A message from AACT President Bill Muchow

Community theatres involve more participants, present more performances of more productions and play to more people than any performing art in the country. We are critical to the cultural life of the communities of which we are a part.

Thus, AACT exists to enable community theatres across the country to become the cornerstones of the creative life of their communities -- to provide quality entertainment, intellectual stimulation, challenge and opportunity, to be worthy contributors to an improved quality of life for the communities which they serve.

A nonprofit corporation, AACT offers a wide range of opportunities to share experiences, problems, successes and love of theatre. Founded in 1986, AACT's history has its roots in earlier theater organizations. Like them, it serves both individuals and organizations by providing expertise, assistance and support so that community theatres can provide the best possible theatrical experience for participants and audience alike.

Bill Muchow
President
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Who We Are--and Why

• The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is the national voice of community theatre.  
  

• AACT represents the interests of more than 7,000 theatres across the United States and its territories, as well as theatre companies with the armed forces overseas.  This includes:

  • Nearly 1 million volunteers

  • A combined annual budget of well over $60 million

  • More than 45,000 productions per year

  • More than 375,000 performances per year

  • Entertaining a total audience of 7.5 million people

  • Providing educational and community outreach programs for children, seniors, and underserved populations.
    

• AACT is the steward of the national adjudicated festival for community theatres, held every two years. This festival, in which representatives from AACT's 10 regions perform before a panel of adjudicators, results in awards of excellence, and invitations for participants to perform at theatre festivals in other parts of the world.
  

• AACT is the central resource for theatre information and resources, connecting not only members in an information network, but providing data and information to non-members, businesses, other arts and not-for-profit organizations, and the media, as well as to members of local, state and federal governments.
  

• Each year AACT provides more than 1800 members with publications, a members-only website, e-mail discussion group, specialized expertise, a detailed database of company and production data, workshops, and discounts on theater-related products and services.
  

Mission Statement

The mission of the American Association of Community Theatre is to foster and encourage the development of, and commitment to, the highest standards by community theatres, including standards of excellence for production, management, governance, community relations and service.

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