Twink Lynch Award

Alton Little Theater (Alton, Illinois), celebrating its 86th anniversary in 2019, produces six main stage productions each year, with bookend youth-oriented Summer Showcase Musicals, and slots between productions with weekend concerts, One-act play competitions, Director's Showcases, and community events.

ALT began in 1933 with founder Dorothy Colonius’ dream to build a community theater like the ones she had experienced back east in her youth. The Theater has expanded the ALT Showplace three times, and has now launched a Capital Campaign to expand seating to 350-500 seats. Free tickets and tours/classes/programs are provided for the Madison County Association for the Blind, youth and school groups, scouting troops, assisted living residents, and more. The theater's board is committed to enriching the community, and nearly every cent of the $275,000 operating budget (except for royalty payments) is put back into community businesses. Alton Little Theater strives to represent the best heart and spirit of theater in the Heartland!

Previous Recipients

2003  Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy (KS)
           Quincy Community Theatre (IL)
2004  Albuquerque Little Theatre (NM)
2005  Bay City Players (MI)
2006  Chattanooga Theatre Centre
2007  Stuttgart Theatre Center, Germany
2008  SHAPE Performing Arts Center,  
           Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers
           Europe (Belgium)
2009  Venice Theatre (Venice, FL)
2010  Twin City Stage (Winston-Salem, NC)
2011  Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre (North Dakota-Minnesota)
          Theatre Memphis (Memphis, TN)

2012   Amelia Community Theatre (Fernandina Beach, FL)
            Family Arts Center (Houston, TX)
            Manatee Players (Bradenton, FL)
2013   Salina Community Theatre (Salina, KS)
2014   Aviano CommunityTheater, Aviano Air Base (Aviano, Italy)
           Mesa Encore Theatre (Mesa AZ)
           Tupelo Community Theatre (Tupelo, MS)
2015   Theatre Tulsa (Tulsa, OK)
2016   Lincoln Community Playhouse (Lincoln, NE)
2017   Encore Stage & Studio, Inc (Arlington, Virginia)
           Theatre Lawrence (Lawrence, Kansas)
2018   Hale Center Theatre (Sandy, UT)

Twink Lynch

This award is named in honor of Twink Lynch, who devoted her life to community theatre and to serving as a mentor to both individuals and community theatres across the country. She helped shepherd the national organization's transition from American Community Theatre Association (ACTA) to AACT, served on the Board for six years, including a term as President and VP of Education and on AACT committees for an additional 19 years. Twink managed Topeka (KS) Civic Theatre for many years, retired, then came back during hard times and guided the theatre back to a stable organization. Her passion was such that she earned three degrees in theatre; it is said, she is the only person to earn a Ph.D. in Community Theatre Management. Twink shared her knowledge and experience through consulting and through her "Spotlight on Boards" column in AACT's newsletter, which she wrote for 14 years. In 2000, she edited her columns into a book, Boards in the Spotlight, the proceeds of which benefit AACT. Her book still educates those who are managing and governing community theatres.