The Carol Channing Awards were created to recognize theatrical excellence through informed, experience-based evaluation. At the heart of the awards is a simple principle: theatre is best evaluated by those who have professional experience in the art form and understand the standards, challenges, and craft involved in producing high-quality work.

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Voting is conducted by members of the Carol Channing Awards organization who can demonstrate professional theatre experience. This ensures that recognition is based on thoughtful, knowledgeable perspectives rather than popularity, marketing reach, or visibility alone. Members are expected to engage with productions firsthand and to evaluate work with fairness, integrity, and respect for the artists involved.

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Beyond recognition, the awards are designed to foster collaboration within the local theatre community. By creating a shared framework for evaluation and celebration, the Carol Channing Awards offer theatres and theatre supporters an opportunity to come together around a common goal: encouraging strong, thoughtful, and high-quality theatrical work across the region. The process supports mutual respect, professional standards, and a spirit of collective growth rather than competition.

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Ultimately, the Carol Channing Awards exist to elevate the entire theatrical ecosystem by recognizing excellence, supporting artists, and strengthening the connections between theatres, creators, and audiences throughout Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.