And the Award Goes To…

Go ahead. Admit it. We’ve all imagined it.

We’ve all fantasized about a glamorous star standing at a podium, ripping open an envelope. The star shakes their head in agreement with what they see on the card and a huge “Of course!” is written all over their face. They lean into the microphone, take a beat, and call out MY NAME at the Academy Awards.

My gown is perfect. My weight is…perfect and the spotlight follows me as I bound up the stage and accept the beautiful statuette that’s waiting for me. Man that thing is heavy. But it’s shiny and it’s gold and it’s all mine.

I love that dream.

As the Program Manger at Greenlights for NonProfit Success I’m drafting the script for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards ceremony at Greenlights’ 7th Annual Crossroads Conference on September 25th. It promises to be fun, exciting and yes maybe even a little dramatic as nonprofit finalists listen for their names to be called to receive one of four awards presented for achievements in Innovation, Service Excellence, Collaboration, and Learning in Action. Each of the nonprofit award winners will walk away with a grant compliments of the KDK-Harman Foundation. Much lighter than an Oscar!

Dramatic you say? Drama is something I know about as an after hours theater director and actor in Austin. Children of Light Players, a theater company I worked with as Executive Director and many other roles in the 90’s, received many B. Iden Payne Award nominations in the theater for youth category from the Austin Circle of Theaters. I was honored to receive a Payne Award for best direction of a children’s production, “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” a Texas history-musical I wrote and directed. Alas, I can’t really share a dramatic story of accepting the award because I missed the ceremony. I have a good excuse though. I was in rehearsal for another play the night of the awards.

But if you’re a finalist at for an award and want to hear and learn from someone’s awards experience, watch funny man Robin Williams’ guest spot on “Inside The Actor’s Studio.” You can find the clip on YouTube (part 11). He won the Oscar in 1998 for “Good Will Hunting.”

Robin tells of those seconds, sitting in the audience after his name is called and everything goes into ultra…slow…motion. His has a millisecond of disbelief then REALIZATION that he’s won. In ultra…slow…motion he’s kissing his wife. He’s standing. He’s shaking someone’s hand as he makes his way down the aisle. He gets Jack Nicholson’s “Wow” from under Jack’s dark sunglasses. Then suddenly he’s there. He’s at the podium and then everything is flung into supersonic-speed-and-BAM! He’s finished his acceptance speech. He’s done. He’s glowing. He’s walking away with his heavy, shiny, gold statue. He also forgot to thank his mother!

Of course I would never forget to thank my mother, but awards ceremonies are dramatic. That’s why they make for good TV. You just never know what’s going to happen.

Finalists for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards are in a league of their own. They’ve been nominated because they’re innovative, they provide excellent service, they collaborate, and they put their learning into action every single day. They have to–they have a mission to meet. They’re ready for greatness and they learn from finalists like me and Robin Williams. They don’t miss the ceremony and they don’t forget to thank their mothers.

Mary Alice Carnes is the Program Manager at Greenlights for NonProfit Success. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and has worked with many Austin theater companies including Zilker Theatre Productions and Teatro Vivo.