Salina’s own Michael Spicer, Executive Director of Theatre Salina, has been named a Fellow of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT), a distinction recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to community theatre at a national level. The honor places Spicer among a select group of theatre professionals who have dedicated their careers to advancing the arts.
For Spicer, the recognition is deeply personal.
"I am incredibly honored to receive this recognition," he said. "I've been fortunate enough in the past to have received the Art Cole Lifetime Leadership Award and the David C. Bryant Outstanding Service Award, but this one feels more personal. I have worked with and admired those peers previously recognized, so to be accepted into this group is wonderfully rewarding."
Spicer’s career has been defined by his dedication to community theatre, a passion that has shaped his professional life.
"I've dedicated my entire career to community theatre. I have helped people discover a love for theatre both as participants and patrons and professionals," he said. "I believe that community theatre is the grassroots theatre of this country. It's the first place most people enjoy live theatre outside a gymacafatorium. It's the most accessible theatre in the country by nature and by necessity, and that's always exciting."
As Executive Director of Theatre Salina for nearly three decades, Spicer has played a key role in the evolution of local theatre. While the AACT Fellowship is a national recognition, Spicer sees it as a personal milestone rather than one that will significantly impact Salina’s arts community.
"This is a very personal award, so it means more to me than it will to this community that it's been my privilege to serve for 28 years," he noted. "That said, it does help me reenergize when some days you have to 'narfle the garthok'—only a few will get this reference."
Looking ahead, Spicer remains committed to Theatre Salina and the broader world of community theatre. While the AACT Fellowship acknowledges his past achievements, he views it as motivation to continue striving for excellence.
"My dedication to community theatre and to Theatre Salina will always be, with the exception of my family, the most important thing I do," he said. "I wake up every day trying to imagine how to be better at this job. If this has any impact, it's the recognition that a group of nationally recognized, professionally dedicated artists are willing to include my name with theirs. And, it's always been my goal to bring greater national recognition to the miracle that is a theatre this consistently great in the middle of the prairie."
Spicer’s induction as an AACT Fellow places him in the company of some of the most dedicated and influential figures in community theatre. As he continues his work in Salina, the honor serves as both a reflection of his past achievements and a reminder of the role Theatre Salina plays in shaping the arts on a national scale.
