2016 Kelsey Theatre Awards Features Ceremony and Performances August 20

It's awards time once again at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC's) Kelsey Theatre. The "2016 Kelsey Awards," a Tony Awards-inspired evening that celebrates the best theatrical productions and performers from the 2015-16 season, takes place Saturday, Aug. 20, starting at 7 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on MCCC's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

Based on voting by Kelsey Theatre fans, the Kelsey Awards will highlight the best performances, best technical achievements, best direction and best choreography from the past year. The ceremony will also honor Pete Labriola with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Labriola has been an innovator in the theater community for decades and has served as artistic director for Pierrot Productions, one of the companies that performs at Kelsey Theatre, since 1989.

The event will reprise performances by the casts of "The Addams Family," "Mary Poppins," "Violet," and "City of Angels." New this year will be preview performances from two upcoming shows: "Miss Saigon" (Sept. 9 to 25) and "In The Heights" (Oct. 14 to 23), along with a reunion performance by the cast of "Avenue Q" from 2013. Hosts for this year's show are comediennes Jaimie McMillin, Maria Aromando, and Kim Cupo.

"To gather some of the best talent in New Jersey and have them on one stage in one big show is a unique night of enjoyment for theater fans," said Kyrus Westcott, the show's producer, director and head writer. The Kelsey Awards have been presented by K2KEntertainment and the Kelsey Theatre Advisory Board as a live show since 2011. (The awards were first presented in 2009.)

The nomination round took place in early July. The second round of voting, which will decide the winners, will be held Aug. 13 to 18. For more information, visit www.KelseyAwards.com.

Tickets are $16 and are available online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Theatre Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theater.