Be Our Fan!ACT Walter Trumbauer Secondary Festival, 2009 Awards
Congratulations to all the participants at this year’s Walter Trumbauer State Secondary Theatre Festival in Troy, Alabama! ACT is so proud of you, your teachers, and the work you’ve all accomplished together. Some of you went home with medals and/or plaques and/or trophies but, hopefully, all of you left with warm memories, a positive educational experience and continued encouragement to follow your theatrical dreams wherever they take you.
At the December 5 awards ceremony, the following presentations were made:
- Appreciation plaques went to the six District Chairs, Nancy Malone (Festival Chair), and Adena Moree, Troy University Host.
- Michael P. Howley of ASU received the ACT Hall of Fame award given to Alabama pioneers in theatre and voted on by past recipients.
- Connie Voight of Randolph High School was awarded the Secondary Teacher of the Year plaque by her peers.
- Chris Rich, the outgoing president of ACT, received the Marian Gallaway Award for contributions to theatre in Alabama and an appreciation plaque for his leadership of ACT in 2008 and 2009.
Here’s a recap of Chris’ address to the teachers, students, and parents at the event.
I have an idea as to why I am receiving this award. A couple of years ago this organization was about to fall apart. It was the members of the 2007 and 2008 board who really put this organization back together and they are the ones who really deserve the honor. Jesse Tilton, Amy Hockinson and Lonny Harrison pulled secondary together along with the district chairs that started that year. John Patton kept College and University going and Elizabeth McCurry, Amy Patel and Michael P. Howley provided leadership, support and guidance through a rough year. With the addition of Sue Ellen Gerrells at Executive Director, Tammy Killian at College and University and Nancy Malone in Secondary we have grown into a much stronger organization. They have earned this. I was in the position of lightning rod for the work that they were doing.
Now, the next thing I am going to say will make me look like a right fool standing up here next to these tables with an award in hand.
Theatre is not about awards. Don’t get me wrong; awards are nice, but they only speak about a given talent at a given time under specific circumstances. They quantify the quality of your work so that hopefully administrators will continue to fund theatre.
Theatre is really about your audience and how you affect them. Whether it affects a life changing experience about how an audience member sees themselves, their family or society, or they forget about a really bad day for the two hours that you entertain them. Someone in the audience might also find something they would love to do or a place where they fit in.
Most of you will not be in theatre in ten years. That’s not the way I would like it to be, but statistically speaking, that is how it will work out. You spend a lot of time working on a show to present to an audience for a run every eight weeks to 3 months. Hopefully, you can affect change in the audience with a character that you portray. More importantly, you can affect change in every one you meet with the character you possess. People may not remember you years from now based on your time on stage, but they will remember how you treated them and spoke to them. Work as hard on the character you possess as you have worked to get here.
Chris Rich, ACT President
