Academy Players wins NETC 2008 Regional Award
Academy is recognized for outstanding achievements in Theater
November 22, 2008--Warwick, RI
Academy Players of East Greenwich has been formally recognized by the New England Theater Conference as a 2008 Regional Award Recipient. Citing Academy's 54-year committment to the Arts in Southern New England and its dedication to Theater education and outreach, NETC included Academy Players in its short list of 2008 honorees.
This year's Awards ceremony, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, RI, was entitled "Generations:Passing the Torch," celebrating Theater education and those who have inspired students and youth to get involved in Theater and the Arts. Academy Players was recognized not only for its 54 years of producing quality Theater, but for providing opportunities to students and local talent to learn and hone skills in performance, stagecraft and production.
Other Regional Award recipients included the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre and Michael Guy of Trinity Repertory Company. In attendance to receive additional honors were Andrea Mcardle (Broadway's original "Annie") and Tim Jerome (from "Disney's Tarzan", "Phantom of the Opera" and many other productions).
Presenting the award to Academy was NETC Board member and 2008 Convention Chairperson, Tim Fitzgerald. Accepting on behalf of Academy was 2008 Academy Vice-President Terrence Shea. Shea thanked Board President Neil Santoro and all who could not be in attendance for their efforts to make Academy a success. He was also quick to point out that "...Academy, like all Community theaters in New England and around the country, exist because of members from all walks of life and levels of experience doing what they love. We're not in it for awards, certainly not for the money, and not for any level of glory. We leave our day jobs, shove dinner down our throats, and get to work putting on the next show. It's in our blood, just like it is in the blood of every person in this room. So this award is quite an honor and we share it with every other Community theater outside the walls of this room who, after the applause dies down, will simply go to work again. Because that's what we do. Keep Theater alive.."
Academy Players 2008 Vice President, Terrence Shea, accepting the NETC 2008 Regional Award