TEA’s Thea Awards Honor Outstanding Achievement In The Creation of Compelling Places and Experiences

“Recognizing excellence in the creation of compelling educational, historical, and entertainment projects, the TEA’s Thea Awards once again reinforce the value of experience design and themed entertainment approaches to engaging people worldwide,” said TEA International board president Craig Hanna, of Thinkwell Design & Production as he announced the recipients of the 14th Annual Thea Awards.

Judging of the international awards is made by TEA’s Thea Awards Nominating Committee, with final approval by the TEA’s International Board of Directors. “These awards recognize large and small accomplishments, bringing to life ancient myths and the latest in scientific discoveries, helping people experience a space shuttle launch or a walk with prehistoric creatures,” said Hanna. “These outstanding achievements demonstrate the power that storytelling, architecture, technology, and experience design can have on the guest and visitor experience.”

The official presentation of the awards will be made March 8, 2008 at TEA’s 14th Thea Awards Gala, sponsored by Economics Research Associates, a very special black tie evening for the industry at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California.

The 14th Annual Thea Awards have singled out for recognition:

Seven outstanding educational or heritage projects
Three outstanding projects in theme parks
Two event spectaculars
An outstanding application of theater technology
An attraction in an historic motion picture palace
An arena-sized traveling dinosaur show
A military application of Experience design
One Lifetime Achiever
One Classic Attraction
Four outstanding achievements accomplished on limited budgets
Five recipients are international, 12 are from North America

Recipients:

Thea Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Rouse, Jack Rouse Associates
Thea Classic Award: SeaWorld, San Diego, CA

Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement (AOA)

Attraction:Shuttle Launch Experience, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center, FL
Attraction Limited Budget: Awakening of The Temple Lobby Show, Aztec on the River, San Antonio, TX
Attraction Rehab:Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
Exhibit:Noah’s Ark, Skirball Community Center, Los Angeles, CA
Museum: Donald W. Reynolds Education Center, Mount Vernon, VA
Heritage Center: The Generations Center, Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Exhibit Limited Budget: Cleveland Avenue Time Machine Experience, at Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum
Traveling Exhibit Limited Budget: CSI: The Experience, Fort Worth Museum of Science & History, Ft. worth, TX
Science Center Limited Budget: Cosmos at the Castle, Black Rock Castle, Cork, Ireland
Event Spectacular: Songs of the Sea, Sentosa, Singapore
Live Touring Event: Walking with Dinosaurs, Immersion Edutainment, Australia
Event Spectacular: Peter Pan’s Neverland, Universal Studios Japan
Technical Achievement: KA Floating Stages, Las Vegas, NV
Themed Training Experience: Battle Stations 21, Great Lakes Naval Station,IL
Interactive Adventure: Kim Possible World Showcase Playtest, Epcot, Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL