• The designation “AACT Fellow” is bestowed for life upon those members of AACT “who over a period of years have contributed significantly to the idea and ideal of community theatre.” 

• Nomination and election to this select group is the responsibility of the current Fellow membership.

• Awards are presented in odd years, with 2011 being the most recent.

AACT Fellows for 2011                    [AACT Fellows elected in previous years]

Kay Armstrong is an AACT Board Member and serves on the Festival Commission; the Finance, Strategic Planning, and History Committees; and on the Fund Development Task Force. She previously served eight years on the Board and chaired the publishing of Twink Lynch's Boards in the Spotlight. Kay has adjudicated in six states and Region IV, and served as Festival Commissioner for four states. As Executive Director of the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association (OCTA), she supervised creation of a playwriting competition, youth conference, and a traveling board development seminar. She coordinated five state and two regional festivals and assisted in formation of nine new theatres. She also served on Oklahoma Arts Council's Grants Committees and Oklahoma Arts Institute's Theatre Selection Panel. She was a Southwest Theatre Association board member for seven years, including serving as VP of Conferences. Prior to OCTA, Kay co-founded a community theatre in Glenview, Illinois. Most recently Kay was Business Manager for Contemporary Theatre of Dallas.

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Dennis Gilmore Athens, TX

Dennis Gilmore has been involved with theatre since 1982, starting his career as a producer for professional theatre in Chicago. After moving to Athens in 1987, he created the position of Executive Director for the Henderson County Performing Arts Center (HCPAC). He received his Master of Arts degree with over 36 hours of theatre with an emphasis on directing from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has held the position of Executive Director at HCPAC since 1989. During that time, he has directed over 200 plays and over 250 children's productions. As a board member of Texas Nonprofit Theatres he initiated the state youth conference and was its chairman for the first ten years. As a member of the American Association of Community Theatre, he presently serves as Vice President of Education. In 2003, Dennis co-founded Act I Productions, a community theatre based in DeSoto, Texas. The theatre has won artistic recognition since its inception.

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Ginger Heath Charlotte, NC

Ginger Heath is a long time champion of community theatre spirit and purpose. She currently serves as AACT's Vice President of Public Relations and serves as a Trustee of the AACT Endowment Fund. She was Co-Chair of AACTFest '07 - Charlotte, served many years as AACT Region IV Representative, and continues to serve as NC State Contact. Ginger is the founding Chair of the Metrolina Theatre Association and recipient of the region's Theatre Person of the Year Award in 2008. Other honors include the Herman D. Middleton Award for service to North Carolina Theatre Conference and the AACT David C. Bryant Award for service to Community Theatre. In 2011 she was honored with a Life Membership at Theatre Charlotte where she first performed over 50 years ago. An award winning actor and director she considers her greatest blessings her husband of 48 years, Bill, their three daughters and sons-in-law, and seven grandchildren.

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Tim Jebsen Midland, TX

Tim Jebsen has been the Executive Director of Midland (TX) Community Theatre (MCT) since 1997. Tim helped the organization increase the size of its operating budget, purchase a 1929 downtown historic theatre, and raise $3.6 million for renovations to MCT's Cole Theatre prior to hosting the 2006 AACT International Theatre festival. Recent directing credits include Hairspray, Oklahoma, White Christmas, The Rocky Horror Show, The Wizard of Oz, Les Misérables, A Christmas Carol, The Producers, Cats, Proof, Ragtime, Art, and Evita. Prior to working in Midland, Tim headed the Salina (KS) Community Theatre, the Mansfield (OH) Playhouse, and the Weathervane Playhouse (OH). Tim has served on the Board of Texas Nonprofit Theatres (TNT) and currently serves on the Midland-Odessa Area AIDS Support Board. He has facilitated the Community Theatre Management Conference and serves on several AACT Committees. Tim has been married to Lisa for 18 years; they have a nine year-old son, Zach.
 

Sherman Ward, Jr. Alexandria Bay, NY

Sherman C. Ward, Jr. began his community theatre adventures the week of April 21, 1958 - the week his son Buzz, now Executive Director of the Cincinnati Playhouse, was born. (No time to get to the hospital!) He played Judge Savage in The Curious Savage. In the last 52 years, Sherman has acted in 30 plays, directed 48 productions, and written 19 plays. In addition, many administrative theatre roles have come his way: Board member for six community theatres and President of four. The entire Ward family has been involved in Sherman's theatre adventures. Currently Sherman is the Region II Representative (Eastern States Theatre Association - ESTA) to the AACT Board, a board member of the Little Theatre of Watertown, an adjudicator for the Theatre Association of New York State (TANYS), and he recently compiled 400 pages of ESTA historical archives from 1957-2010. Sherman's agenda has always been the promotion and improvement of community theatre.
 

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2009

   Murray Chase (Venice, FL)

   Mary Doveton (Lawrence, KS)

   Annette G. Procunier (Ontario, Canada)

   Carole Ries (Topeka, KS)

2007

   Morrie Enders (Kalamazoo, MI)

   Linda Lee (Fort Worth, TX)

   Kathie Maldonado (Alto, NM)

   Jim Sohre (US Army, Heidelberg, Germany)

2005
    Joanne Berry (Bay City MI)
    Bill Muchow (Minneapolis, MN)
    Hal Robinson (Royal Oak, MI)

2003
    Mary Britt (Ocala, FL)
    Jill Patchin (Grand Rapids, MI)
    Jack Phillips (Western Springs, IL)
    John Sullivan (Sioux City, IA)
    John Wills (Spokane, WA)

2001
    Rod McCullough (Lancaster, PA)
    Donna Norberg (Minneapolis, MN)
    Stephen Peithman (Davis, CA)

1999
    Harv Thompson (Madison, WI)

1998
    Jimmy Vaughn (Oklahoma City, OK)
    Norm McPhee (Racine, WI)

1997
    Mimi Gregg (Haines, AK)
    Sandra Karnack (Minot, ND)
    Shirley Cockrell (Oneida, NY)

1996
    Julie Crawford Angelo (College Station, TX)
    Michael Fortner (Memphis, TN)
    Norm Small (Winter Haven, FL)

1995
    Ron Ziegler (Des Moines. IA)
    Don Bachmann (Midland, TX)

1994
    Jon Kerkhoff (Omaha, NE)
    Marilyn Pool Allen (Midland, TX)

1993
    Frank Peot (Sun Prairie, WI)
    Angus MacPherson (Palm Beach, FL)

1992
    Betty Wills (Spokane, WA)
    John Viars (Des Moines, IA)

1991
    JoAnne Nissen (Racine, WI)
    Enid Holm (Odessa, TX)

1990
    Ginny Winsor (Omaha, NE)
    Al and Elise King (Clinton, IA)
    Ross Rowland (Muncie, IN)

1989
    Charles Chesnut (Chappaqua, NY)
    Merle Loppnow (Minneapolis, MN)

1988
    James Carver (Kalamazoo, MI)

1987
    Bea Miller (Memphis, TN)

1985
    Charles Jones (Omaha, NE)
    Kay Smith (Stockton, CA)
    Sherwood Lohrey (Memphis, TN)
    Twink Lynch (Topeka, KS)

1984
    Betty Tomlinson (Spokane, WA)

1983    
    David Gooder (Downers Grove, IL)
    Shirley Harbin (Detroit, MI)
    Jean Hoffman (Wilmington, DE)

1982    
    Richard Fliehr  (Edina, MN)
    Alfred E. Rickert (Oswego, NY)

1981
    Virginia Kirshner (Concord, MA)

1980
    John Wray Young (Shreveport, LA)
    Mort Clark (North White Plains, NY)
    Charles Stilwill (Waterloo, IA)
    Ethel C. Brett (New Orleans, LA)

1979    
    Jim Cavanaugh (Mt. Holyoke, MA)
    John Wilson (Lincoln, NE)
    David Young (Washington, DC)
    Robert Gard (Madison, WI)

1978  Founding Fellows:
    David Bryant (Sheyboygan, WI)
    Art Cole (Midland, TX)
    Kay Fliehr (Edina, MN)
    Howard Orms (Springfield, MO)
    Jules Irving (Holyoke, MN)
    Dorm Richardson (Columbus, OH)
    Jeanne Adams Wray (Stillwater, OK)
    Robert Telford (Tulsa, OK)
    Walter Jensen (Corpus Christi, TX)
    Norman Nadel (Staten Island, NY)