November 11, 2017 Hosted by Theatre Tuscaloosa

South City Theatre’s Doubt: A Parable earned multiple awards including Best In Show which they shared with Theatre Tuscaloosa’s Last of a Line

ACT congratulates this year’s winners for their talent, dedication, and commitment! Led by Festival Chair Terry Kelley and Vice Chair Tom Salter, this year’s festival drew theatre lovers from across the state to witness four shows and participate in workshops and social gatherings at Bean Brown Theatre, Shelton Community College, Tuscaloosa, AL.  This year’s host theatre, Theatre Tuscaloosa, provided excellent state-of-the-art facilities for the annual event.  Adjudicators Tony Haigh (Kentucky), Kristy Meanor (Alabama) and Lynn Nelson (Mississippi) provided feedback for each company after their performance and chose the majority of the awards.

THE ACTOR’S CHARITABLE THEATRE (Tuscaloosa) – Disaster!

• Steve Burdette: Best Music Director
• Autumn Fuller: Outstanding Acting Achievement
• David Jones, Richard Livingston: Outstanding Sound Design
• Joey Lay: Outstanding Acting Achievement
• Joey Lay: Outstanding Costume Design
• Peter VanderWal: Outstanding Acting Achievement

AUBURN AREA COMMUNITY THEATRE – Motherhood Out Loud

• Andrea Holliday: Outstanding Acting Achievement

SOUTH CITY THEATRE (Pelham) – Doubt, A Parable

• Best of Show (shared with Theatre Tuscaloosa)
• Spirit of the Road Award presented by the backstage crew to the company that demonstrates the best attitude and most professionalism during rehearsal.
• Sue Ellen Gerrells: Outstanding Acting Achievement
• Stephen Mangina: Best Actor
• Tonya Marshall: Outstanding Acting Achievement

THEATRE TUSCALOOSA – The End of a Line

• Best of Show (shared with South City Theatre)
• Drew Baker: Best Actress
• Adam Miller: Outstanding Acting Achievement
• Tina Turley, Charles Prosser: Best Directors
•  Kathy Wilson: Outstanding Acting Achievement

The two Best in Show winners advance to the Southeastern Theatre Conference Community Festival in Mobile, AL March 7-10, 2018 to represent Alabama at this 12 state regional conference.

At the conclusion of ACTFest 18, Alabama Conference of Theatre elections were held, and Theatre Tuscaloosa Managing Director Adam Miller was elected vice chair of ACTFest.  In this capacity, he will contribute to planning and executing ACTFest as vice chair in 2018 and chair in 2019.

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ACTFest 17 Final Report

The curtain’s come down on ACTFest ’17 ,another Alabama Community Festival and this year’s event was sensational! Seven companies from around our state showcased the best of their work in a celebration of community theatre. Thanks to all who made this event so special and successful. At the top of the list are Kristy Meanor, Carol Heier, Tom Salter and all their wonderful volunteers at the Wetumpka Depot Theatre for hosting us. Your food and beverages and general wonderful Southern Hospitality were so appreciated. Terry Kelly assisted as Festival Vice Chair. Mike Gerrells served admirably as stage manager while Sharon Burum from Oklahoma led us through the festival process as our A

ACT Festival Commissioner. Our kind, articulate and insightful adjudicators: Kimberly Frick Welker, Alan Litsey, and Tom Booth provided excellent feedback to all the productions. But it was our participating companies that made this festival one of the strongest Alabama’s had in years. Thank you to all who took part. ACT hopes it was a memorable and meaningful experience for each of you!

Now on to the awards…

Best In Show (advancing to SETC in March, 2017)

• The Glass Menagerie (Wetumpka Depot Theatre)
• Rabbit Hole (Leeds Theatre and Arts Center)

Alternate: Steel Magnolias (South City Theatre)

Best Director: Tom Salter, Glass Menagerie
Best Actress: Kristy Meanor, Glass Menagerie
Best Actor: Stephen Dubberly, Glass Menagerie
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Page-Lyons, Rabbit Hole
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Sims, Glass Menagerie
Best Set: Rabbit Hole
Best Costumes: Rabbit Hole

Outstanding Achievement in Acting:
Keith McDow and Amber Weakley from The Field (War Time), Auburn Area Community Theatre
Corey Kirby from Hiram: Becoming Hank, Pell City Players

Outstanding Musical Performance:
Lacindra McGowan and Tania Curry, Becoming Hank, Pell City Players
Elizabeth Bowles, The Glass Menagerie, Wetumpka Depot Players

Outstanding Lighting Design:
Hannah Meherg, The Glass Menagerie, Wetumpka Depot Players

Outstanding Creativity in Set Design:
The Dixie Swim Club, Millbrook Community Players

The Spirit of the Road Award (given by the backstage crew to the company that has the best attitude during their rehearsal)
Steel Magnolias (South City Theatre)

Outstanding Ensemble:
Curious Savage, Prattville, Way Off Broadway Theatre
Hiram: Becoming Hank, Pell City Players
Steel Magnolias: South City Theatre

The winners of the Alabama state festival advance to regionals at the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) in Lexington, KY, March 2017. To help with travel expenses,  ACT awards a stipend the Alabama productions advancing to SETC. Two productions from SETC will advance to the national festival, AACTFest ’17, in Rochester, Minnesota, June 2017. SETC offers a stipend to its winners to help with the expenses of traveling to the national festival.