The Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education honored Stephen Cunetto of Starkville July 14 with its 2015 Thad Cochran Distinguished Arts Educator Award for theater. The presentation was made during the Mississippi Theatre Association’s Whole Schools Institute awards ceremony at the MSU Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts in Meridian.
Cunetto, honored and humbled, expressed surprise at his selection as award recipient.
“I was shocked,” he expressed. In fact, he read the letter notifying him of the honor several times, thinking it must be meant for someone else.
Cunetto has been the executive director of the Mississippi Theatre Association since 2003. He is also the administrator of systems at Mississippi State University. The MTA supports school, community and professional theater programs throughout the state by providing workshops, scholarship programs, awards and festivals.
The honoree’s commitment to theater arts continues the legacy of his late father, Dr. Dominic Cunetto, who helped pioneer theater at Mississippi State University and the Starkville Community Theatre. The elder Cunetto was a longtime member and officer of MTA as well as the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
Starkville Community Theatre chief administrative officer Gabe Smith said via email, “We are very proud to have Stephen as part of our local arts community and are pleased to be part of the ongoing Cunetto legacy of Mississippi theatre.”
Under Stephen Cunetto’s guidance, MTA offers competitions in adult and student playwriting, high school theater, community theater and individual acting competitions for adults and students. Annual events also include youth theater festival, a 10-minute play festival, technical and design awards for community and high school theater, auditions for theater scholarships, continuing education credits for theater instructors, and workshops geared toward students, teachers, youth and community theater participants.
At the MTA festival in January, Cunetto announced he would step down from his leadership position with the statewide organization, although he will remain another year to help train his successor.
Penny Wallin, executive director of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education, describes Cunetto as one of the finest art advocates she has ever known.
“He lives and breathes theater and has supported so many directors and adults who work with youngsters, as well as students going into the arts. He … leaves a legacy that will be hard to fill.”
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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