2011 AACT National Distinguished Merit Award Winner

Market House Theatre is thrilled to announce that Education Director April Cochran was awarded the Distinguished Merit Award by the American Association of Community Theatre at its AACTFest11 National Festival in Rochester, NY in June.   This national award is presented to individuals and organizations in recognition of contributions made to promote and develop the highest standards for community theatre.  Previous recipients have included Henry Fonda, Steve Spiegel & Music Theatre International, and Target Stores.  “I am absolutely overwhelmed by this honor,” said Cochran recently. “The news hasn’t completely sunk in yet!”

April has been the Education Director for Market House Theatre for 12 years.  She previously served as MHT’s Artistic and Executive Director for 10 years and has over 150 main stage and youth theatre directorial credits.  She is the founder of Footlights youth acting troupes and Story Theatre school touring outreach programs for MHT, as well as creating its Theatre In Schools program which takes her into pre-K through high school classrooms throughout the Purchase area.  She has facilitated AACT’s Education Directors Conference and is a past president of the Kentucky Theatre Association (KTA) and recipient of KTA Best Director and Best Actress awards. Recently named a Kentucky Colonel, April has worked as a creative drama specialist and director of children’s theatre productions for over 32 years for school systems, parks and recreation programs, professional theatre and community theatres throughout the Midwest. She is a member of MHT’s Murder for Hire troupe.