MACT Logo. Upper portion is comedy/drama masks with comedy mask in yellow and drama mask in blue. Lower portion has the acronym "MACT" and below it the description MN Association of Community Theatres.MACT

MACT

Minnesota Association of Community Theatres

Home of Minnesota’s Theatre Community

Julianna Skluzacek – AACT Special Recognition Award

Photo of Julianna Skluzacek

At AACTFest 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa, Julianna Skluzacek of Owatonna, MN, will be awarded the Special Recognition Award by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). The award will be presented at an awards ceremony on Friday, June 27. AACT presents this national award to individuals and organizations whose contributions to community theatre are far reaching and of a special nature.

Julianna was the Artistic Director of The Merlin Players of Faribault for twenty-five years.  Her talents as a director, actor, and leader are outstanding.  Under her tutelage, The Merlin Players came to be respected as one of the top community theatre companies in southern Minnesota.  This is exemplified by being voted as “The Best Theatre Troupe” by Southern Minnesota Scene magazine.  The Merlin Players entries in MACT*Fests have won numerous awards and advanced to the Region V festival several times.  In addition to her work with The Merlin Players, she has directed productions for several other community theatres in the area.

Julianna was a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres (MACT) for well over twenty years.  In those years she has served four terms as President of the organization as well as holding other offices.  From being President of MACT board, serving as chair to MACT festival committees, serving on various MACT committees, colloquing FAST*Fests, offering workshops at festivals, arranging workshop presenters for festivals, securing adjudicators for festivals, and many many more contributions she has shared with the MACT organization.

Darren Beecher, President of MACT, said this about Julianna: “I appreciate Julianna’s extensive community theater background, which has guided many actors, tech members and production team members. Her expertise of community theatre from an organization perspective is extensive. Julianna is a powerful force and advocate supporting community theatre throughout the state of Minnesota.”

This is the first time anyone from Minnesota has been recognized with this award.  Next time you see Julianna, congratulate her on this special achievement.