Shortlist revealed for The Stage Awards' Innovation Award with Charcoalblue
13/12/18
The shortlist for The Stage Awards 2019 have been revealed and include three pioneering initiatives as part of the Innovation Award supported by Charcoalblue.
The Innovation Award presents the most impressive developments in creative, technical and design across the performing arts industry over the past year.
Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage and chair of the judging panel, said: "Our Innovation Award shortlist demonstrates the fantastic ways that performing arts organisations are using creative practices to ensure theatre remains accessible to all: the Difference Engine by providing a cost-effective solution to subtitling performances, the New Diorama programming model by supporting emerging theatre companies and ProFile by giving a bigger platform to D/deaf and disabled actors."
We're proud to continue to support this important award championing ambitious and socially conscious design. Read on for more on each of the shortlisted entries.
Deafinitely Theatre's 4.48 Psychosis. Image: Becky Bailey
New Diorama Theatre for its new programming model
A past winner of The Stage Awards’ fringe theatre category, London's New Diorama Theatre is back, nominated for its bold new programming model announced in May. The model reduces the number of companies programmed per year from approximately 30 to 7 but with each receiving a £10,000 commission for a five-week run and a 50/50 box office split of profits over a set amount. This generous, supportive new dynamic has been praised across the industry and is already seeing a positive impact on the city's fringe theatre-makers.
Difference Engine
Talking Birds for its Difference Engine captioning software
A new tool by Talking Birds has made the shortlist for its innovative software enabling better access to performance for D/deaf and hearing-impaired audiences. Praised for its availability to large and small-scale companies alike, it can be used by mobile devices without the need for large, cumbersome captioning systems. Eight years in the making, it is available as an app and is currently in use by companies such as Graeae, Complicite and Derby Theatres.
Screenshot of Profile website.
National Theatre and Spotlight for ProFile database
In a collaboration by the National Theatre and casting website Spotlight, ProFile is a video database for D/deaf and disabled actors. For use by casting directors, producers, directors and more, it is the first resource of its kind and spans theatre, film and TV. The site is free to use and since its launch has registered 150 actors with more than 3,000 signing up in 30 countries to use the database.
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