Awards
WATCH Awards
The Washington Area Community Theatre Honors (WATCH) recognizes excellence in community theatre productions across the DC metro area.
Bold entries in red indicate winners.
2025
The Foreigner
- Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play – Tristan Poje as “Charlie Baker”
The Woman in Black
- Outstanding Sound Design in a Play – Aaron Skolnik
2024
Murder on the Orient Express
- Outstanding Set Design in a Play – Bill Pressly
- Outstanding Set Construction in a Play – William Kolodrubetz
- Outstanding Set Painting in a Play – Katherine Rogers
- Outstanding Costume Design of a Play – Jennifer Morrisey & Becky Bucci
- Outstanding Hair Design in a Play – Stephen Welsh
- Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play – Meghan Williams Elkins as “Helen Hubbard”
2023
Communicating Doors
- Outstanding Set Construction in a Play – Steve Leshin
2020-2022
Awards for these years were combined due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She Stoops to Conquer (2022)
- Outstanding Set Painting in a Play – Nancy Carlin & Jennifer Georgia
- Outstanding Hair Design in a Play – Jennifer Georgia
Moon Over Buffalo (2022)
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play – Andrea Spitz as “Charlotte Hay”
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play – Tom Howley as “George Hay”
A Raisin in the Sun (2020)
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play – Lezlie T. Hatcher as “Lena Younger”
2018
The Underpants
- Outstanding Costume Design in a Play – Elizabeth (Libby) Dasbach
- Outstanding Hair Design in a Play – Stephen Welsh
2017
The Miracle Worker
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play – Lena Winter as “Annie Sullivan”
- Outstanding Special Effects – William Kolodrubetz
- Outstanding Stage Combat Choreography – William T. Fleming
2014
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Bill Hurlbut as “Big Daddy”
- Outstanding Properties in a Play – David Levin, Ken Kemp, Mary Ghitelman
2013
The Tempest
- Outstanding Costume Design in a Play – Mary Wakefield
- Outstanding Cameo in a Play – Mark A. Korol-Evans as “Master Spirit”
The Nerd
- Outstanding Sound Design in a Play – Nick Sampson
2012
Frozen
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play – Phil Hosford as “Ralph Wantage”
The Little Foxes
- Outstanding Cameo in a Play – Yvonne Paretzky as “Addie”
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Stuart Rick as “Benjamin Hubbard”
2011
Translations
- Outstanding Set Painting in a Play – Melanie Papasian
- Outstanding Set Decoration and Set Dressing in a Play – Mary Dalto & Nancy Eynon Lark
- Outstanding Properties in a Play – Mary Dalto & Nancy Eynon Lark
2009
The Laramie Project
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Michael J. Galizia as “Doc O’Connor, Rulon Stacey & Father Schmit”
- Outstanding Sound Design in a Play – Michael Tyner
2008
All My Sons
- Outstanding Cameo in a Play – Jonas Ventimiglia as “Bert”
2005
The Man Who Came to Dinner
- Outstanding Cameo in a Play – Rob Allen as “Banjo”
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play – Jeffery Westlake as “Sheridan Whiteside”
2003
You Can’t Take It with You
- Outstanding Cameo in a Play – Patsy Smart as “Grand Duchess Olga Katarina”
2002
We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!
- Outstanding Special Effects – Mark Cefaly
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play – Steven R. Escobar as “Giovanni”
Ruby Griffith Awards
The Ruby Griffith Awards honor the memory of Ruby L. Griffith, a founding member of The British Players who brought a strong sense of professionalism to Washington DC community theatre. Administered annually by The British Players, the competition recognizes all-round production excellence among amateur theatre companies across the region.
2024
Murder on the Orient Express
- Third Runner Up for Outstanding Achievement in a Play
2023
Pride@Prejudice
- Second Runner Up for Outstanding Achievement in a Non-Musical
Maryland Community Theatre Festival Association
The Maryland Community Theatre Festival Association (MCTFA) is the official Maryland state affiliate of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). Held annually, the festival brings together community theatre companies from across Maryland to compete for awards in performance, direction, technical excellence, and playwriting. Outstanding productions earn an invitation to compete at the Eastern States Theatre Association (ESTA) regional festival.
2026 – Hagerstown, MD
Transient Faults
- Outstanding Production
- Cliff Smith Memorial Award for Excellence in Directing – Natalie McManus
- Ed-Ro-Char Award for Excellence in Technical Achievement
- Outstanding Performance – Marla Harper
- Outstanding Performance – David Dieudonne
- Outstanding Performance – Rachel Brightbill
- Outstanding Ensemble Performance
- Excellence in Playwriting – B.G. Craig
2024 – Wye Mills, MD
Funeral for the Cat
- Outstanding Production
- Cliff Smith Memorial Award for Excellence in Directing – Vanessa Markowitz
- Ed-Ro-Char Award for Technical Excellence
- Sandra K. Doherty Stage Manager’s Award – Aaron Skolnik
- Outstanding Performance – Emily Ray
- Outstanding Performance – Charlotte Richesson
- Outstanding Props – Nancy Carlin
- Outstanding Emerging Playwright – B.G. Craig
2023 – La Plata, MD
Pride@Prejudice
- Outstanding Production
- Outstanding Stage Manager – Aaron Skolnik
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Joseph Coracle
- Outstanding Ensemble Performance
- Ed-Ro-Char Award for Technical Excellence
2022 – Hagerstown, MD
Negotiable Virtue
- Outstanding Production – Runner Up
- Outstanding Performance – Vanessa Markowitz
- Outstanding Performance – Jessie Dugan
- Outstanding Costume Design
- Outstanding Up and Coming Playwright – Dean Fiala
Eastern States Theatre Association
The Eastern States Theater Association is Region II of the American Association of Community Theatre, comprising New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The annual ESTA Festival selects the best community theatre productions from across the region. In odd-numbered years, the Outstanding Production earns an invitation to compete at the AACT National Festival. In even-numbered years, when there is no national festival, ESTA holds the Sherman C. Wood Original Works Festival to celebrate and encourage new works in community theatre.
2026 – Wye Mills, MD
Transient Faults
- Outstanding Production – Best in Show
- Sherman C. Ward Excellence in Playwriting – B.G. Craig
- Spencer C. Watson Award for Technical Excellence
- Outstanding Achievement in Directing – Natalie McManus
- Outstanding Original Work
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – David Dieudonne as Brad Simmons
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Rachel Brightbill as Connie Simmons
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Marla Harper as Annette Simmons
2024 – Wye Mills, MD
Funeral for the Cat
- Outstanding Production – 2nd Runner Up
- Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting – B.G. Craig
- Outstanding Achievement in Directing – Vanessa Markowitz
- Outstanding Ensemble Performance
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Marla Harper as Judy
2023 – Wilmington, DE
Pride@Prejudice
- Outstanding Production
- Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting – Niranjali Amerasinghe, Lena Winter, Meghan Williams Elkins, Ian Swank and Joseph Coracle
- Outstanding Achievement in Set Design – Bill Pressly
- Outstanding Achievement in Costuming – Jennifer Georgia
- Outstanding Achievement in Hair Design – Maureen Roult
- Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Joseph Coracle
- Outstanding Achievement in Directing – Laura W. Andruski
American Association of Community Theatre
The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is the national organization for community theatre, representing more than 1,800 theatres and 150,000 people across the United States and abroad. The biennial AACTFest national festival brings together the best community theatre productions from ten regions worldwide to compete for national recognition.
2023 – Louisville, KY
Pride@Prejudice
- Outstanding Achievement in a Featured Role – Joseph Coracle
- Certificate of Achievement – Broadway Licensing Group
