Michael Detroit – Memphis Flyer

Nominees for the 40^th 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 26^th, 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
Marianne Orendorff, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
Patrick Ashbee, A Raisin in the Sun, Theatre Memphis
Robrecus Parker, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre

Featured Performer, Div II Musical

Allen Osoinach, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Hayden Hooper, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Holly Ferguson, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Jasmine Gillenwaters, Erin McKee, and Madilyn Mobbs, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Lesley Tooley, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre

Featured Performer, Div I Musical

DuValle Henry, Jr., Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Haley Wilson, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Justin Asher and Stephen Garrett, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Lorraine Cotten, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Mac White, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Featured Dancer, Div I Musical

CJ Hampton and Cade Forbes, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Karl Robinson, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Lydia Jones, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
Zurick M. Thomas, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Supporting Actor, Div II Play

Adrian Kinnard, A Stubborn Holiday, Actors Renaissance Theatre
Chad Rhodes Sr., JS Tate, and Prince Djae, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Gerardo Rivillas, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
Micah Winter-Cole aka “Goldie Dee Collins,” Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Sydney Allure, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s

Supporting Actress, Div II Play

Katy Cotten, Elektra, University of Memphis
Nichole Tate-Jackson, Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre
Sheryl Jones, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Taylor Edwards, Silent Sky, University of Memphis
Trenia Lawson, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions

Supporting Actor, Div I Play

Charles Hunter, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
Claiborne “CJ” Thomas Jr., The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
Eric Schultz, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
John Reynolds, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Marc Gill, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse

Supporting Actress, Div I Play

Brooke Papritz, POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive), Circuit Playhouse
Emily F. Chateau, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Haley Wilson, POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive), Circuit Playhouse
Kim Justis, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Sally Stover, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actor, Div II Musical

Aidan Saunders, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Aidan Saunders, Twelfth Night: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Javier Pena, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Marvin Holt, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Tim Brown, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre

Supporting Actress, Div II Musical

Ashleigh Williams, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Cassie Thompson, Zanna, Don’t, Emerald Theatre Company
Kathryn Dressel, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Marianne Orendorff, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Tracy Thomas, Twelfth Night: The Musical, Harrell Theatre

Supporting Actor, Div I Musical

Bentley Black, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Camden Douglas, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Jonathan Christian, The Prom, Playhouse on the Square
Kent Fleshman, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Kinon Keplinger, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actress, Div I Musical

Emily F. Chateau, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Emily Garrett Cook, Legally Blonde, Germantown Community Theatre
Jaclyn Suffel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Jaclyn Suffel, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Whitney Branan, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actor, Div II Play

Clayton McKinney, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions
Joshua T. Horton, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Nathan McHenry, Constellations, Quark Theatre
Taylor Roberts, The Sound Inside, Quark Theatre
Tramaine Morgan, Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre

Leading Actress, Div II Play

Ariel Ari Leira, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
Carly Crawford, Constellations, Quark Theatre
Kim Justis, The Sound Inside, Quark Theatre
Mary Hollis Inboden, The Wasp, Quark Theatre
Meghan L. Lewis, The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Leading Actor, Div I Play

Emmanuel McKinney, A Raisin in the Sun, Hattiloo Theatre
Jari Latrell Head, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Germantown Community Theatre
John Maness, Kevar Maffitt, and Michael Gravois, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
J.S. Tate, Succession, Hattiloo Theatre
J.S. Tate, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress, Div I Play

Flo Roach, A Raisin in the Sun, Hattiloo Theatre
Jordan-Danyel Payne, Confederates, Hattiloo Theatre
Lindsey Roberts, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
Natalie Jones, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Susan Brindley, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actor, Div II Musical

Anthony T. James, Zanna, Don’t, Emerald Theatre Company
Jacob Mohler, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Kevin Lechner, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Mara Rus, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Steele Bowers, Murder Ballad, University of Memphis

Leading Actress, Div II Musical

Abby Rooks, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Ashleigh Williams, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Axyl Langford, Murder Ballad, University of Memphis
Campbell Williams, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Eliza Fleming, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild

Leading Actor, Div I Musical

Aden Pettet, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Bentley Black, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Jared Thomas Johnson, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
John Maness, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
Nathan McHenry, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress, Div I Musical

Cameron Crawford, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Jasmine Gillenwaters, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
Mary Helen McCord, Legally Blonde, Germantown Community Theatre
Xea Goolsby, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Zan Edwards, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre

Ensemble, Div II Play

Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre
Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
The Wasp, Quark Theatre
The Western Park Album, Emerald Theatre Company
Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions

Ensemble, Div I Play

A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse

Ensemble, Div II Musical

9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Murder Ballad, University of Memphis

Ensemble, Div I Musical

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Original Script

Baby Daddy Drama, Mary Ann Washington, Actors Renaissance Theatre
Everyone and Their Mother, Emily Draffen, Germantown Community Theatre
Out in the Woods, Friends of George’s, Friends of George’s
Things Lost in the Fire, Bishop Tony Lawson, True Believers Productions
Western Park Album, Howell Pearre, Emerald Theatre Company

Direction, Div II

Aliza Moran, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
Chris Luter, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
Irene Crist, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
Patrick Polsin, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
Tony Isbell, The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Direction, Div I Play

Aliza Moran, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
Cecelia Wingate, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
John Maness, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Kell Christie, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
Warner Crocker, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse

Direction, Div I Musical

Angel Clark, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
Cecelia Wingate, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
Claire D. Kolheim, 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

Production, Div II

9 to 5, Harrell Theatre; Director: Chris Luter; Stage Manager: Elizabeth Perkins
Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild; Director: Aliza Moran; Stage Manager: Teresa Lowry
Into the Woods, University of Memphis; Director: Patrick Polsin; Stage Manager: Olivia Mittag
Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s; Director: Irene Crist; Stage Manager: J-Lavender
The Wasp, Quark Theatre; Director: Tony Isbell; Stage Manager: Leslie Lee

Production, Div I Play

A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre; Director: Aliza Moran; Stage Manager: Marya Paolillo
Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: Kell Christie; Stage Manager: Julia Truelove
Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: Cecelia Wingate; Stage Manager: Jennifer Townsend
The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: John Maness; Stage Manager: Marya Paolillo
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
Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre; Director: Angel Clark; Stage Manager: Bronzjuan Worthy
Cinderella, Theatre Memphis; Director: Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols; Stage Manager: Julia Truelove
The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre; Director: Patdro Harris; Stage Manager; Sherronda Johnson
Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square; Director: Claire D. Kolheim; Stage Manager: Maria Scott

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.