theatre friend, it's almost summer. How are you going to make the most of it? Our suggestion: DO MORE THEATRE! Read on to meet our 2026 Legg Scholarship winners, check out the latest Merit Awards, and more.

TANYS - Theatre Association of New York State

Inspiring Excellence in Theatre Communities

(If this email was forwarded to you by a friend, and if you're not already on the TANYS email list, sign up here so you don't miss any details!)

Meet the 2026 Ruth R. Legg Scholarship winners

TANYS is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Ruth R. Legg Memorial Scholarship!

Take a look at the 2026 Merit Awards!

It's been a bumper crop for TANYS Roving Adjudicator Merit Awards in the current cycle (November 1, 2025 through October 24, 2026). Why? Because the community and academic member theatre companies in New York State are doing GREAT WORK!

Our TANYS adjudicators have been hitting the road all year to come to your home performing spaces, view your productions and provide adjudications. Adjudication is an opportunity to hear constructive, objective feedback about your production from a colleague who is invested in your organization and its continued success and development.

An adjudicator may decide after the adjudication to give one or more Merit Awards to recognize advanced theatrical skill. It's important to remember that the main purpose of adjudication is learning and growth, and that any Merit Awards are a separate icing on the cake.

Check out all the 2026 Merit Awards so far - and watch for every set of awards to be publicized (with photos) on the TANYS Facebook and Instagram accounts. Thank you to all our member companies who are committed to growing and learning through adjudication!

Have you started prepping your BMI Design entry?

We all know that summer goes too fast... and the TANYS Festival in November will be here before you know it. So don't put off preparing an entry (or two) of your creative, effective, jaw-dropping design work, and then show it off in the BMI Supply Design Competition and Exhibition!

Whether it's Scenic, Lighting, Costume, Make-up, Hair, Sound, Special Effects, Props, Technical or Graphic Design - or design work in a different category - your theatre colleagues WANT TO SEE the fruits of your labor at the 2026 TANYS Festival in November.

Get those entries ready now, while your work is still fresh (and photograph-able), especially if your design work has won a TANYS Roving Adjudicator Merit Award. (And you could win a CASH award too!)

Want to request a TANYS adjudication?

Click here to fill out our online Adjudication Request form.

NOTE: only current TANYS Organizational members are eligible to request adjudications (and potentially earn TANYS Merit Awards for the 2026 awards cycle!)

Make sure your company is eligible. Join or renew your Organizational membership today (see below). The Basic level rate goes up on July 1.

Wondering "What's adjudication all about?" Great question!

Check out What is Adjudication.

Join or renew your TANYS membership before July 1

If you're not a TANYS member, or you haven't renewed your membership yet for 2026, you're missing out!

Organizational members are eligible to request TANYS adjudications, potentially earn TANYS Roving Adjudicator Merit Awards, and more. Basic level Organizational member rate goes up on July 1, so don't delay!

Individual members get discounts on Festival and other TANYS events, receive the Callboard newsletter, and more.