MoACT History

The Missouri Association of Community Theatres, although fairly young in it’s current incarnation, is actually much older than at first glance.  The Missouri Community Theatre Association existed between 1972 and 1974 and the Missouri Association of Theatre, Inc. from 1981-1983, both headed by Howard Orms.  This was the beginning of Missouri’s association with the American Association of Community Theatres (AACT). 

MoACT was formed in 2000, Linda Spall attended an AACT festival and the people there were very excited to have an attendee from the Show Me state.  They encouraged Linda to start an organization here, once again.  So, she came home and contacted a number of theatres throughout the state, they met in a restaurant in Osage, MO and decided to form MoACT.  Heath Watson, became the first president of MoACT and Sherry Snyder from the City Theatre of Independence produced the Sound of Music in Independence and donated the proceeds to MoACT to get them started, and Kathy Argotsinger designed our logo.   MoACT was born. 

New to the process of the competitive festival, MoACT decided to hold a trial festival at the City Theatre of Independence in June of 2002.  It was a success and the following year MoACT began participating in the AACT festival cycle. In 2003, it was at Presser Hall in Mexico, MO and hosted by the Mexico Area Community Theatre. In 2005, The Landers Theatre in Springfield, MO hosted the competition. In 2007, the festival returned to Mexico, MO and in 2009, The Robidoux Resident Theatre played host at the historical, Missouri Theatre in St. Joseph, MO.

Outside of the festival competitions, MoACT was instrumental in aiding the formation of the Missouri African American Repertoire Theatre (MoAART) in 2004 and is currently assisting other theatres in their formation within the state. 

In 2004 , MoACT held a Theatre On The Fly festival in Jefferson City in which one act plays were auditioned, produced and performed in a 24 hour period.  This proved to be a fun and challenging way to promote friendship between theatres and performers throughout the state.  MoACT will hold  Theatre On The Fly II in August of 2010, in Mexico, MO.