The RusTonys were created to give Ruston Community Theatre (RCT) patrons, along with the season’s cast and crew, an opportunity to gather and celebrate a successful theatre season. The awards were established to recognize individuals for exceptional onstage performances, as well as outstanding backstage or offstage volunteer contributions.
To ensure transparency, the RCT Board has compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the RusTony nomination process.
A small RusTony Nomination Committee—composed of both board and non-board members—oversees the nomination process. Before each show, the committee creates a “ballot” using sites such as StageAgent.com and other reputable resources to divide performers into categories (e.g. lead, supporting, minor) for musicals and plays. If needed, adjustments are made to make categories more balanced. Every performer in each show is included on this ballot and eligible for recommendation. The Nomination Committee itself does not make the recommendations for nominations; instead, it compiles ballots and collects the nomination recommendations from a group of 11 anonymous patrons.
This group consists of 11 RCT patrons plus that show’s director. The requirements are:
After each show, these patrons submit their recommended nominations for each category to the Nomination Committee.
Once all recommendations are submitted, the Nomination Committee meets to determine the final RusTony nominations/ballot.
When roles are double-cast, meaning more than one performer plays the same role for different performances, we submit each performer separately for nominations. This way, each is evaluated on their own performance.
After the final production of the season, the final ballot is emailed to all RCT season ticket holders (i.e. season members). Each adult membership purchased includes one vote. Winners are determined by majority vote.
