EASTERN MASS THEATER FESTIVAL SHOWCASES ELEVEN PLAYS IN THREE DAYS 

The new Chelmsford High School Performing Arts Center will host the biennial EMACT (Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theater) festival of performance and competition June 28-30, 2012.  In three-play sessions, eleven theater groups will present a variety of complete, but compressed, plays to showcase their production talent, and for the opportunity to improve their craft. 

Professional adjudicators, Benny Sato Ambush, Annette Procunier, and Spencer Watson will share their expertise in public discussion of the assets, obstacles, ingenuity, professionalism and effectiveness of both the technical and artistic components of each production.  Two outstanding productions will be selected to compete in Regional Competition of AACT (American Association of Community Theater). 

Of special interest is whether the previous festival winner, The Arlekin Players, will again present their offering completely in Russian.  Their 2010 production of “The Bear” continued to win accolades and awards in Regional and National competitions, as well as abroad, on tour in Europe, Russia and America. 

Tickets for each session are $25; full festival pass (4 sessions) $75, and may be purchased at the website www.emact.org or at the door.  Adjudications will be given at the end of each session and are free to attend. Parking is plentiful and access is convenient, just off I-495 in Chelmsford, MA.

Thurs, 7:00p.m., Session #1:  Escanaba in da Moonlight (Acme Theater); The Guest (Arlekin Players); Thanksgiving (Walpole Footlighters)

Fri, 7:00p.m., Session #2The Proposal (Theater Company of Saugus); Women of Lockerbie (Theater to Go); Crossing Brooklyn (Harvard Community Theater)

Sat, 10:00a.m., Session #3:  You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (theater with a Twist); Closer (Hovey Players); The Laramie Project (Winthrop Playmakers)

Sat, 5:30p.m., Session #4Radium Girls (Burlington Players); The Dark of the Flame  (Nashoba Players) 

Eastern Massachusetts communities support more than 200 community theater groups. The EMACT Festival offers a sampling of the variety and abundant talent in local, live theater, where both the theater lovers and first timers will be entertained and rewarded. 

CONTACT:  Festival Chair:  Celia Couture, festival@emact.org

                  EMACT President:  Rachel Fennell, president@emact.org