The Wally Russell Foundation Awards Move to USITTThe Wally Russell Foundation announces the Foundation will be moving its sponsorship and awards to the annual USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) Conference and Stage Expo. The announcement was made by Tom Folsom, chairman of the Wally Foundation and president of KTRP, Inc. The Wally Russell Foundation was created in 1993 after the sudden death of Wally Russell, a true visionary in the entertainment industry. The Foundation has annually presented the Wally Russell Lifetime Achievement Award (The Wally) and the Wally Russell Newcomer Award. Additionally, the foundation has annually sponsored, for nearly 20 years, lighting interns in the name of Wally Russell for the Los Angeles Opera and the Canadian Opera, two organizations with which Russell had been closely affiliated. "Wally was always about the young," commented Richard Pilbrow, Wally Board member and Founder of Theatre Projects. "He was constantly finding and promoting new talent." "As USITT has grown and matured over the past two decades, the Wally Foundation Board felt it now provided the best access to young designers, technicians, and artisans." "At the inception of the Wally Russell Foundation, we associated with Theatre Crafts Magazine and the Lighting Dimensions Exposition. In 1993 it was the obvious choice, and frankly, USITT did not offer a significant exhibition for the award to operate effectively," said Folsom. "We are and have been always appreciative of the support we have received over the years from LDI and Penton Publications." He continued, "This change is an acknowledgement of the growth of USITT, and it's ability to provide access to talented and dedicated young people in our industry." "We thank LDI for its support in the past and look forward to a long and positive relationship with USITT," concluded Paul Vincent, Wally Board member and president of Vincent Lighting. David Grindle, executive director of USITT commented, "We are flattered and appreciative of the faith that the Wally Russell Foundation Board has placed with USITT. As we continue to grow and expand, the support and affiliation with these professional organizations becomes part of the expanded service and rewards we are now offering to our members." As part of this transition, look for updated Wally Foundation Website information and information from the USITT website. The Wally Foundation is a registered 501 [c] corporation. Any and all contributions to the Wally Foundation may be made at:
Wally Russell Foundation, Inc.
16458 Bolsa Chica Street #221
Huntington Beach, CA 92649 USA
Phone: 714-699-3573
Fax: 714-442-8036
Email: wallyfoundation@gmail.com 
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