Community Theater of the Year

In Recognition of Outstanding Contributions to the Community

The Community Theater of the Year is a special Perry Award given to a New Jersey theater organization that has made a significant contribution to its community.  Candidates are nominated by members of the community, and the recipient is determined by NJACT Board vote of those nominated.


Rules and Criteria

Any theater can be nominated by any individual, other theater, or itself.  The submission to nominate a theater must be in narrative form.  To be considered for the NJACT Community Theater of the Year Award, the nominee must meet the following:

  • A theater can be nominated by any individual, other theater, or itself.  The submission to nominate a theater must be in narrative form and include a list of productions mounted by the theater since its inception;
  • The nominated theater must have produced at least one show per season for the past ten years;
  • The nominated theater must show some level of community servicel
  • The nominated theater may exhibit having survived hardship and coming back to continue with excellence;
  • The nominated theater may show involvement with youth, seniors, and special needs audiences;
  • The nominated theater may exhibit commitment to more than one genre
  • The nominated theater may exhibit community effort, either performance or non-performance related, with other theaters; and
  • The nominated theater must not have been named Community Theater of the Year after 1998.

Deadline to Submit Nominations: June 30, 2015


How to Submit Nominations: Please email all submission materials to nominations@njact.org; or mail your materials to NJACT, PO Box 6374, Somerset, NJ 08875.


Past Community Theaters of the Year

  • The Pennington Players, 2013
  • Our Gang Players, 2012
  • Villagers Theatre, 2011
  • Players' Guild of Leonia, 2009
  • Over the Rainbow Productions, 2008
  • Mystic Vision Players, 2007
  • Summit Playhouse, 2006
  • Somerset Valley Players, 2005
  • Westfield Community Players, 2004
  • First Avenue Playhouse, 2003
  • Attic Ensemble, 2002
  • ShowKids Invitational Theater (S.K.I.T.), 2001
  • Playhouse 22, 2000
  • Circle Players, 1999