Established by the Oregon Straw Hat Players Board July 26, 1989. Amended March 17, 2009. Further amended August 2, 2010.

The Oregon Straw Hat Players Hats Off! Awards were established to recognize individuals who represent the continuing commitment, the artistic and personal growth, and the willingness to contribute to all areas of productions that are the heart and soul of Straw Hat.

Criteria for selection

  1. Awards are made for contribution over a period of time to several OSHP productions, not for contribution to a single production.

  2. Factors to consider include, but are not limited to:

    1. Length of service

    2. Willingness to participate at all levels, on and off stage;

    3. Taking on the duties which substitute grief for glory;

    4. Artistic growth;

    5. Personal growth, including leadership, cooperation, and commitment to the group rather than to the individual.

  3. Individuals chosen should stand out as representative of the dedication and quality of work which we find in all OSHP members.

Awards may be presented immediately following the close of any OSHP production.

Selection

  1. Award winners will be chosen by a majority vote of a quorum of a board of directors meeting held within fourteen (14) days prior to the close of a production. To promote active and open consideration of all candidates, attendance at this meeting shall be limited to board members and such production staff as the board may choose to consult.

  2. Nominations for awards may come from any OSHP member or OSHP production staff member. Nominations will be actively solicited from the director(s) and producer(s) of all productions.

  3. The board may make as many or as few awards as it deems appropriate

  4. All awards shall be equal in value. No individual shall be singled out as a special or higher level award winner.

Eligibility

  1. An award winner must have been actively involved in at least three (3) different OSHP productions.

  2. Members of the board of directors shall not be eligible, except in the case where a board member has submitted a firm date for resignation or retirement from the board. Board service can and should be considered in assessing a candidate’s appropriateness for award.

  3. Persons receiving an honorarium for the current production shall be ineligible for award

  4. After receiving an award, an individual shall not be eligible for award for three (3) years.

Awards

  1. Winners shall not be informed of their awards prior to the award presentation, unless the board deems that special circumstances pertain.

  2. Each winner shall receive a certificate of award and a symbol of award suitable for display on his/her person (lapel pin, tack, etc.) engraved with his/her name, the words “OSHP Hats Off!”, and the year of award.

  3. Each winner’s name shall appear on a permanent listing or plaque of award winners to be displayed prominently at all OSHP productions. In addition, a listing of all winners shall appear in the program of each OSHP production.

  4. The following statement shall be read at each awards presentation:

Everyone who works with Oregon Straw Hat Players deserves recognition and our deepest thanks. The people we honor with these awards have been selected as representatives of the Straw Hat spirit that is in all of us, the spirit of selfless dedication, service to the group as a whole, and the striving for excellence that we all aspire to. In honoring these people, we honor everyone who helps make Straw Hat possible.

  1. Award presentations shall be made by the president of the board of directors and the director(s) and producer(s) of the current production, or such other persons as the board may deem appropriate.

  2. Awards shall be presented to winners in alphabetical order.

  3. The presentation of each award shall include the statement of the winner’s contributions as considered by the board of directors in making the award.