All the town’s their stage

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Milford Area Players had a very big night at the recent New Hampshire Theatre Awards, winning four of the top awards, more than any other community theatre group in the state.

We’re not surprised. This group, founded about a decade ago and with its first production in the Milford Town Hall Auditorium, has been doing excellent work ever since. These are not the first awards won by MAP, nor will they be the last, we feel sure.

Here is what they won this year:

The production of “August: Osage County” garnered the following awards for a 2011 drama or comedy:

• Best production: “August: Osage County.”

• Best director: Vick Bennison.

• Best actress: Barbara Webb.

• Best supporting actress: Deborah Shaw.

MAP did well in six other award categories:

• Top three, best actress: Mari Keegan.

• Top three, best supporting actor: Larry Pizza.

• Top three, best set design: Tom Morgan and Paul Meltzer.

• Top three, best lighting: Craig Brennan.

• Top ten, best supporting actress: Laurie Torosian.

• Top ten, best actor: Len Deming.

The Milford Area Players perform at the Amato Center, located at the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley on Mont Vernon Street in Milford. The group’s next production is four one-act plays, on the boards from March 16-25.

Once upon a time this area housed the American Stage Festival, an Actors Equity Association company that put on some fantastic shows under a number of excellent artistic directors. Being Equity hurt the Stage Festival because of the cost of paying actors and sometimes a bit too much went into production costs, and eventually ASF disappeared.

The Milford Area Players has been a welcome and successful replacement, with a number of local folks acting in productions or, as was the case with Vick Bennison, directing plays.

Who knows? When you attend a production, you might see someone you know. That’s one of the beauties of local theater.

The additional beauty, however, is great theater. Based upon the New Hampshire Theatre Awards, it’s clear that MAP is providing that.