Mort Clark International Achievement Award

Recognizes significant achievement in the promotion of excellence in international community theatre

Mort Clark International Achievement Award

The Mort Clark International Achievement Award recognizes individuals and organizations for significant achievement in the promotion of excellence in international community theatre.

This award honors those who have helped foster global artistic collaboration, cultural exchange, and international engagement through the community theatre movement.

Learn more about Mort Clark ↓ | Back to AACT National Awards →

Current Honoree

Venice Theatre (Venice, Florida) is being honored with the Mort Clark International Achievement Award by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT).

Founded in 1950, Venice Theatre has grown from a small volunteer-driven organization into one of the largest community theatres in the United States on a per capita basis. From its earliest days, the theatre was built through community effort, with volunteers transforming modest spaces into performance venues and establishing a tradition of creativity, collaboration, and resilience that continues today.

Venice Theatre’s mission is to celebrate and nurture creative expression, foster human connection, and provide high-quality performing arts experiences that engage and inspire audiences of all ages.

Over the decades, Venice Theatre has continually expanded its programming, facilities, and community impact. With a multi-million-dollar operating budget, professional staff, and a large base of dedicated volunteers, the organization serves tens of thousands of audience members each year while offering extensive educational and outreach opportunities.

The theatre’s commitment to artistic excellence, accessibility, and innovation has established it as a leader not only within its region, but also within the broader international community theatre movement. Its role as host of aactWORLDFEST further reflects its dedication to fostering global collaboration and celebrating the diversity of community theatre worldwide.

Previous Recipients

2025 Kelli McLoud-Schingen (Tulsa, OK)

2024 Theatre33 (Bellevue, WA)

2022 Dr. Roger Ellis (Grand Rapids, MI)

2021 Annette Procunier (Ontario, Canada)

2020 Tim Jebsen (Midland, TX)

2019 Murray and Lori Chase (Venice, FL)

2018 Frank Peot (Sun Prairie, WI)

2017 Brid McBride* (Dundalk, Ireland)

2016 Eva Moore (Ontario, Canada)

2014 Kathie Maldonado (Alto, NM)

2013 L. Ross Rowland* (Muncie, IN)
John Viars & Des Moines Playhouse (Des Moines, IA)

2009 Jim Sohre (Army Europe Command Entertainment)

2008 The Cellario Family (Monaco)

2007 Hiroshi Koizumi (Japan)

* Deceased

About Mort Clark

Mort Clark

This award is named in honor of Mort Clark, who began a 30-year career teaching Theatre and Speech at Westchester Community College in 1966. He served as department chair for a number of years and was instrumental in the design of the new theatre in the Academic Arts Building. But he is perhaps best remembered for establishing an annual International Theatre Festival, which brought community theatre groups from all over the world to the Valhalla campus for a week of non-stop dramatic performances.

He served as president of the American Community Theatre Association (AACT's predecessor) and later served many years on the AACT Board as the Region II Rep. He was always there to greet new board members and make them feel welcome. He was honored by AACT with the David C. Bryant Outstanding Service Award, the Art Cole Award, and designation as an AACT Fellow. He adjudicated festivals throughout the country.

His passion for community theatre took him all over the world and earned him scores of awards, honorary titles and degrees too numerous to mention. He was a familiar presence at AACT meetings, festivals and conventions for many years. In 1993 Mort traveled to Monaco to be knighted by Princess Caroline on behalf of her father, Prince Rainier. He was awarded the Chevalier Medal of Culture at Monaco's Princess Grace Theatre, and was thereafter entitled to be addressed as “Sir Mortimer”—an honor that delighted him thoroughly. Mort retired from Westchester Community College in 1997, and that year he made over 40 trips to teach and work with theatre groups around the world. He continued to travel and work until his death in 2007 at age 78.