The Leon Rabin Awards recognize on an annual basis outstanding achievements in the theatre season of Metropolitan Dallas.

The Leon Rabin Awards are presented in these categories:

Outstanding New Play or Musical (award to writer)
Outstanding Production - Play (award to producer)
Outstanding Production - Musical (award to producer)
Outstanding Direction – Play
Outstanding Direction - Musical
Outstanding Performance (Male - Play)
Outstanding Performance - Supporting Role (Male - Play)
Outstanding Performance (Female - Play)
Outstanding Performance - Supporting Role (Female - Play)
Outstanding Performance (Male - Musical)
Outstanding Performance - Supporting Role (Male - Musical)
Outstanding Performance (Female - Musical)
Outstanding Performance - Supporting Role (Female - Musical)
Outstanding Set Design – Play
Outstanding Set Design - Musical
Outstanding Costume Design – Play
Outstanding Costume Design - Musical
Outstanding Lighting Design – Play
Outstanding Lighting Design - Musical
Outstanding Sound Design (for plays only)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Outstanding Choreography (shared between plays and musicals)

THEATRE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Shows must be produced or presented by a member of the Dallas Theatre League.

• Shows must run a minimum of 6 performances (excluding previews), spaced over at least two weekends, open to the general public in Metropolitan Dallas. There is a minimum running time of 1 hour. There is no minimum running time in the category of Young Audiences.

• Eligible productions must be professional and must be described by their producer as a theatrical work by a theatre company. Works described explicitly as dance or opera will not be eligible. “Professional” for the purpose of the Leon Rabin Awards is defined as a work by a company or organization which supports, presents and/or produces the work of professional artists. A professional artist is defined as an artist whose arts practice has assumed career significance through a combination of individual competence, reception by the community, and economic return. Typically, professional artists have completed basic training in their field, devote a significant proportion of their energies to practicing their art, seek remuneration for their work, and are acknowledged as peers by others working in their field.

• Workshops, excerpts and training productions are not eligible. Any production consisting of students or funded by an educational institution can be eligible if outside funding is over 75% and the student ratio is 25% or less.

• Outstanding Sound Design will recognize outstanding achievement in the composition of original music or original sound, or the adaptation of sound elements, either live or on tape.

• Productions will be eligible for the Outstanding New Play category provided that the world premiere of the production is performed in Dallas and provided that the production meets all other eligibility requirements.

• Translations: Translations will be eligible for Outstanding New Play provided that the production is a world premiere of a new translation of a play.

• Revival productions and remounts by any given theater company will only be eligible after 24 months have passed since the original production by that theater company, regardless of any cast or designer changes. (e.g. if a theater opens A Christmas Carol in December of 2004, then another production of A Christmas Carol at that theater would not be eligible until December of 2006).

• Repeat Nominations: No individual may be nominated more than once for a LRA for performing the same role or function within a particular work within a five year period. No production may be nominated twice in the same eligibility year.

• Only the opening night cast of any eligible production is eligible for the LRA.

• To qualify for eligibility for any award, a company must have been a member of the Dallas Theatre League for at least 30 days.

ELIGIBILITY YEAR

• Productions which open between September 1 and August 31 of the following year are eligible for consideration for the LRA of a given season.

• Productions which open during August, but have the majority of their shows in September, will be eligible for the following award season.

NOMINATING PROCEDURES

• All nominators are appointed annually. They are allowed to serve for 2 consecutive years.

• The Nomination Committee will consist of five persons with alternate nominators as needed.

• The nominating committee will choose no less than four and a maximum of six nominees in each award category.

• The list of eligible individuals and shows prepared for the nominating committee will contain information taken from theatre programs and/or Leon Production Sheets. This information will be transferred without change to the ballot and Leon show program, unless the producing company requests a change or correction in writing.

VOTING PROCEDURES

• Nominees for each award will be placed on a ballot which will be mailed to all eligible voters prior to the LRA presentation.

• Eligible voters, as of 2004, are the Rabin nominators and the Voting Patrons, who volunteer to see all of the shows in a category.

• All ballots will be returned to a chartered accountant for tabulation at least ten days prior to the award presentation.

• Voting results will be kept strictly confidential until the actual presentation of each award at which time a representative of the chartered accountant will personally deliver a sealed envelope containing the name of the winner.