Each year the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres (EMACT) evaluates shows and makes nominations for DASH Awards (Distinguished Achievement and Special Honors) in many categories. The nominees for the 2024-2025 season were announced on Sunday 20 July 2025.
The Theatre Company of Saugus (TCS) production of Evil Dead the Musical, presented in October 2024, earned some nominations:
- Best Production of a Musical
- Outstanding Performance by the Cast (Ensemble) of a Musical
- Set Dressing of a Musical – Patrick Cleary, Jason Hair-Wynn, Lauren Thompson
- Sound Design of a Musical – Mel Ingalls
- Prop Design of a Musical – Patrick Cleary, Jason Hair-Wynn
In addition to those nominations, Evil Dead is also the winner of a Consultants Choice Award for “Excellence in Blood Creation and Execution”, to Lauren Thompson, Vanessa Phelon, Jason Hair-Wynn.
Longtime TCS member Larry Segel was one of the recipients from several EMACT member groups of the Lifetime Achievement Award. TCS member Nathan Fogg Desisto was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with Hingham Civic Music Theatre.
Several current or former members of TCS were also nominated for their work on shows for other community theatre groups:
- Richie DeJesus – Lead Performer in a Musical-Comedy – First Date at Colonial Chorus Players
- Kristen Sehn – Supporting Performer in Musical-Comedy – First Date at Colonial Chorus Players
- Mel Ingalls – Sound Design of a Musical -Comedy – First Date at Colonial Chorus Players
- Matt Garlin – Sound Design of a Play – Working for Crumbs at Burlington Players
- Patrick Cleary – Prop Design of a Musical – Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! at Theatre III
- Kris Reynolds – Costume Design of a Play – The Book of Will at Burlington Players – WINNER
- Em Sheeran – Costume Design of a Play – The Secretary at Hovey Players
- Monica Bruno – Stage Management of a Play – How I Learned to Drive at Concord Players
- Molly Scrivens – Stage Management of a Musical – Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! at Theatre III
Patrick Cleary is also the winner of a Consultants Choice Award for “Best Puppetry and Design” for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! at Theatre III.
The winners were announced at the annual EMACT DASH Gala, which will be on Saturday 23 August 2025 at Cary Hall in Lexington, Massachusetts. For complete details and tickets, see Emact.org.
The cast of Evil Dead performed some musical numbers at the gala, because of our nomination for Best Production of a Musical.
Theatre Company of Saugus 