Arts & Entertainment

Paper Mill Playhouse Earns 2 Prizes at People's Choice Awards

Millburn theater wins 'Favorite Place to Take a Kid's Arts Class' and 'Favorite Theater to See a Musical' from JerseyArts.com.

Paper Mill Playhouse was given two awards by the JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday.

JerseyArts.com invited the public to vote for their favorite nonprofit arts groups in its sixth annual People's Choice Awards from Dec. 11, 2013 through Jan. 22.

Paper Mill Playhouse was awarded, “Favorite Theater at See a Musical” and “Favorite Place to Take a Kids Arts Class” on Tuesday.

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“Paper Mill Playhouse is both humbled and honored to receive two People’s Choice Awards,” said Paper Mill Playhouse Managing Director Todd Schmidt. “These awards are a gift from the audiences and students we serve throughout the State of New Jersey.”

The 14 categories ranged from theater and performing arts center, to museum and gallery, to symphony and dance company. 

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Many organizations rallied their audiences to vote and in total a record number of over 12,000 people cast their ballot in this year's awards. 

The JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards take place annually to honor the work of New Jersey’s vital, vibrant and diverse arts organizations. Eight arts districts and 71 organizations were nominated this year—the largest amount of nominees the Awards has received since its creation in 2008—with 14 first-time nominees.

Paper Mill Playhouse received a total of 4,994 votes in the category for “Favorite Theater at See a Musical” accounting for 66 percent of the votes cast and 1,501 votes for “Favorite Place to Take a Kids Arts Class” with nearly 33 percent of the vote.  

The winners were announced Tuesday online at JerseyArts.com and via email to all the voters. Recipients will formally receive their awards in a ceremony at The New Jersey Tourism Conference, held March 19-21, in Atlantic City.

“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 Playhouse 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.”

6th Annual JerseyArts.com People's Choice Awards Winners:

  • Favorite Performing Arts Center:
    New Jersey Performing Arts Center - NJPAC (Newark)

  • Favorite Theater to See a Musical:
    Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn)

  • Favorite Theater to See a Play:
    Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison)

  • 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:
    Westminster Choir (Princeton) 

  • Favorite Dance Company:
    New Jersey Ballet (Livingston)

  • Favorite Opera Company:
    Opera at The Princeton Festival (Princeton)

  • Favorite Music Festival:
    Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Festival (Asbury Park, Long Branch, Point Pleasant)

  • Favorite Film Festival:
    Montclair Film Festival (Montclair)

  • Favorite Place to Take an Adult Arts Class:
    Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (Summit)

  • Favorite Place to Take a Kid's Arts Class:
    Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School (Millburn)

  • Favorite Downtown Arts District:
    Montclair, New Jersey


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