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National Awards
Art Cole Award Honors a lifetime of leadership in community theatre by members of AACT who have provided leadership at the national level, in addition to local and/or regional levels. .
David C. Bryant Outstanding Service Award Recognizes members of AACT for significant, valuable, and lasting service to community theatre.. .
Before graduating from Anderson University in 1967, Vanita Rae Smith was accepted in Army Theatre as a Civil Servant. She launched her career at Ft. Leonard Wood (MO), took a four-year tour to Hawaii, back to Ft. Wood, next to Ft. Knox, KY creating a dinner theatre and building the Glenn Miller Performing Arts Center. Vanita returned to Hawaii in 1982, moved into the 808-seat Richardson Theatre, founded a nonprofit foundation for funding, and established a partnership with the state, securing inmate labor for sets and maintenance. While producing 40 theatre seasons, Vanita held offices in theatre councils, appeared in 16 biographies, received 58 commendations, including the Army Achievement Medal, directed 124 plays and musicals, including If We Are Women (which represented Region VIII at the national festival in Charlotte), presented 82 Celebrity Concerts and received Hawaii's prestigious Pierre Lifetime Achievement Award. Her love of theatre and choice to serve has brought much joy. Other opportunities came and went, but her "calling" was clear--to salute her father, PFC Ray Smith, killed in World War II.
Distinguished Merit Award Presented to individuals and organizations in recognition of contributions made to promote and develop the highest standards for community theatre.
Jim Buckley, Founder and Artistic Director of the Pewter Plough Playhouse, is a force of nature in community theatre in Cambria, California--and just maybe beyond. Following a successful career in department store window design (Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue) and movie and television set design, he and his wife Olga moved to Cambria, a small resort and retirement town near Hearst Castle. The couple opened the Pewter Plough Playhouse in 1976, introducing community theatre to Cambria. Over the past 31+ years, the playhouse has produced five or six plays a year, many from the Golden Age of American Theatre. Jim has designed all of the sets. He has also directed shows and appeared in them. The playhouse is now a nonprofit organization with community residents on the Board of Directors and Jim as artistic director. Because of Jim Buckley, the Pewter Plough Playhouse is now a community institution--Cambria Performing Arts.
Robert E. Gard Superior Volunteer Award Presented to individuals over the age of 65 who have faithfully served community theatre on a non-paid basis for over 25 years. .
Jim Alexander began his theatre life in high school, but took an extended leave while in the military. While serving as theatre manager for the Music Fair summer professional theatre in Camden County, NJ, he returned to the all-volunteer Village Playbox community theatre of Haddon Heights, NJ, where he has served for over 60 years. Jim penned over 200 local newspaper theatre reviews and was an actor in many shows. In the late 70's he began a successful and rewarding career as director of some 50 Playbox productions, including three state festival winners. Jim served many terms as President of Playbox, taking on added, self-taught jobs, as publicist, set designer and builder. He was President of the New Jersey Theatre League for ten years, and served as the AACT State Contact for New Jersey for many years. Jim is a retired human resources manager and an association executive, serves on the library board, is active with his church, and proudly boasts of the accomplishments of his three children and eight grandchildren.
Born in Pittsburgh, Peg Brandon moved to Florida at age eight. After graduation from high school she moved to New York and studied at the Provincetown Playhouse. Peg then returned to Winter Haven, FL and helped form the local playhouse. She performed, sewed costumes, painted scenery, taught acting, swept floors. Peg also volunteered in the early days of Cypress Gardens, planting trees and training the Southern Belles. She and several friends founded The Friendly Players that toured elementary schools for 25 years. But when the old playhouse folded, it was her involvement in the newly formed Theatre Winter Haven in 1970 that spit life back into the local performing arts scene. Playing roles in Solid Gold Cadillac, Driving Miss Daisy, On Golden Pond, and making the costumes for them as well, Peg carried on with a prompt book and a sewing machine for another 25 years. In 1998 she received the Distinguished Career Award from the Florida Theatre Conference and in 2007, the Outstanding Volunteer Award from Polk County, Florida. She is truly the Grand Dame of Florida Community Theatre.
Henry Pope was born in Spokane, WA in 1916. After high school in Weston, OR, he served in the military, remaining in the reserves until 1978. He returned to Walla Walla, WA in 1948 for a career with the Corps of Engineers. After retiring in 1981, he earned a BA in Religion at Walla Walla College. During most of his working years Henry was a volunteer in several areas. Perhaps the longest is his more than 35 years with the Little Theatre of Walla Walla (WA). He has been involved with almost every production since the mid-70s. For over 20 years he served as Box Office Manager, scheduling ushers and making sure the theatre was clean, with supplies and concessions ready. He also was on the box office staff, working on Saturday afternoons. At age 91, Henry still works as head usher. He was honored in 2007 as the recipient of the Award of Merit for the Walla Walla Valley.
Special Recognition Award Presented to persons or organizations whose contributions to community theatre are far reaching and of a special nature. .
Vikki Hanrahan first became involved with community theatre when she was in 4th grade and had a one-line walk-on in Anyone for the Moon. She has been hooked ever since. After receiving her BA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine, she moved to Germany "to see the world." Instead she became the Theatre Specialist for Stage 13 in Nuernberg, Germany. She is currently the Entertainment Director and Artistic/Managing Director of the Terrace Playhouse in Ansbach, Germany. Vikki has been active in AACT Region X for 13 years. Under her direction, the Terrace Playhouse represented Region X at the 2003 national AACTFest in Torrington, CT. Since she began her career with the Army Vikki has directed over 100 productions and hosted over 50 shows, including high profile performers. She has also executed innovative programming inclusive of a wide variety of cultures.
Twink Lynch Award Recognizes AACT member theatres for successfully completing major steps in new directions, expanding services to their community, or moving to the next level of organizational development. .
SHAPE Performing Arts Centre exists to provide diverse theatre programming of the highest quality which stimulates, educates and entertains the SHAPE international community. SHAPE is the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe located in Belgium. The SHAPE Performing Arts Centre was founded in 1967. The SHAPE Players are an international group of SHAPE community members offering five plays annually and providing a five week youth summer theatre camp. The group won the Region X Festival and performed Wings at the national AACTFest '07 in Charlotte, NC. During the last few years the organization has undergone major growth, with excellent development plans that may result in a new facility, and earned it the award for "Best Small Installation" Entertainment (Recreation) Program in the US Army for 2007. Already accomplished parts of the plan include expanding the youth program, renovating the current facility, developing a marketing calendar, inaugurating a season subscription series, increasing fund raising to support its artistic vision, conducting a marketing survey, training for volunteers and staff, and partnering with other groups in the community.
Corporate Award Presented to businesses and corporations for significant financial support of community theatre on a regional or national basis.
Target Stores support a variety of arts and cultural experiences in their communities, giving local schools and arts organizations resources for outreach and education. Community theatres across the country regularly receive Target grants that help them achieve their missions. Most often, Target grants provide funding for youth programs, classes, and productions. Other grants have assisted with productions such as Oliver!, A Midsummer Night's Dream, All My Sons, and The Crucible. Theatre grants have also included educational outreach programming in St. Joseph, MO, an intergenerational project in Lawrence, KS, Literacy Live! educational outreach in Bradenton, FL, and senior citizen's programs in Whitefish, MO. A recent survey of AACT member theatres received responses from 22 theatres in 15 states that received Target grants in the past two years totaling over $71,000.
Music Theatre International (MTI) is a leader in the theatrical licensing industry. It has long been a supporter of community theatre's efforts to provide quality productions. MTI has taken a leading role with innovative products and services designed to help ensure the success of each musical production and educational program. MTI has provided direct support to community theatres through AACT programs. In 2007 MTI underwrote the AACT Endowment fundraising event at the national festival in Charlotte, NC, ensuring travel grants to award wining theatres. MTI presented the winning proposal for AACT's Act Locally, AACT Nationally program, secured the support of composer Stephen Schwartz, developed and provided an extensive packet of program materials, and is underwriting Mr. Schwartz's appearance at the AACT NYC Convention 2008.
Local theatres and AACT continue to benefit
from MTI's ongoing financial support of the program, which runs through
2009. MTI's commitment to community theatre helps musical theatre flourish
around the world.
American Association of Community Theatre
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