The 12th EDDY Awards can only be categorized as a roaring success as entertainment design dignitaries flocked to New York City from around the world for the 11th edition of the Broadway Lighting Master Classes, the third annual Broadway Sound Master Classes, and the first-ever Projection Master Classes, all held at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center from June 20-24, 2005. A highlight of the week was the EDDY Awards on Wednesday, June 22, with EDDYs presented by PRG's Nick Jackson to Artfag's JUSTin Collie and Doug “Spike” Brant (sponsored by Main Light Industries, Inc.); by BSMC program chair and “godfather of theatre sound design” Abe Jacob to sound designer Andrew Bruce (sponsored by DiGiCo); by set designer Ming Cho Lee to lighting designer Jennifer Tipton (sponsored by ETC); by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis' Charles MacKay to OTSL's technical director Steve Ryan (sponsored by Dataton); by Kristin Marting, executive director of HERE and co-artistic director of the Target Margin Theatre Company to Troika Ranch (sponsored by Scharff Weisberg); by projection designer Wendall K. Harrington to projection programmer Paul Vershbow (sponsored by Barco); and by director Jack O'Brien to David Rockwell (sponsored by I. Weiss).
The BLMC and BSMC were equally as successful as the EDDYs with eight-time Tony Award-winner Jules Fisher (who with partner Peggy Eisenhauer received the 2004 Tony for Best Lighting for Assassins) once again serving as creative consultant for the BLMC, and Abe Jacob back at the helm of the BSMC, not to mention Wendall K. Harrington as creative consultant for the first Broadway Projection Master Classes. The faculty for the classes was outstanding, with Fisher and Eisenhauer joined for the BLMC by Beverly Emmons, Don Holder, Vivien Leone, Brian MacDevitt, Clifton Taylor, and Wendall K. Harrington, along with a panel on working with scenic designers that included John Lee Beatty, Heidi Ettinger, David Gallo, and David Korins. On the sound side, John Kilgore hosted a sound effects session at John Kilgore Sound & Recording (formerly Masque Sound), while sound designers Brian Ronan, Abe Jacob, Peter Fitzgerald, and Peter Hylenski spoke about design issues. Projection Class attendees were treated to sessions by Harrington, Zachary Borovay, Sage Marie Carter, Jake Pinholster, Peter Scharff, Paul Vershbow, Gary Westcott, and a panel of the “giants of projection” monitored by Harrington that featured Richard Pilbrow, Rudi Stern, and Ron Chase. BLMC attendees saw a performance of the Tony-winning Broadway show Movin' Out with a post-show discussion led by Don Holder. BSMC students flew high at Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with a post-show discussion led by Andrew Bruce. Attendees suggested that it was the best year of the classses yet.