Hello Friends, Theaters, and Members:

Hello All!

Happy June, happy warm weather, and happy sunny days that last til 8 pm!  I am so happy it is June!  The 2024/2025 season has come to a close.  As we work towards the September awards ceremony, the board finalizes the scoring calculations and prepares the nominations.  The date, time, and location for nominations have been announced! It will be held at the Somerset Valley Players in Hillsborough on Saturday,  July 26th at 12 pm.  The day of the 2025 ceremony is Sunday, September 21st at the Strand Center for the Arts in Lakewood.  We have brought back the themes for our ceremony!  This year is “Gilded Glamour.”  I am already thinking of what to wear.  It will be exciting to see what people wear that night.  I love getting dressed up, and I know you all do too!

As I have been saying for months, get your nominations in for Stage Manager, Lifetime Achievement, and the David P. McMenemie special awards. I am often asked what the David P. McMenemie Award is.  It is the person behind the scenes that goes beyond helping with the theater.  It is working the box office, working the refreshment stand, and being an usher.  Basically, it is the person who helps run the theater by volunteering and not receiving recognition because they are not part of the show, whether as part of the production staff, tech, or an actor.  We all know that special person who fits this mold!!

I am excited to say we have more theaters joining NJACT!  I love seeing the whole state being recognized and going strong.  For me, I love traveling around and seeing how awesome, different, and welcoming each to every one of different backgrounds.  This is totally heartwarming to me. 

Now, for a quick rant, you can say.   Please get all of your reviews in ASAP. We want to make sure we have ample enough time to finalize our list and be ready for the busy upcoming months! I always say the best trophy is how your experiences impacted you, how the audiences are taken out of reality for a couple of hours and leave experiencing great theater.  Getting a Perry nomination and taking home a trophy is the cherry on top!  The real award is you having the experience of a lifetime.    So go out, have fun, and bring home great memories!  Come celebrate the success of how great theater is in NJ.

Like I always say, “Let’s get this party started”.

With much love and appreciation,