The Stage Management Association (SMA) has extended its call for nominations for the 2012 National Stage Management Awards. The deadline to get your nominations in will now be the 11th May 2012.

Administrated by the SMA and sponsored by key figures in our industry, the National Stage Management Awards are awarded annually to extraordinary stage managers – individuals, or teams. These are the only awards that recognise the importance of excellent stage management to make or break a show, and in these tough times where arts professionals are being asked to perform way above and beyond the call of duty it is even more crucial that we applaud those at the helm of the production.

Nominees do not have to be SMA members, and anyone can nominate who has worked with or witnessed the work of an outstanding stage manager – nominators in the past have included actors, producers, directors, production managers, fellow stage managers, designers, playwrights and audience members. Stage managers, or teams, can be nominated for a single tour de force or a season’s work or even for a consistent outstanding contribution over a period of time or with a particular company.

‘I am always staggered by the achievements of those who win, or indeed those who are nominated for, these awards’, says Catherine Comerford, Managing Director of the Stage, ‘The Stage is proud to be associated with these awards which it has been sponsoring for the last 14 years.’

This year will also see the return of the Stage Management Student of the Year Award, sponsored by Global Design Solutions, an important new award last year won by Charlotte Archer from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

‘The National Stage Management Awards are an excellent opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of stage managers up and down the country in their relentless attention to detail and tireless work ethic’ says Sharon Calcutt, acting Executive Director for the SMA.

Forms can be obtained from admin@stagemanagementassociation.co.uk  or 020-7403-7999.