Freehold’s Resident Theater Company receives 9 Perry Award Nominations

On Saturday, July 27th, Center Players, which has been Freehold’s resident theater company for the past 12 years, received the honor of being awarded with 9 Perry Award nominations from NJACT. The New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT) is a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting local theater around the state. The group's core mission is to celebrate outstanding achievements by artists of all disciplines involved in the performance and production of community theater in NJ. 

This season NJACT reviewers attended more than 200 productions across the state and Center Players' fall production of Ivan Menchell’s The Cemetery Club received nine (9) Perry Award nominations including Best Production of a Play. Center Players’ Artistic Director Bernice Garfield-Szita, who also directed this production, stated on Saturday, “It is a great honor to be selected by this statewide community theater organization out of hundred of other productions seen this year.” Garfield-Szita, of Manalapan, received high praise receiving 4 nominations for Best Prop, Set, & Costume Design in addition to the prestigious Best Direction of a Play.

In other production categories, Mark Lamhut, of Freehold, received dual recognition for Best Lighting and Best Sound Design. Jill Zaitchick, of Colts Neck, who has been seen in a number of Center Players’ productions was nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Ida and Eve Conolly, of Princeton, who was previously seen on our stage as Sister Aloysius in Doubt, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her role of Lucille.

The 40th Annual Perry Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 22, 2013 in Edison, NJ. Keep an eye out for the results on our website at www.CenterPlayers.org.