These retirees meet to spill the tea. (Photo: Marlinda Shorter | Unspeakable Joy Photography)
Ten years ago, my ex-husband and I lived with his grandfather, a 92-year-old patriarch of the family. He was routine-oriented, and for many years he made a habit of meeting up with friends once a week for coffee and breakfast at a local fast food joint, usually Hardee’s or McDonald’s. The setting of Hattiloo Theatre’s production of Coconut Cake couldn’t be more relatable, as it portrays a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of four retirees who meet every Monday at McDonald’s. Here’s the thing, though, these characters aren’t just meeting up to drink coffee — they’re here to spill the tea.
Coconut Cake is a (mostly) quiet, intimate look at the lives of three Black friends, plus the somewhat out-of-place white brother-in-law named Hank but nick-named “Republican,” played by Bart Mallard. The characters — all men — slowly reveal they are each going through hardships that end up driving them apart, despite the fact that their individual struggles could bring them closer. The event that throws their lives into disarray is the arrival in town of a mysterious woman, who, because of her beauty and sophistication, becomes the subject of fascination for the quartet. The other wild card in Coconut Cake is the unhoused man dubbed “Gotdamnit” because of his penchant for repeating the word. Played by Jesse L. Dunlap, Gotdamnit is the type of character who whirls in and steals the show. He is a source of comic relief, though there are moments of emotion and a struggle with mental health that are poignantly delivered.
While the characters may at first seem like stock characters, a theme becomes apparent as the show progresses: All people contain hidden depths. Mallard has been acting since high school and speaks to the process of the characterization of Hank: “My character is hiding some truths about himself from even those closest to him. So I am asking myself deeply and honestly, what do I keep hidden away … is there a truth that I have not allowed to be seen … is there a truth in my heart, soul, and gut that I need to or could benefit from shining a bright light onto?”
One notable aspect of the play is that, though it is comprised of an entirely male cast, the playwright Melda Beaty is a woman. Watching a play that is about the male experience, but depicted by a woman, was a fascinating experience. I’ve grown up inundated by female characters who are poorly and unrealistically dreamed up by men. The internet is full with memes criticizing how women are rendered by male writers, so I found it refreshing to see a play that flipped the script — pun intended. Beaty’s frank and honest portrayal of these men is what makes the play so gripping. Here is a place where they are allowed to be vulnerable, and it’s obvious how meaningful that refuge is. Symbolism is rife in Coconut Cake, from the sanctuary represented by the innocuous setting of McDonald’s, to the game of life portrayed in a chess board.
Though on the surface Coconut Cake is a simple dialogue-driven play, it is a piece of theater that should not be looked over. Accurately cutting out a slice of life that remains deeply entertaining without ever compromising its realism is no mean feat, but Beaty has managed to do so with success. This play comes with a message that audiences will be hard-pressed to miss, as Mallard puts it, “The deepest intention is to shine some light on the truth that the act of openly, truthfully, and patiently walking your path will allow for you to find your own truth and light and then to honestly stand in it … to take the stage.”
Coconut Cake runs at Hattiloo Theatre through September 8th.
Ostrander night entertainment included an energetic scene by the cast from Hattiloo Theatre's "Blues in the Night." Photo: Jon W. Sparks
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.
2024 The Ostranders crowd in the lobby of the Orpheum Monday, August 26th.
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:
James Newman of Village People plays a prospective father in "Mamma Mia" at the Orpheum. (Photo: Courtesy of the Orpheum)
James Newman dressed Western in his first stage role as “Little Jake” in Annie Get Your Gun. He was 14.
“I probably had cowboy boots,” he says. “Some kind of hat, like a floppy little kid’s cowboy hat. My first musical I was a cowboy.”
Fast-forward several decades and Newman was a cowboy again. Except his cowboy boots had rhinestones on them. In 2013, he took over the part of the Cowboy in Village People. “I only had one pair of chaps. Cow print cowhide chaps. I had all kinds of jeans. It’s a disco cowboy, right?”
Newman wears another big hat when he’s on stage in the musical Mamma Mia, which is now showing at the Orpheum. He plays writer Bill Austin, one of the three men who could be the father of Sophie, played by Alisa Melendez, in this delightful show that runs through July 28th.
Newman describes his character as “commitment phobic.” Austin doesn’t like to settle down. He just wanted to have a fling with Donna (Christine Sherrill), not become the father of her child. “He’s very lighthearted. He’s got the least amount of angst of the three dads.”
So, it’s shocking news when Austin learns he could be Sophie’s father. Austin “never put down roots,” but he “likes this child.”
Newman is enjoying the role. “It’s always nice to play a joyful character,” he says. “It makes your life lighter.”
The Mamma Mia cast takes a bow on opening night at the Orpheum. (Photo: Michael Donahue)
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Newman remembers “as a child of four always trying to get attention from two working parents.”
And, he says, “Like every little kid, I wanted to be a movie star.”
So, performing in a play was perfect for him. “It fit my personality 100 percent.”
The Little Jake role seemed to be custom-made for Newman, who was “so little” and had a “very high voice” in high school.
He sang “Doin’ What Comes Naturally” in the musical, which was apropos because singing and acting apparently came naturally to Newman. He wanted to pursue theater, but, he says, “I lived in Alabama. It was all about sports.”
His dad attended his shows. His mom went to most of them, but she “didn’t understand why you would start singing in the middle of a show.”
Newman, whose teacher inspired him to continue acting, moved to New York after he graduated from college when he was 22. He began appearing in Off-Broadway plays before moving to Broadway. His repertoire now includes Hands on a Hardbody; Curtains; Minnelli on Minnelli; Tommy; Kiss Me, Kate; and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Newman, who wasn’t the original Cowboy in Village People, describes his experience playing Cowboy as “very joyful. People come to the show already loving it.”
Newman has been enjoying the ride. Like, he says, when acclaimed actress Helen Mirren came up to him and said, “Excuse me. Can I get a picture with you?”
James Newman as the Cowboy in Village People (Photo: Courtesy of James Newman)
Christin Webb as
Gloria Carmichael (Photo: Joe Perry)
I feel somewhat apprehensive writing about the world premiere of LaDarrion Williams’ new play Coco Queens at TheatreWorks@TheSquare, if only because this review seems like the last thing anyone needs right now: a white woman’s commentary about Black sisterhood. Perhaps I would be best served by simply sharing my perspective of gratitude for having the opportunity to see this story being brought to the stage.
Winner of the 2023 NewWorks@TheWorks playwriting competition, Coco Queens takes place in the 1970s, which is apparent by the cozy, lived-in set designed by Lex van Blommestein. The entirety of the play is staged in the living room/at-home hair salon of Gloria Carmichael, played by Christin Webb, who the audience was told before curtain is a recent addition to the cast, so much so that the actor isn’t quite off book yet. This detail could be a distraction to most audiences, but I found Webb’s characterization of Gloria so compelling that it took me a few minutes to realize she was the actor that had been referred to, despite the rather obvious fact that she carried a modern binder with her during much of the show.
Gloria sports an Afro hairstyle, another nod to the time frame of the show, and the play’s program includes an insert titled “The Role of Hair in the Identity of Black Women.” It’s a nice touch, given that many of the thematic elements are woven into the setting of a hair salon. Gloria serves as a matriarch to the other three characters, having raised each of them together as pseudo-sisters in their childhood. Chanel and Tammie remain in the same small town they grew up in, and once the last character Dawn is introduced, we see that she and Chanel harbor a feud that has spanned eight years. In their youth the three were part of a musical group together and were poised on the edge of their big break when Dawn suddenly broke off and started a solo career. Dawn, who recently returned home from her seemingly glamorous life as a solo artist, wants to reconcile. Chanel, who feels Dawn is living the life she was meant to have, does not. Tammie is stuck in the middle, unable to bridge the gap between the two.
Over the course of the play, we see each character struggling not only to mend the rift in their friendship but also against the different ways the world has forced them to move through their lives. The playwright exemplifies this theme with the line that being a Black woman is akin to “existing, not even living in this world.” Gloria and Tammie urge Chanel and Dawn to assert control in their lives by putting their differences behind them, but actor Donita Johnson makes it clear that Chanel’s palpable anger is stemming from a deep wound.
Playwright Williams said in a release, “I am not a Black woman, but I guess I really associate with Chanel a lot of times because of the anger and hurt caused by some folks closest to you, and learning to heal from that pain.”
Forgiveness is something hard-won, even or perhaps especially for the person giving it. Each character faces a battle with discrimination and how its effects on Black women permeate their lives, and each character in their own way comes to a point when they must decide who in their lives deserves forgiveness. In each of their coinciding stories, what’s clear is how much stronger the ties that bind them become when they choose to fight for and invest in their own strength. By choosing to embrace and support one another, they become stronger individuals. This lesson is brought home when their matriarch reminds them that she, too, has faced persecution in ways they never have, and that the time comes for everyone to invest in taking care of themselves first, even if their aim is to serve others.
Coco Queens is a heartfelt look at the everyday lives of 1970s Black women in the South, with themes that seem all too relevant in 2024.
Michael Detroit, executive producer at Playhouse on the Square (Photo: Carla McDonald)
Nominees for the 40th Memphis Ostrander Awards were announced Sunday setting the stage for the annual gala honoring excellence in local theatrical productions. The event will happen Monday, August 26th, at the Orpheum.
In making the announcement, Ostranders executive director Elizabeth Perkins said, “The goal of the Ostrander Awards is to create an unforgettable evening that both applauds this vibrant cornerstone of our arts community and allows theater lovers and newcomers alike equitable access to the best of the best of local theater at all levels.”
Awards are given in a range of categories including acting, directing, and backstage contributions in the college, community, and professional divisions. The awards ceremony includes live performances of musical numbers from eight nominees for Outstanding Overall Production.
It was previously announced that Michael Detroit, executive producer of Playhouse on the Square, would receive the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award. Read the Memphis Flyer story here.
Tickets go on sale August 1st and are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. For more information or ticket info, go here.
Ruby O’Gray, recipient of the Eugart Yerian Award at the 2023 Ostranders (Photo: Jon W. Sparks)
2024 OSTRANDER AWARD NOMINEES
Props Design, Div II
Clare Kelly, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Jane Parks, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Mary Thomas Hattier, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Molly O’Connor, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Props Design, Div I Play
Iza Bateman, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
Iza Bateman, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Iza Bateman, Fat Ham, Circuit Playhouse
Jack Netzel-Yates, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
Props Design, Div I Musical
Iza Bateman, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Jack Netzel-Yates, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Scenic Design, Div II
Abbie Seale, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Chris Luter & Richard Logston, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Clare Kelly, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Sandy Kozik, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Scenic Design, Div I Play
Andrew Mannion, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
J. David Galloway, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Jack Netzel-Yates, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Scenic Design, Div I Musical
Jack Netzel-Yates, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Jack Netzel-Yates, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
Melanie Mulder, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Tim McMath, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Lighting Design, Div II
Becky Caspersen, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Chris Hanian, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Joshua Williams, Silent Sky, University of Memphis
Melissa Andrews, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Olivia Johnson, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Lighting Design, Div I Play
Jeremy Fisher, A Monster Calls, New Moon
Megan Christoferson, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
Nicole Northington, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Nicole Northington, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Rachel Lauren, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Lighting Design, Div I Musical
Fallon Williams, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Nicole Northington, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Nicole Northington, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Nicole Northington, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
Terry Eikleberry, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Sound Design, Div II
Rowan Sullivan, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Ty Phillips, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
Ty Phillips, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Walker Higgins, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Sound Design, Div I Play
Jason Eschhofen, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Jason Eschhofen and Jenny Giering, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Joe Johnson, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Josh Crawford, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
Marques W. Brown, Matthew “MB” Russell & Dylan Wheeler, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Germantown Community Theatre
Sound Design, Div I Musical
Cydnie Trice, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Gene Elliott, Reefer Madness, New Moon Theatre
Jason Eschhofen, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Joshua Crawford, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Reyn Lehman, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Hair/Wig/Makeup Design, Div II
Blake Galtelli-Meek, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Friends of George’s, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Friends of George’s, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Play
Barbara Sanders, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
Buddy Hart, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
Kaylyn Nichols, Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Musical
Buddy Hart, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Ellen Ring & Rence Phillips, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Costume Design, Div II
Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Friends of George’s, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Friends of George’s, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
Randall Newman Jones, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Costume Design, Div I Play
Allison White, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
Amie Eoff, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Amie Eoff, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Ashley Whitten Kopera, The Squirrels, New Moon Theatre
Marsena Sellers, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre
Costume Design, Div I Musical
Amie Eoff, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Amie Eoff, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
J. Faye Manselle, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Marsena Sellers, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
Marsena Sellers, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Music Direction, Div II
Matthew Morrison, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Nathan Thomas, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Tamatha Holt, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Music Direction, Div I Play
Ashley K. Davis, Father Comes Home from the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre
Ashley K. Davis, Take the Soul Train to Christmas, Hattiloo Theatre
Gary Beard, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Music Direction, Div I Musical
Ashley Davis, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
Jason Eschhofen, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Jeffery Brewer, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Tamatha Holt, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
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
Joy Fairfield, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Kathy Thiele, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Kathy Thiele, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Choreography, Div I Play
Hunter Steel and Austin Wall, Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
Max Robinson, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Terran Gary, Take the Soul Train to Christmas, Hattiloo Theatre
Whitney Branan and Courtney Oliver, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Choreography, Div I Musical
Christi Gray Hall, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Courtney Oliver, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
Emma Crystal and Noelia Warnette-Jones, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Patdro Harris, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Featured Performer, Div II Play
Cary Vaughn, The Western Park Album, Emerald Theatre Company
Dabrell Thompson, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Hal Harmon, 6th Annual I0 Minute Play Festival, Emerald Theatre Company
Jeffery Taylor, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions
Marisa Schultz, Fools, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Featured Performer, Div I Play
Fatima L. Gray, A Raisin in the Sun, Theatre Memphis
Hiawartha Jackson, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
The play opens in the kitchen and stays there for almost the entirety of the show. (Photos: Sean Moore)
It’s difficult to imagine a more Memphis-centric theater outing than the opening night of The Circuit Playhouse’s production of The Hot Wing King — written by Memphis native Katori Hall, performed by a cast of six Memphis residents, set in Memphis, and attended by none other than the mayor of Memphis.
If the audience’s response is anything to go by, this show’s success could be described not by a traditional two thumbs-up, but rather by a rapid-fire volley of finger snaps. The Hot Wing King serves up not only an often-hilarious look at the bonds and squabbles of a found family, but also a refreshing, unapologetic depiction of gay Black men comfortably presenting a full range of everything non-toxic masculinity can be.
This play has a bit of a sitcom-like feel to it, right down to Andrew Mannion’s scene design of a slightly upscale lived-in Memphis house. The play opens in the kitchen and we stay there for almost the entirety of the show, but you’ll find no complaints here as the set dressing was beautifully homey.
The Hot Wing King follows Cordell, a St. Louis native who recently relocated to Memphis to move in with his boyfriend, Dwayne. Their cohabitation seems like it’s off to a rocky start despite their obvious affection and deep feeling for one another. Cordell, who is currently looking for a job, seems to be rubbed the wrong way by the idea of being supported by another person. Thus, he pours himself obsessively into his hobby, trying to win the annual Memphis “Hot Wang Festival.” Much of the play’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime is taken up with the intricacies of the cooking, prepping, marinating, etc. of the wings by the couple and their two close friends, but the real meat in this production lies in the struggle of the characters’ internal battles of guilt and accountability, and of the external conflicts that subsequently stem from within.
One such major conflict arises when Dwayne’s nephew EJ and EJ’s father TJ make unexpected appearances in the middle of the festival prep. Sixteen-year-old EJ is in need of a place to stay, and as his mother, Dwayne’s sister, died after being restrained by police (police that Dwayne had called for a welfare check) almost exactly two years ago, it’s understandable why Dwayne wants to take EJ in. At least, it’s understandable to the audience. Cordell, on the other hand, is still struggling with his discordant relationship with his own adult children, who don’t know that he divorced their mother in order to pursue a relationship with Dwayne.
The situation is messy, yet it has an air of familiarity to it that most audience members will probably be able to relate to. Anyone who has been through great loss will understand that though everyday events and emotions are a necessity for navigating daily life, the pain is never too far away. While the dialogue occasionally drifts into somewhat unrealistically poetic expressions of this sort of grief and pain, the cast carries it off well. The jump between comedic hijinks and somber self-reflection doesn’t feel quite as stark as it could, when the actors are performing with such open honesty.
What makes this play truly special and important is the matter-of-fact presentation of queer Black men who are completely at ease with their sexuality. As a straight white woman, I can only imagine what it would mean to see that kind of representation onstage to a person struggling with their own sexual identity. What I especially appreciated was Katori Hall’s method of revealing the characters’ struggles after we had been introduced to their confidence. Again, I have only imagination and empathy to go off of here, but I think seeing these characters being their full authentic selves would be inspiring to young queer people; to see that they, too, overcame struggles to get to that point could only be incredibly validating.
When it comes to serving up quality theater, The Hot Wing King has everything to offer: heart, saucy exchanges, slapstick comedy, and even redemption.
Michael Detroit, executive producer at Playhouse on the Square (Photo: Carla McDonald)
Memphis’ annual Ostrander Awards honor the season’s best local theatrical productions.
Mostly.
But there is one category that gives a standing ovation to someone who has had an ongoing, yearslong impact on the theater scene.
The Eugart Yerian Award for Lifetime Achievement has put the spotlight on these singular people since 1984, and this year, the distinction will go to Michael Detroit, executive producer at Playhouse on the Square, a professional resident theater company.
Detroit started at Playhouse when he came to Memphis in 1989. And he’s done it all: actor (stage, film, television, commercials), director, singer, costumer, choreographer, professor, creator of the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions (UPTA), civic activist, and more.
When Detroit took over at Playhouse from founder Jackie Nichols in 2018, he was more than ready, having been associate producer since 1998. As executive producer, he manages $15 million in capital assets, a $3.3 million annual budget, an endowment of more than $7 million, and 40 full- and part-time employees, including hundreds of contract actors, designers, and directors.
Being ready to take over also helped when the global pandemic hit, forcing arts organizations to rethink how to keep creating — and delivering — art. Detroit and Whitney Jo, managing director at Playhouse, were able to ensure that no staff or company member was laid off because of the pandemic. Further, they devised ways of creating online content to sustain interest and involvement.
Detroit will receive the award at the Ostranders ceremonies on August 26th at the Orpheum.
The Memphis Flyer asked Detroit about the highlights of his 35 years in Memphis.
Memphis Flyer: Tell us about your journey since you came to Memphis in 1989.
Michael Detroit: I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve been able to make a living in the arts, which is hard for anybody that goes into the arts. For me, it was a history of piecemealing things together — doing theater, doing video gigs, doing voiceovers, doing print work, and teaching and all the things you did to make a living as a younger artist. And I’ve been able to stay with it and make a living out of it. With that kind of vision in mind, my goal since I became executive producer was to strengthen our ability to have artists have the ability to make a living in Memphis — things like salaries and working conditions and hourly work weeks and all of those things, which is a challenge in any artistic format for sure.
What are some of the initiatives behind your vision?
It goes back to things like UPTA, where we’ve got 1,100 people coming in over four days with 85-plus companies and 850 actors all looking for work that pays across the country. We’re also very committed to partnering with our friends at the Greater Memphis Chamber. Playhouse belongs to seven different chambers and I wanted to make sure that we were doing that so that we were civically engaged, not just an artistic company, but as a small business in Memphis. And that creates an awareness of employees, but just like the big folks out there, like FedEx and IP and Nike and AutoZone, we want to attract and retain the talent that we have here as actors and designers and technicians and admin folks.
You have to have material that they want to work with and work on, but you’ve got to pay them a salary that’s of value to them. And that’s what UPTA was created for, to help folks find work, and certainly to help Playhouse find talent. Coming out of that too, making sure that what we’re bringing to the table is a lot more newer work, perhaps than we had done in the past, and certainly a greater diversity of work than we have been doing in the last, let’s say, couple of decades. So, we’re getting back to our roots in terms of types of shows we’re doing.
You like to see where there’s a need and then take steps to meet it, right?
Yes, things like the Queer Youth Theater Program. We chose to do it, recognizing that as something that’s important for our community, we’ve been able to do that and do it proudly, do it unabashedly. It’s easy to identify issues. It’s challenging to find the right materials to put in front of folks that help push that needle in one direction or the other that reflects that diversity of our community. So yeah, we’re going to do the family shows because that’s part of our community, but then we’re going to do shows that talk about the politics that we’re dealing with right now.
I’ve also been helping theatrical licensing companies realize that Playhouse on the Square in Memphis is a treasure to be had because we can produce things here in the Mid-South that these licensing companies, quite frankly, can’t really license anywhere else. And they realize quickly when we produce things that perhaps they can be produced in other places.
You were instrumental in organizing last year’s arts-centered mayoral forum. How did that go?
We worked with various other folks through the Memphis Cultural Coalition who had strong contacts into the various mayoral candidates committees. We got four of them here at Playhouse to talk to a full house of people, and it was specifically geared towards the arts. It’s something, as far as I know, that had never happened before, and it was extremely successful. We had four candidates committing to creating something or engaging the arts as a way for Memphis to move forward. We see that now in Mayor Paul Young’s messaging. We had a chamber event at the Memphis Botanic Garden last week, and he talked about it there, and he’s talking about it without being fed a line about it. He’s making it part of his platform. If you feed the arts, you feed business. Without a strong professional arts component, especially in a city, you become a tier-two city. And we want to be a tier-one city. It’s important to keep those organizations vital and thriving.
Nathan McHenry and Carly Crawford (Photo: Tony Isbell)
Quark Theatre is gearing up to finish off its season in the coming weeks with the regional premiere of Constellations by Nick Payne, opening Friday, May 10th.
“I have been calling this a multiversal love story,” says director Tony Isbell. “Because it’s about two characters — Roland and Marianne — and the story is they meet, they go on a date, they hit it off, they fall in love, they break up, they get back together, and they deal with some very serious issues along the way and some very funny issues. But it’s not that straightforward: We follow their relationship through the lens of the multiverse. … It jumps to different universes and it occasionally jumps back and forwards in time as well. So there’s a lot going on.”
At just about 80 minutes, the play, Isbell says, feels like a montage sequence. “Like short scenes cut together,” he says. “But these two actors [Carly Crawford and Nathan McHenry] are phenomenal because when they switch universes there’s no technical aspect — there’s not necessarily a scene change or sound change. It’s all conveyed by the actors and just something as simple as a change of tone of voice or a change of their posture or the way they’re relating to each other. And the amazing thing is you can almost always tell when there’s a change, when they jump through the universe, not only because they end up repeating some of the same lines but just because of the nuance they bring to the characters as they move from universe to universe.
“I call it a love story because that’s really what it is. The most important thing here is the relationship between these two people and how much chemistry they have and how much the audience roots for them. Because they’re both really likable people most of the time, and in a couple of universes, they’re not so nice, but most of the time they’re really likable and the audience is really rooting for them. I think people will just really be fascinated by the show.”
Isbell hopes this production follows the success this season has offered so far with The Wasp and The Sound Inside. “In terms of audience we’ve just done really well,” he says. “This has been our most successful season, and we’d like to continue that with this show.”
Tickets for Constellations can be purchased at quarktheatre.com. Performances run Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., May 10th through May 26th.
Constellations, Theatre South at First Congo, 1000 Cooper St., Friday, May 10-May 26, $20.
National Touring Company of Wicked (Photo: Joan Marcus)
In my junior year of high school, our revamped theater program found its feet with the production of a traditional spring musical, The Wizard of Oz. It was 2008, and three years previously, the smash hit Broadway musical Wicked had begun its national tour, one that would break every house record in every city it played in. As a 17-year-old voracious reader, I knew of Wicked the novel, not the show, but that changed when, for the first time I could ever remember, a Broadway musical became a common topic of conversation in the hallways of a small-town high school. At the time, I was confused about what the big deal was. Wicked the book was a strange and almost unpalatable read, and I could barely understand how it had been translated to the stage in the first place. It took over 15 years, but I finally have seen what all the hubbub was about.
Wicked has become a global phenomenon and a household name, just as much as its origin story, The Wizard of Oz. I can’t bring to mind another example of a spin-off gaining as much traction and coexisting so long alongside the original. The Orpheum Theatre was a packed house last Thursday, with the audience hanging on every word and madly cheering after every number. The merch table in the lobby was nearly overrun, and all this after 20 years of the show being on stage.
Olivia Valli as Elphaba (Photo: Joan Marcus)
On the drive home, my friend Meagan Kitterlin asked me how I already knew some of the songs when I hadn’t actually seen the play before. “Doesn’t everyone know ‘Defying Gravity’?” I answered. I couldn’t tell you the first time I heard that song, or “Popular,” but they are both nearly as familiar to me now as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The wild success of this musical is staggering, and seeing it in person, I understand why musical-lovers go crazy for this show.
The grandeur of Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre lends itself to the opulence of Wicked’s presentation. A giant clockwork dragon adorns the proscenium arch, looking like some sort of steampunk nightmare come to life. Wicked reimagines the early life of the Wicked Witch of the West, painting her as a complicated, misunderstood figure. The musical centers not only on the Wicked Witch — whose name is Elphaba, after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum — but also largely on Glinda, nee Galinda, the Good Witch. Celia Hottenstein, who plays Glinda, says, “For both characters, you’re observing how society and the public views these women. Glinda the Good and Elphaba, this person who is other, different, but you, through the show, see who they really are as people.” Glinda and Elphaba are college roommates, and from their first meeting, immediately at odds. Elphaba has obviously lived a life of hardship, constantly judged for her green skin, while Glinda has obviously lived a life of privilege, being granted her every desire almost before she can even wish for it. The two inexplicably become friends, and their friendship becomes the backbone of the entire musical.
Olivia Valli’s portrayal of Elphaba is surprising. I expected a bitter, passionate introvert, but Valli plays Elphaba as almost spunky. She’s hopeful, she seems like kind of a nerd, and she’s got moxie. It’s not at all what I was expecting, but it works. Valli and Hottenstein have undeniable chemistry onstage, and watching Elphaba and Glinda interact is where the true magic of Wicked lies. The musical is all about people’s perspectives, especially around what is considered “good” and what is considered “wicked.” As Hottenstein points out, “I think this show really delves into what it means to ‘do good’ and to ‘be good.’ It’s not as easy as you think.” This show’s message resonates with so many people, and Hottenstein is no exception. “To have compassion for people is the message that really has stuck with me. To always have compassion and always have empathy for others because everybody has their own struggles. And everybody is trying to be a good person, I think, for the most part.”
With show-stopping vocal performances, a set that might as well be another character it has so much personality, and a message all audiences can relate to, it’s no wonder Wicked is so justifiably good.
Kim Justis and Taylor Roberts as professor and student (Photo: Tony Isbell)
The phrase “the magic of theater” most likely brings to mind a musical. Grandeur, spectacle, something larger than life. Certainly that is often true, but there are some instances where “the magic of theater” refers to the exact opposite: the small vagaries of everyday life quietly rendered to the stage. These sorts of plays can make audiences feel as though they’re pressed against a living room window, peering through a gap in the drapes to eavesdrop on the characters’ lives. When it comes to Quark Theatre’s production of The Sound Inside, audiences might receive a shock. The metaphorical front door opens, and we aren’t just acknowledged — we are invited directly in.
The Sound Inside is a one-act play with a cast of only two characters. Kim Justis plays Bella Baird, a creative writing professor at Yale who has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Taylor Roberts plays Christopher Dunn, her student. Over the course of the play, the two become inadvertently close, and the line between professor and student becomes increasingly blurred.
Director Tony Isbell describes the play as an “existential mystery.” It is narrated throughout by Baird, and eventually in parts by Dunn as well. Isbell says, “The show certainly portrays the versatility of theater. It moves back and forth from direct address, where the characters talk directly to the audience, into traditional scenes between the two of them and even into meta-theatrical territory, or at least one of them acknowledges the fact that she is in a play talking to an audience. It has scenes of great pathos and emotion as well as some very funny bits, including one of the funniest monologues I’ve ever seen.”
I think I can guess which monologue Isbell is referencing, and I have to agree. Justis is superb in her delivery, so much so that my friend, local nursing student Quinlan Culver, leaned over after the monologue, gestured to her arms, and said, “I have chills.” There are ample moments that might elicit such a response from audience members, as it becomes less and less apparent just how much of what we’re watching is actually true. The concept of an unreliable narrator is familiar, but one aspect of The Sound Inside that is so fascinating is that our narrator, Bella Baird, comes across as completely, even frankly, honest. It’s Christopher Dunn who creates unsure footing for the audience. Roberts convincingly plays Dunn as a bit off somehow, in a way that’s hard to put your finger on. Dunn’s cadence of speech is strange, his mannerisms are slightly awkward, which is a stark contrast to Bella Baird’s comfortable self-assurance. The juxtaposition makes the slow crescendo of Bella’s insecurity even more compelling to watch.
This play is one that intentionally leaves many questions unanswered and up to the viewer’s interpretation. Playwright Adam Rapp seems to be drawing our attention to this by including a story within the play that ends in a similarly ambiguous way. The disparity in age between the characters leaves me wondering, “Is this simply a friendship in which age doesn’t have much importance? Is the ‘friendship’ between Dunn and Baird perpetually teetering on the edge of sexual tension?” It certainly seems the latter is true, and the actors manage to sustain that tension throughout every one of their shared scenes. The moment when Dunn begins to narrate is one that was beautifully executed by the two actors. It feels almost sweet, but at the same time, the shift in the power dynamic is almost tangible. Baird, whether she realizes it or not, has lost control, a metaphor for the entire play condensed neatly into one fleeting moment.
For Quark Theatre, Isbell says, “Our motto is ‘small plays about big ideas.’” The Sound Inside fits the bill as an intimate show that manages to explore, in its 90-minute or so run, power, feminism, truth, trust, illness, bravery, existentialism, and much more. In a simple, dressed-down black box set, Quark Theatre has managed to capture just as much allure as any big-budget musical.
Quark Theatre’s The Sound Inside runs at TheatreSouth at First Congo through March 17th.
