent, and worthy of the work being presented.

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