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

We are Minnesota’s Community Theatres

Michael Ricci

2023 Fliehr Award Recipient

Brooklyn Park

Mike Ricci connected with MACT around 1990, directing or designing community theatre productions in the Twin Cities. He moved to Hibbing to direct its Community College Theatre department, which involved both students and community members. In addition to a full teaching load, he mounted dozens of productions, including premieres and adaptations. He’d typically direct and design the show but also brought in talented composers and designers from around the country. Mike undertook hosting the 1999 MACTFest in Hibbing, which turned out to be our largest ever, with several soldout houses for 20 festival shows, plus several showcases at the famous Hibbing High School Auditorium. The festival brought home two of Hibbing’s favorite sons, legendary University on Minnesota theatre professor Arthur Ballet and Broadway dancer Angelo Fraboni.

Mike moved from Hibbing to Brooklyn Park, where he continued to teach the love and skills of theatre to students at North Hennepin Community College. His selection of plays was again diverse, probing many social and personal issues and involving mostly students but also adults from the community. Once again he helped MACT by hosting the 2013 MACTFest, which was successful despite bitter cold and snow.

During his college theatre career he presented many shows for the American College Theatre Festival, sponsored by the Kennedy Center, giving his students additional understanding from its adjudication process.

Mike has been an adjudicator for MACT and a number of community theatre and high school festivals.

Theatre has also been a family affair for the Ricci, with Mike’s wife Ellie doing costume and prop designs and his daughter Danielle entering the dance, choreography and teaching world. In addition, Mike wife designed and painted sets as well as creating specialized props and masks. His daughter has choreographed many of his musicals.

He retired from the NHCC theatre faculty in May 2021, but continues to direct and be available to direct, design, adjudicate and do workshops.