In 2012, the award will honor achievement in the Western region, which is comprised of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Nominations will be accepted through July 2; the award will be presented in November 2012, at a theatre within the Western U.S.

With the Fichandler Award, SDCF "honors the legacy of the founders of regional theatre and celebrates the creativity and artistry of theatre around the country. Named after Zelda Fichandler, a founder of the American regional theatre movement, the award celebrates significant achievement in the field, singular creativity and artistry, and a deep investment in a particular region."

The Fichandler Award is given regionally on a rotating basis. A committee of professional directors and choreographers will select the recipient from nominated artists. Previous recipients include Jonathan Moscone (California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, CA), Michael Halberstam (Writers' Theatre in Glencoe, IL) and Blanka Zizka (Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia, PA).

Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation exists to "foster, promote and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers."

Nominators need not be SDC members; self-nomination is not accepted. For more information and guidelines, visit SDCWeb.org and SDCFoundation.wordpress.com.