A theatrical production may end its run, but it’s never really over until the awards are announced. That happened Monday night at the Orpheum as the 40th annual Memphis Ostrander Awards were held to celebrate the best in local theater.
No production ran off with all the recognition, but ones that did well included Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Theatre Memphis) with six trophies, and Your Arms Too Short to Box With God (Playhouse on the Square) and Silent Sky (Next Stage, Theatre Memphis) which both won five awards.
For Emily F. Chateau, it was especially sweet, as she walked away with two plaques, one for Supporting Actress in a Division I Musical — Cinderella at Theatre Memphis, and the other for Supporting Actress in a Division I Play — Silent Sky on the Next Stage at Theatre Memphis. Observing that the evening was stacked with top performers, she noted that “being on stage with such talent is a gift.”
Awards are given in a wide range of categories including acting, directing, and backstage contributions in the college, community and professional divisions. The awards ceremony included live performances of musical numbers from eight nominees for Outstanding Overall Production.
There was a special presentation for the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Michael Detroit, Executive Producer of Playhouse on the Square.
Originally referred to as the Memphis Theatre Awards, the name was changed in 2001 to the Ostranders in honor of beloved local actor Jim Ostrander.
The winners:
Props Design, Div II: Molly O’Connor, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Props Design, Div I Play: Jack Netzel-Yates, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
Props Design, Div I Musical: Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Scenic Design, Div II: Clare Kelly, Into the Woods, University of Memphis, and The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Scenic Design, Div I Play: J. David Galloway, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Scenic Design, Div I Musical: Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Lighting Design, Div II: Melissa Andrews, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Lighting Design, Div I Play: Nicole Northington, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Lighting Design, Div I Musical: Terry Eikleberry, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Sound Design, Div II: Ty Phillips, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Sound Design, Div I Play: Joe Johnson, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Sound Design, Div I Musical: Reyn Lehman, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Hair/Wig/Makeup Design, Div II: Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre, and Friends of George’s, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Play: Barbara Sanders, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Musical: Buddy Hart, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Costume Design, Div II: Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Costume Design, Div I Play: Amie Eoff, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Costume Design, Div I Musical: Amie Eoff, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis, and Amie Eoff, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Music Direction, Div II: Nathan Thomas, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Music Direction, Div I Play: Gary Beard, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Music Direction, Div I Musical: Tammy Holt, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Choreography, Div II: Austin Wall, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Choreography, Div I Play: Whitney Branan and Courtney Oliver, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Choreography, Div I Musical: Emma Crystal & Noelia Warnette-Jones, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square and Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Featured Performer, Div II Play: Cary Vaughn, The Western Park Album, Emerald Theatre Company
Featured Performer, Div I Play: Fatima L. Gray, A Raisin in the Sun, Theatre Memphis
Featured Performer, Div II Musical: Jasmine Gillenwaters, Erin McKee, & Madilyn Mobbs, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Featured Performer, Div I Musical: Justin Asher and Stephen Garrett, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Featured Dancer, Div I Musical: Karl Robinson, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Supporting Actor, Div II Play: Micah Winter-Cole aka “Goldie Dee Collins,” Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Supporting Actress, Div II Play: Taylor Edwards, Silent Sky, University of Memphis
Supporting Actor, Div I Play: Eric Schultz, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Supporting Actress, Div I Play: Emily F. Chateau, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Supporting Actor, Div II Musical: Aidan Saunders, Twelfth Night: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Supporting Actress, Div II Musical: Cassie Thompson, Zanna, Don’t, Emerald Theatre Company
Supporting Actor, Div I Musical: Jonathan Christian, The Prom, Playhouse on the Square
Supporting Actress, Div I Musical: Emily F. Chateau, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Leading Actor, Div II Play: Taylor Roberts, The Sound Inside, Quark Theatre
Leading Actress, Div II Play: Mary Hollis Inboden, The Wasp, Quark Theatre, and Meghan L. Lewis, The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Leading Actor, Div I Play: John Maness, Kevar Maffitt, & Michael Gravois, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Leading Actress, Div I Play: Flo Roach, A Raisin in the Sun, Hattiloo Theatre
Leading Actor, Div II Musical: Steele Bowers, Murder Ballad, University of Memphis
Leading Actress, Div II Musical: Campbell Williams, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Leading Actor, Div I Musical: Bentley Black, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Leading Actress, Div I Musical: Cameron Crawford, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Ensemble, Div II Play: Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Ensemble, Div I Play: A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Ensemble, Div II Musical: Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Ensemble, Div I Musical: Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Original Script: Western Park Album, Howell Pearre, Emerald Theatre Company
Direction, Div II: Aliza Moran, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Direction, Div I Play: Warner Crocker, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Direction, Div I Musical: Cecelia Wingate, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Production, Div II: The Wasp, Quark Theatre, Director: Tony Isbell; Stage Manager: Leslie Lee
Production, Div I Play: The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse; Director: Warner Crocker; Stage Manager: Emma White
Production, Div I Musical: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis; Director: Cecelia Wingate; Stage Manager: Chelsea Robinson
The Otis Smith Dance Award: Courtney Oliver
Larry Riley Rising Star Award: Mac White
Janie McCrary Putting it Together Award: Terry Dean
Behind the Scenes Award: P.A. Bomani
For the 2023-2024 season, 14 organizations participated in the Ostrander Awards, submitting 63 productions for adjudication. The participating theaters are:
Actors Renaissance Theatre
Emerald Theatre Company
Friends of George’s
Germantown Community Theatre
Harrell Theatre
Hattiloo Theatre
New Moon
Playhouse on the Square
Quark Theatre
Rhodes Theatre Guild
Theatre Memphis
Three Diamonds Productions
True Believers Productions
University of Memphis
