History:
Founded in 1988 by Paul Meacham with a small grant from the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council/NJ State
Council on the Arts, Tri-State Actors Theater began as a theater that specialized in training young performers and
presenting plays for children and families. Now a full-fledged regional professional theatre company, Tri-State’s
accomplishments have been born out of its staff and artists’ experience, its dedication to its goals, and its constant
attention to the details of craftsmanship, needs of its artists, and awareness of its place in the community of the
tri-state region.
Our audience development has reached out beyond the borders of New Jersey into neighboring states through
tours to small communities who ask us to bring live theater to their halls and auditoriums. In addition, the
Tri-State staff has developed critical contacts with challenged communities and potential patrons through
our educational outreach and marketing. Surveys show that we have developed an audience who have
attended our theater repeatedly during its first twenty-four seasons, and that first-time patrons desire to
return in subsequent seasons. Their return is a testament to the quality and enjoyment of our productions.
From 1988 to the present, Tri-State has endeavored to present a vast variety of shows including, the
entertaining– ALWAYS…PATSY-CLINE— the provocative–Edward Albee’s THREE TALL WOMEN—
the romantic–I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE—the hysterically funny– THE
COMPLEAT WKS of WM SHKSPR, abrg’d –the challenging TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD—the classic–TWELFTH NIGHT–and the ridiculous THE BIG BANG. Our productions are diverse and are all for our audiences’
pleasure. We bring you an eclectic mix of shows and an exciting season year after year.
The Tri-State Actors Theater hosts children’s theater programs offering the possibility for training young
people as actors and technicians in presentations with high production values, and the possibility of interns
performing roles rather than serving merely as “spear-carriers” for more experienced performers.
Beginning in 2003, Tri-State Actors Theater’s schools-related offerings have included: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, Tennessee Williams’ A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE GLASS MENAGERIE, William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and TWELFTH NIGHT, Arthur Miller’s THE PRICE, Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL and Shakespeare’s ROMEO & JULIET. Our educational out-reach also includes: staff and artists’ visits to schools and theater classes for children, teens and adults. Our students are taught basic and advanced acting techniques and are instilled with knowledge and insight into the inner workings of theater art. Students with Tri-State have often gone on to advanced theater study, work in films, and successful careers in many fields. Tri-State Actors Theater also encourages young people to become involved with the workings of the theater through schools’ “Community Service Requirements.”
Our intern program has trained over 270 young performers and technicians, many of whom have continued their pursuit of theater in university, conservatory, or in the profession. Our youth interns work with and are trained by true professionals; actors, singers and dancers who have performed professionally throughout the country. These seasoned veterans serve as our choreographers and Music Directors.
Over the course of twenty – five seasons, the Tri-State Actors Theater has prided itself on bringing a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in the service of our passion for theater to our community. Since its beginnings, the Tri-State Actors Theater has presented entertaining and professional productions of plays for the children and adults of our regional community. From the time of our inception in 1988, over one hundred directors and other theater artists have worked with Tri-State. Since that time we have grown as one of the foremost theater companies in the tri-state area and have continually brought the culture and appreciation of theater to the community.
Mission:
We are the Tri-State Actors Theater.
We are dedicated to bringing the arts to life in a way that engages, inspires and entertains our audience. We strive
to produce the highest quality theater in the tri-state community, providing exciting performances, classes, and
programs dedicated to bringing our passion for theater to the area. We present entertaining and professional
productions of plays, including the reading and production of new works for both children and adults alike.
We aim to develop a permanent audience for drama in our region by encouraging and training young people of the
tri-state area who want to participate in the theater as actors, designers and technicians. We showcase children’s
plays as a sure way to establish theater as a positive experience for children who may have never experienced live performance before. We believe that bringing theater to children’s lives is a culturally enriching experience that
creates a lasting impression.
We aspire to bring art to life by encouraging and propagating the theater-going public in our region and creating
an appreciation of theater and its uniqueness as a live art form.
