Butaca Awards
{{Infobox award
| name = Butaca Awards
Premis Butaca
| current_awards =
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| awarded_for = Valuable contributions to Catalan theater.
| presenter =
| country = Catalonia
| location = Several cities
| year = 1995
| year2 = 2011
| website = http://www.premisbutaca.cat
}}
The Butaca Theater Awards of Catalonia (full Catalan name: Premis Butaca de teatre de Catalunya, short form: Butaca Awards, i.e. Premis Butaca) are annual theater awards judged by popular vote existing since 1995 in Catalonia to reward those who have made valuable contributions to Catalan theater.
Spirit, Aims and Inner Workings
They were designed as the first awards granted by popular vote and as such, are exclusively the product of audience votes. The idea was to create awards that were direct and honest, unfettered by manipulation by interested parties. They also aimed to legitimate the audience's opinion.[http://www.premisbutaca.cat/2015/els-butaca/ "Els Butaca"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406060921/http://www.premisbutaca.cat/2015/els-butaca/ |date=2016-04-06 }}, blurb explaining the awards' history on the official website (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016. Any productions (in any language) debuting in Catalonia are eligible. These awards are considered very prestigious in Catalonia.[http://www.teatral.net/ca/espectacles/3341/xv-premis-butaca-de-teatre-i-cinema-de-catalunya#.Vz4NNyH3O9w "Sinopsi de XV Premis Butaca de Teatre i Cinema de Catalunya" (Synopsis of the 15th Butaca Theater and Cinema Awards of Catalonia)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007120718/http://www.teatral.net/ca/espectacles/3341/xv-premis-butaca-de-teatre-i-cinema-de-catalunya#.Vz4NNyH3O9w |date=2017-10-07 }}, by Glòria Cid and Toni Martín, Teatral.net, revista digital d'arts escèniques, 2009 (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016.
There are currently (in 2016) 19 categories for the award.See official website.
The nominations are done by a committee of people who have neither direct nor indirect connections to the world of theater and have to have attended at least 36 productions during the season.[http://www.premisbutaca.cat/2015/vota/ "Vota" (Vote)], official website (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016.
History
The Butaca Awards were created by initiative of the Radio program called "Des de la butaca" (From the butaca, where butaca refers to a seat in a theater), on Ràdio Premià de Mar, a radio station from the coastal town of Premià de Mar.[http://www.premiademar.cat/document.php?id=1267 "10è aniversari dels Premis Butaca de Teatre i Cinema de Catalunya" (10th Anniversary of the Butaca Theater and Cinema Awards of Catalonia)], Premià de Mar City Council, 2 Nov. 2004 (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016. Every three years, the awards ceremony takes place in Premià de Mar, but is otherwise itinerant.
Until 2010, they were called Premis Butaca de teatre i cinema de Catalunya (Butaca Theater and Film Awards of Catalonia) and, though they were mainly for theater, included awards for cinema as well (three categories, plus an honor award). They have since exclusively focused on theater. Also in 2010, two new categories emerged: Best Theater Production made in Spain and Best Foreign Production (performed in Catalonia during the season){{cite web| url=http://www.comedia.cat/proyectos/docu/dossier_butaca_2010-3537.pdf| title=16th Butaca Awards| language=Catalan}}[http://www.ccma.cat/324/els-xiv-premis-butaca-de-teatre-i-cinema-assoleixen-un-record-de-participacio-amb-mes-de-7-000-votants/noticia/333648/ "Els XIV premis Butaca de teatre i cinema assoleixen un rècord de participació amb més de 7.000 votants" (The 14th Butaca Theater and Cinema Awards attain record participation with over 7000 voters)], Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, 17 Nov. 2008 (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016. but were merged into one (Best Spanish or Foreign Production) in the 2012 edition.[http://www.premisbutaca.cat/2015/edicions-anteriors/xviii-edicio-2012/ "Edicions anteriors" (Previous Editions)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604041726/http://www.premisbutaca.cat/2015/edicions-anteriors/xviii-edicio-2012/ |date=2016-06-04 }}, official website (in Catalan). Accessed 19 May 2016.
Past Ceremonies
The following is a listing of a few editions of the Butaca Awards, though only indicating the winner of the Best Theater Production.
{{-}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.premisbutaca.cat/}} (in Catalan)