The fearless cast of Corpus Christi was robbed, losing the Ostrander Award for excellence in ensemble acting to the excellent but not nearly as compelling cast of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. Who let Bill O’Reilly on the judging committee? I demand answers.
That quibble aside, the 23rd Annual Ostrander Awards found the Memphis theater community celebrating one of its most exciting seasons in ages. Theater Memphis’ perfect production of Cats and Playhouse on the Square’s perfectly naked Take Me Out took top honors, but the night’s big winners were Germantown Community Theatre and Collierville’s Harrell Performing Arts Center, a pair of underestimated suburban playhouses that proved they could compete with the big boys.
Bill Short, a tireless behind-the-scenes worker, received the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award.
Key
CP=Circuit Playhouse, GCT=Germantown Community Theatre, HPAC=Harrell Performing Arts Center, NSTM=Next Stage at Theatre Memphis, POTS=Playhouse on the Square, Rhodes=McCoy Theatre at Rhodes College, TM=Theatre Memphis, U of M=University of Memphis
Community Ostrander Awards
Direction of a Play: Dave Landis, Frozen (CP)
Leading Actor (play): Jonathon Lamer, Frozen (CP)
Leading Actress (play): Irene Crist, Frozen (CP)
Supporting Actor (play): Mark Mozingo, Take Me Out (POTs)
Supporting Actress (play): Mykel Pennington, Kimberly Akimbo (NSTM)
Dramatic Production: Take Me Out (POTS)
Musical Production: Cats (TM)
Direction of a Musical: Bob Hetherington, Urinetown (POTS)
Music Direction: Angelo Rapan, West Side Story (HPAC) and Gary Beard, Cats (TM)
Choreography: Mitzi Hamilton and Kathy Caradine, Cats (TM)
Leading Actor (Musical): Robert Hanford, Jesus Christ Superstar (HPAC)
Leading Actress (Musical): Rachael Saltzman, Urinetown (POTS)
Supporting Actor (Musical): Bill Andrews, Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens (CP)
Supporting Actress (Musical): Megan Bowers, Urinetown (POTS)
Ensemble Acting: Cast of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (CP)
Cameo Role: Barry Fuller, Cats (TM)
Sound Design: Matthew Stone, Child’s Play (TM)
Makeup and Wigs: Parker and Barbara Sanders, Cats (TM)
Set Dressing: Bill Short, I Am a Camera (GCT)
Props: Bill Short, I Am a Camera (GCT)
Lighting Design: Travis Richardson, Take Me Out (POTS)
Costume Design: Andre Bruce Ward, Cats (TM)
Set Design: Nick Mozak, Take Me Out (POTS)
Behind the Scenes Award: Melinda Bott (POTS)
Original Script: Playwrights‘ Forum, Heartstrings
College Awards
Set Design: Carrie Ballenger, Parade
(U of M)
Leading Actor (play): Chadwick Rodgers, Einstein’s Dreams (U of M)
Leading Actress (play): Erin McGhee, Tongue of a Bird (Rhodes)
Supporting Actor (play): Michael Khanlarian, Einstein’s Dreams (U of M)
Supporting Actress (play): Amy Gray, The Tempest (Rhodes)
Leading Actor (Musical): Josef McClellen, Parade (U of M)
Leading Actress (Musical): Annie Freres, Parade (U of M)
Supporting Actor (Musical): Kevin Murphy, Parade (U of M)
Supporting Actress (Musical): Stephanie Kim, Parade (U of M)
Music Direction: Mark Ensley, Parade (U of M)
Choreography: Jay Rapp, Parade (U of M)
Ensemble Acting: Cast of Ubu Roi (Rhodes)
Cameo Role: Franklin Willis, Parade (U of M)
Set Dressing: M. “Jonz” Jones, In the Blood (Rhodes)
Props: Chris Davis, Ubu Roi (Rhodes)
Lighting Design: John McFadden, Parade (U of M)
Costume Design: David Jilg, Ubu Roi (Rhodes)
Sound Design: Michelle Lyn Cook-Brown and Hank Neuhoff, Tongue of a Bird (Rhodes)
Best Production: Parade (U of M)
Direction: Bob Hetherington, Parade (U of M)
Larry Riley Rising Star Award:
Stephanie Kim
