Paper Mill Playhouse has won two 2016 Discover Jersey Arts People’s Choice Awards and the South Orange Performing Arts Center has won one.
Paper Mill Playhouse was awarded, “Favorite Theater at See a Musical” and “Favorite Theater Camp” and SOPAC was named “Favorite Small Performing Arts Center” last Friday by the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation at the annual New Jersey Conference on Tourism in Atlantic City.
Adam Perle, President and CEO of ArtPrideNJ, and Dee Billia, Director of External Relations at SOPAC
“Winning Jersey.com’s People’s Choice Award for Favorite Small Performing Arts Center is a validation that the community and our audiences truly appreciate the artists we’re presenting the work we’re doing,” said Mark Packer, SOPAC Executive Director. “We’re striving to be excellent in every facet of our operations and in the service we provide to our audiences. So, when SOPAC receives an accolade like this, it’s an important indicator that we’re on the right track.”
“Paper Mill Playhouse is both humbled and honored to receive two People’s Choice Awards,” remarked Todd Schmidt, Paper Mill Playhouse Managing Director. “These awards are a gift from the audiences and students we serve throughout the State of New Jersey.”
Paper Mill Playhouse Managing Director Todd Schmidt and the theater’s Director of Press and Public Relations Shayne Austin Miller accept the awards.
“We are so thankful for the outpouring of support from community that we serve,” said Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director of Paper Mill Playhouse. “We are overjoyed to receive an award for our Paper Mill Players Theater Camp, part of our Theatre School which has served the community and the state for more than 25 years. Programs like our Theatre School, Adult Theater Classes, classes for students with autism and other developmental disabilities and our Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory give students a supportive environment in which to study and explore elements of performance and learn essential life skills.”
For detailed results and more information, visit JerseyArts.com/peopleschoice. The JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards are coordinated through the Discover Jersey Arts program, a cosponsored project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts aimed at increasing the awareness of and participation in the arts.
Click on the photos below to enlarge.
The 2016 JERSEYARTS.COM PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS:
- Favorite Theater to See a Musical: Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn)
- Favorite Theater Camp: Paper Mill Players (Millburn)
- Favorite Large Performing Arts Center: New Jersey Performing Arts Center–NJPAC (Newark)
- Favorite Small Performing Arts Center: South Orange Performing Arts Center–SOPAC (South Orange)
- Favorite Theater to See a Play: McCarter Theatre (Princeton)
- Favorite Art Museum: Grounds For Sculpture (Hamilton)
- Favorite Art Gallery: Arts Council of Princeton (Princeton)
- Favorite Symphony/Orchestra: New Jersey Symphony Orchestra–NJSO (Newark)
- Favorite Choral Group: Newark Boys Chorus (Newark)
- Favorite Dance Company: American Repertory Ballet (Princeton)
- Favorite Opera Company: Opera at The Princeton Festival (Princeton)
- Favorite Music Festival: Cape May Music Festival (Cape May)
- Favorite Film Festival: Montclair Film Festival (Montclair)
- Favorite Adult Art Class: Montclair Art Museum’s Yard School of Art (Montclair)
- Favorite Art Camp: Montclair Art Museum’s SummerART Camp (Montclair)
- Favorite Downtown Arts District: Red Bank
Honorable Mentions:
- Favorite South Jersey Arts Camp: Appel Farm Arts Camp (Elmer)
- Favorite Central Jersey Performing Arts Center: State Theatre (New Brunswick)
- Favorite South Jersey Theater: The Eagle Theatre (Hammonton)
SOUTH ORANGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3)charitable organization. Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The premier arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. To further expand its offerings, SOPAC has a partnership with the Juilliard School of Music to present Juilliard @ SOPAC—a series featuring upcoming musicians from the acclaimed conservatory. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including Classical Concert Series, Jazz N’ the Hall performances and Seton Hall Theatre productions. SOPAC also presents performances by its theater company in residence, Midtown Direct Rep, and its dance company in residence, Lydia Johnson Dance. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country’s leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.
JERSEYARTS.COM and DISCOVER JERSEY ARTS, JerseyArts.com is the official website of Discover Jersey Arts, a cosponsored project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State dedicated to increasing the awareness of and participation in the arts in New Jersey. The site features a comprehensive cultural events calendar and arts directory; feature stories on Culture Vultures Arts Weekly and the Jersey Arts Podcast; details on Jersey Arts Membership, including discounts and exclusive member events; an online gallery of New Jersey artists; and other content about the state’s cultural community.
ARTPRIDE NEW JERSEY FOUNDATION is the programs and services arm of ArtPride New Jersey, Inc., a nonprofit coalition of organizations and individuals that advocates at local, state and national levels for funding, support and recognition of the arts as vital to New Jersey’s economy, education and overall quality of life. For more information about ArtPride visit ArtPrideNJ.com.
