The Pulse Opera House in Warren won “Outstanding Performance” in the American Association of Community Theatre’s Indiana AACTFest 2017 competition, held March 18 and 19 at Kokomo Civic Theatre.
The Pulse production of “Nunsense” also won trophies for Cynthia Smyth-Wartzok, for Outstanding Direction; Stacia Brinneman, for Outstanding Supporting Performance; and Jana Henly, for Outstanding Supporting Performance.
The Pulse was also recognized for Excellence in Ensemble Performance.
AACTfest is held in the odd-numbered years and provides an opportunity for community theatres nationwide to enter 60 minute cuttings of shows for adjudication and the chance to advance to regional and national festivals. Indiana is part of Region III which serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The regional festival will be held the weekend of April 28 through 30 in Champaign, IL. The national festival is June 26 through July 1 in Rochester, MN, and features community theater productions from across the country and the US Armed Services in Europe.
Indiana qualified to send two entries to regionals. Kokomo Civic Theatre’s production of “Passing Notes” will also move on to regionals. Other productions include shows from Drama Workshop, from Cincinnati, OH; Center Stage Players, from Cincinnati, OH; Monticello Theatre Association, from Monticello, IL; North Riverside Players, from North Riverside, IL; Center Stage Theatre, from Midland, MI; Standing Room Only Theatre Group, from Bay City, MI; Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre, from Wisconsin Rapids, WI; and Central Wisconsin Area Community Theatre; from Stevens Point, WI.
Anyone willing to help with the expense of taking a show to regionals, can make checks out to Pulse Opera House and send them to PO Box 631, Warren, IN 46792. The Pulse is a 501(c)3 organization.
For more information on AACTfest, check out AACT.org. Information on “Nunsense” will be posted on Facebook on the Pulse Opera House page.