Annual St Louis Theater Circle Awards

The primary criteria for establishing a production as professional is whether all cast and crew are compensated. Other factors may be considered in cases where the production's professional practices are strong (e.g., If some of the supporting cast members are uncompensated minors, while the rest of the cast and crew are compensated, our members may vote to consider the production professional, but the unpaid minors would not be eligible for an award).

The St. Louis Theater Circle exists to promote and honor live professional theater in the St. Louis community, which is not synonymous with the Greater St Louis Region. We include only St. Louis City and St. Louis County, excluding all other Missouri and Illinois counties.  

While the St. Louis metropolitan theater ecosystem extends to these other surrounding jurisdictions, expansion into any one of these areas would require inclusion of the entire Greater St Louis Region. Given our limited resources, such an expansion is not currently possible.

Theatrical productions must include at least four performances.  Opera productions must have at least three performances.  A dress rehearsal to which the press is invited will be considered an eligible performance.  

These restrictions afford our member critics enough opportunities to see the production, which is a prerequisite for receiving nomination consideration.

Productions previously mounted by a company are only award eligible after a period of three years from when the company previously staged the production. For example, if a show was mounted in December 2024, any revivals mounted before December 2027 are ineligible for awards.

Currently, there are 34 award categories:

Twelve Acting Categories: [six Female or Non-Binary Roles and six Male or Non-Binary Roles]:  

• • Outstanding Performer: Comedy, Drama, Musical

  • Outstanding Supporting Performer: Comedy, Drama, Musical

Note: The award is given for the role, e.g., Hamlet played by a female would be eligible to be nominated for Outstanding Male or Non-Binary Role

Four Production Categories: Comedy, Drama, Musical, and Opera

Three Director Categories: Comedy, Drama, and Musical

Three Ensemble Categories: Comedy, Drama, and Musical

Ten Technical Categories:

• Costume Design: in a Play, in a Musical

• Set Design: in a Play, in a Musical

• Lighting Design: in a Play, in a Musical

• Sound Design

• Musical Director

• Choreographer

• Projections or Special Effects

A New Play Category

Achievement in Opera Category