Embodiments of a system and a method for manufacturing a gypsum board can be used to produce a gypsum board having at least one perforated cover sheet via a cover sheet perforator system. The cover sheet perforator system can include a perforator roller is disposed downstream of a forming station along a machine direction, a roller support frame for rotatably supporting the perforator roller such that its rotational axis extends along the cross-machine direction, and a motor arranged with the perforator roller to rotate the perforator roller about the rotational axis. The drive motor can be adapted to rotate the perforator roller with a tangential speed substantially equal to the line speed to produce a series of perforation holes in an upwardly-facing cover sheet as the gypsum board moves past the perforator roller.