American Association of Community Theatre
Encyclopedia
The American Association of Community Theatre (also known as AACT) is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1986 to be the voice of community theater in the United States
. Located in Fort Worth, Texas
, the AACT represents over 7,000 theaters and 1 million volunteers. These theaters produce over 45,000 productions each year, entertaining over 7.5 million people, and also provide educational and community outreach programs.
The AACT groups member theaters into ten regions, many of which have their own state or regional theater organizations, such as the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters (EMACT) which represents over 40 community theaters in eastern Massachusetts
.
of AACT is:
by professionals in the theater industry. These productions are typically cuttings, or scaled down parts of a production that the theater staged during its current season. The winners of these local competitions are invited to participate in regional festivals, and every two years the AACT hosts a national festival, known as AACTFest, where the regional winners compete. These festivals are always open to the public, and provide an excellent way to watch a number of amateur productions over a period of a few days.
The AACT publishes a strict set of rules for participation in AACTFest, and these same rules have been adopted by most of the regional and local festivals. The rules are designed to ensure that the festivals are run efficiently and safely. Examples of these rules include:
At the end of each Festival awards for a number of categories, similar to the Academy Awards
, are presented. Winners for the awards are based solely on the votes of the adjudicators.
The 2011 Festival will be held in June in Rochester, New York
at the Geva Theatre Center
.http://rocnow.com/article/local-news/2009908260343
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located in Fort Worth, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the AACT represents over 7,000 theaters and 1 million volunteers. These theaters produce over 45,000 productions each year, entertaining over 7.5 million people, and also provide educational and community outreach programs.
The AACT groups member theaters into ten regions, many of which have their own state or regional theater organizations, such as the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters (EMACT) which represents over 40 community theaters in eastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Mission statement
The mission statementMission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
of AACT is:
-
- '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.'
AACT Festival
Every year community theaters throughout the United States participate in local competitions, known as festivals. These competitions provide a way for the theaters to stage short productions that are adjudicatedAdjudicator
An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges and arbitrates during a formal dispute. The term adjudicator essentially means a judge, without invoking the legal term. An ombudsman is a type of adjudicator in local government in the United Kingdom....
by professionals in the theater industry. These productions are typically cuttings, or scaled down parts of a production that the theater staged during its current season. The winners of these local competitions are invited to participate in regional festivals, and every two years the AACT hosts a national festival, known as AACTFest, where the regional winners compete. These festivals are always open to the public, and provide an excellent way to watch a number of amateur productions over a period of a few days.
The AACT publishes a strict set of rules for participation in AACTFest, and these same rules have been adopted by most of the regional and local festivals. The rules are designed to ensure that the festivals are run efficiently and safely. Examples of these rules include:
- A show must not run longer than 60 minutes. If a theater wishes to stage a show that runs more than 60 minutes then it must perform a cutting of the show that runs less than 60 minutes. Festival stage managers time shows to ensure they do not exceed this alloted time. A show that runs even one second over the 60 minute time limit is disqualified.
- All setsSet constructionSet construction is the process by which a set designer works in collaboration with the director of a production to create the set for a theatrical, film or television production...
must initially fit within a 10 foot square. The stage crew for the theater has ten minutes in which to move the set pieces onto the stage prior to the performance, and another 10 minutes to clear the stage once the performance is complete. These setup and strike times are also timed by Festival stage managers. - The stage lights are set up in a standard Repertory theater light plotLight plotA light plot, lighting plot or just plot is a document similar to an architectural blueprint used specifically by theatrical lighting designers to illustrate and communicate the lighting design to the director, other designers and finally the Master Electrician and electrics crew...
. The lighting designer for each show provides documentation of lighting cues to the Festival stage managers who will execute the cues during the performance if the theater does not provide their own Light board operatorLight board operatorThe light board operator is the electrician who operates the light board. Depending on the scale and type of production, the board op may be responsible for conventional or automated lighting fixtures, as well as practicals and, in some instances, controlling video as well.Sometimes, most commonly...
.
At the end of each Festival awards for a number of categories, similar to the Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, are presented. Winners for the awards are based solely on the votes of the adjudicators.
The 2011 Festival will be held in June in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
at the Geva Theatre Center
Geva Theatre Center
Geva Theatre Center is Rochester's leading professional theatre, operating in the Naval Armory-Convention Hall. It is the birthplace of many new and popular works such as Gregg Coffin's Convenience and Five Course Love. Geva is an abbreviation of Genesee Valley Arts Foundation...
.http://rocnow.com/article/local-news/2009908260343