Skip to main content
Submitted by MichelleS on

PRESS RELEASE

May 20, 2024

The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is excited to announce the six Producing Theatres selected for AACT NewPlayFest 2026. These theatres will each present a world premiere of an original play chosen from hundreds of submissions by playwrights from across the country.

The selected theatres are Waterville Opera House in Waterville, Maine; Westchester Collaborative Theater in Ossining, New York; Players de Noc, Inc. in Escanaba, Michigan; Theatre Salina in Salina, Kansas; Vortex Theatre in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Kenai Performers, Inc. in Soldotna, Alaska. Additionally, Theatre33 in Bellevue, Washington, has been named as an alternate.

Reviewers are currently in the process of choosing the finalists from the hundreds of original works submitted. Each Producing Theatre will select one of these scripts to produce, and the six plays chosen will be announced as AACT NewPlayFest 2026 award winners.

Aligned with AACT's mission of providing support and resources to community theatres, AACT NewPlayFest addresses the critical need for new, high-quality plays for community theatre audiences worldwide. This unique playwriting competition guarantees that each winning play will be produced as a world premiere by an established theatre and published by Dramatic Publishing Company in an AACT NewPlayFest anthology.

The Producing Theatres selected will gain national recognition, the opportunity to work directly with the playwright, and the honor of introducing an award-winning play to their communities. The winning plays will receive full productions between June 2025 and December 2026.

AACT NewPlayFest has proven to be a major success, with six original plays produced as world premieres across the country every two years. For more information on past winning plays and upcoming productions, visit aact.org/newplayfest. These new plays are also available for production through Dramatic Publishing Company at dramaticpublishing.com.

About AACT
The American Association of Community Theatre is dedicated to helping theatres thrive by providing networking, resources, and support. AACT represents thousands of theatres across the United States, its territories, and U.S. Military Services overseas, promoting the importance of community theatre in enriching the cultural fabric of local communities.