MACT Festival History

The “Best of Fest” shows listed below represented Minnesota at the Region V AACTFest.

# = Show represented Region V at (national) AACTFest.

(Since MACT started in 1973, we have had 12 shows advance to the national AACTFest, more than any other state in Region V.)

MACT*Fest 2025

March 7-9, 2025 at The Depot Theatre in Duluth,
hosted by (your theatre here)
Best of Fest:
Best of Fest:

Fast*Fest 2024

August 16 (Friday – Welcome social) & 17 (Saturday – 15 performances plus socials)
at the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet, hosted by County Seat Theater Company

MACT*Fest 2023

March 24 – 26 at Central Square in Glenwood,
hosted by Central Square Arts and Cultural Center
Best of Fest: “Tracks” – County Seat Theater Company, Cloquet
Best of Fest: “The End of the Beginning” – FungusAmongus Players, Dassel-Cokato

Fast*Fest 2022

August 19 & 20 at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault,
hosted by the Merlin Players

MACT*Fest 2021

September 17 – 19 at the Pipestone Performing Arts Center in Pipestone,
hosted by Calumet Players and the Pipestone Performing Arts Center.
Best of Fest: “The 3 Way” – Mindless Mirth Productions
Best of Fest: “After the Flags and Bands” – Calumet Players

Fast*Fest 2020

August 22 – an on-line, virtual festival

MACT*Fest 2019

March 13 – 17 at Riverland Community College in Austin,
hosted by Summerset Theatre and the Riverland College Foundation
Best of Fest #:  “Sweet” – County Seat Theater Company, Cloquet
Best of Fest: “Foxfire” – FungusAmongus Players, Dassel-Cokato

Fast*Fest 2018

August 17 & 18 at the Encore performing Arts Center in Cloquet,
hosted by County Seat Theater (cancelled)

AACTFest 2017

June 26 through July 1 at the Civic Center in Rochester,
hosted by AACT

Region V AACTFest 2017

April 27 through 30 at Central Lakes College in Brainerd,
hosted by Brainerd Community Theatre and Central Lakes College

MACT*Fest 2017

March 1 through 5 at the Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts in Marshall,
hosted by Marshall Area Stage Company
Best of Fest #: “On the Road to Verona” – MN SkyVault Theatre Company, Rochester
Best of Fest #: “The Voice of the Prairie” – FungusAmongus Players, Dassel-Cokato

Fast*Fest 2016

August 19 & 20 at the Pipestone Performing Arts Center in Pipestone,
hosted by The Calumet Players

MACT*Fest 2015

March 18 – 22 at the Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center in Dassel/Cokato,
hosted by FungusAmongus Players
Best of Fest : “Old Jake’s Skirts” – County Seat Theater Company, Cloquet
Best of Fest #: “The Romancers” – FungusAmongus Players, Dassel-Cokato

Fast*Fest 2014

August 15 & 16 at the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet,
hosted by County Seat Theater

MACT*Fest 2013

March 15 – 17 at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park,
hosted by North Hennepin Community College
Best of Fest #: “Leading Ladies” – Dakota Fine Arts Consortium, Lakeville
Best of Fest : “The Diviners” – FungusAmongus Players, Dassel-Cokato

Fast*Fest 2012

June in Lakeville,
hosted by Lakeville Arts Center

MACT*Fest 2011

March in Fergus Falls,
hosted by A Center for the Arts
Best of Fest #: “Wiley and the Hairy Man” – County Seat Theater Company, Cloquet
Best of Fest : “Glengarry Glen Ross” – Sweet Charities Theatre Company, Minneapolis

Fast*Fest 2010

June in Alexandria,
hosted by Alexandria Area Arts Association (Andria Theatre)

MACT*Fest 2009

March in Faribault,
hosted by Paradise Center for the Arts and The Merlin Players
Best of Fest : “Eleemosynary” – The Merlin Players, Faribaul
Best of Fest : “Wanda’s Visit” – Dakota Fine Arts Consortium, Burnsville

Fast*Fest 2008

June in St Cloud,
hosted by Pioneer Place

MACT*Fest 2007

March in Willmar,
hosted by The Barn Theatre
Best of Fest : “The Real Inspector Hound” – Sweet Charities Theatre Company, Minneapolis
Best of Fest : “A Gaggle of Saints” – Chameleon Theatre Circle, Lakeville

Fast*Fest 2006

June in St Cloud,
hosted by Pioneer Place

MACT*Fest 2005

March in Albert Lea,
hosted by Albert Lea Community Theatre
Best of Fest : “Snowflake’s Story” – Chameleon Theatre Circle, Lakeville
Best of Fest : “The Andersonville Trial” – Dakota Fine Arts Consortium, Burnsville

MACT*Fest 2003

March in Crookston,
hosted by University of Minnesota, Crookston
Best of Fest #: “A New Brain” – Chameleon Theatre Circle, Lakeville
Best of Fest : “Dearly Departed” – Duluth Playhouse, Duluth

MACT*Fest 2001

March in St Cloud,
hosted by Paramount Theatre
Best of Fest : “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis
Best of Fest : “Jerry and Tom” – Vertigo Theatre Factory, Rochester

MACT*Fest 1999

March in Hibbing,
hosted by Hibbing Community College
Best of Fest #: “Assassins” – Chameleon Theatre Circle, Apple Valley
Best of Fest : “Forever Plaid” – Rochester Civic Theatre, Rochester

MACT*Fest 1997

March in Brainerd,
hosted by Central Lakes College Theatre
Best of Fest #: “Jeffrey” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis
Best of Fest : “The Glass Menagerie” – Rochester Civic Theatre, Rochester

MACT*Fest 1995

March in Red Wing,
hosted by Phoenix Theatre and Sheldon Auditorium
Best of Fest #: “The Love Course” – Lakeshore Players, White Bear Lake
Best of Fest : “Sea Marks” – Rochester Civic Theatre, Rochester

MACT*Fest 1993

March in Minneapolis
hosted by Minneapolis Community College
Best of Fest : “The Private Ear” – Lakeshore Players, White Bear Lake
Best of Fest : “The Baltimore Waltz” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1991

March in Willmar
hosted by The Barn Theatre
Best of Fest : “The Love Talker” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1989

March in Elk River
hosted by Elk River Community Theatre
Best of Fest #: “The Shawl” – Citystock Theatre Company, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1987

March in Albert Lea
hosted by Albert Lea Community Theatre
Best of Fest : “Quien Sabe … Quien Soy?” – Teatro Latino de Minnesota, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1985

March in Hopkins
hosted by Eisenhower Community Center
Best of Fest : “Tennessee” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1983

March in Albert Lea
hosted by Albert Lea Community Theatre
Best of Fest : “The Actor’s Nightmare” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis

MACT*Fest 1981

March in Duluth
hosted by Duluth Playhouse
Best of Fest #: “The Public Eye” – Minnetonka Community Theatre, Minnetonka

MACT*Fest 1979

March in St Paul
hosted by Edyth Bush Theatre
Best of Fest : “Hopscotch” – Minnetonka Community Theatre, Minnetonka

MACT*Fest 1977

March in St Paul
hosted by Edyth Bush Theatre
Best of Fest : “Today a Little Extra” – Centre Stage, St Louis Park

MACT*Fest 1975

March in White Bear Lake
hosted by Lakeshore Players
Best of Fest : “No Mourning after Dark” – Centre Stage, St Louis Park

MACT*Fest 1973

March in St Louis Park
hosted by Jewish Community Center
Best of Fest #: “The Unknown Soldier” – Theatre in the Round Players, Minneapolis