This has been one hell of a great year for Memphis theater and the 27th edition of The Ostrander Awards (mandatory Facebook page here) are looming large on the horizon. This year the annual ceremony honoring excellence in regional theater will held on Sunday, August 29th, from 6-11pm in Hardin Hall at the Memphis Botanic Garden. There will be cocktails and hors d'oeuvres from 6-7 followed by the awards ceremony at 7, followed by an after party with music and dancing, followed by antics that will be giggled about in gossip circles for the next 365 days at least.

This year's nominations all seem fairly obvious, although there is at least one name missing from the list below that has me absolutely stunned. Can anybody else guess who that may be? Hint: He was in a show that received several nominations and he could have been nominated for either best leading or supporting actor depending on how the judges wanted to call it. I'll go into greater detail about this in a later post. Meanwhile, talk among yourselves. Tell me who you think was left out, and who you think should go home with an Ozzie.

OSTRANDER COMMUNITY THEATRE AWARDS - NOMINEES 2010

SET DESIGN

Christopher McCollum, La Cage Aux Folles, Theatre Memphis
Chuck Britt, The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse
Jimmy Humphries, Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Playhouse on the Square
Dan Kopera, The Crucible, Harrell Theatre
Jimmy Humphries, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Christopher McCollum, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis

COSTUMES

Rebecca Powell/Amie Eoff, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
La Cage Aux Folles, Andre Bruce Ward, Theatre Memphis
Rebecca Powell, Musical Comedy Murders, Playhouse on the Square
Amie Eoff, Trouble in Mind, Circuit Playhouse

Guy Lee Bailey, Buffalo Gal, Next Stage

LIGHTING DESIGN

Ben Wheeler, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Diane Kinkennon, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Theatre Memphis
Chris Swanson, Guys and Dolls, Germantown Theatre
Matthew Stampe, The Crucible, Harrell Theatre
Diane Kinkennon, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis

PROPS

Betty Dilley, Visiting Mr. Green, Germantown Theatre
Grace Anne Harnish, Musical Comedy Murders, Playhouse on the Square
Jerre Dye, Cicada, Voices of the South
Bill Short, Fallen Angels, Theatre Memphis

MAKEUP/WIGS

Barbara Sanders (wigs,) Daniel Matthews (makeup) La Cage, Theatre Memphis
Anthony Lascoskie, Jr., Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

MUSIC DIRECTION

Marsha Neely, God’s Trombones, Hattiloo Theatre
Renee Kemper, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Circuit Playhouse
Renee Kemper, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Gary Beard, La Cage, Theatre Memphis
Angelo Rapan, 13, Harrell Theatre

SOUND DESIGN

Rory Dale, Musical Comedy Murders, Playhouse on the Square
Steven Gary, Driving Miss Daisy, Theatre Memphis
David Newsome, Cicada, Voices of the South
David Newsome, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis

CHOREOGRAPHY

Mitzi Hamilton/Kathy Caradine, La Cage Aux Folles, Theatre Memphis
Shorey Walker/Jordan Nichols, Hairspray Playhouse on the Square
Chris Hanford/Megan Homas 13, Harrell Theatre
Jay Rapp, Pippin, Playhouse on the Square

SUPPORTING ACTRESS/MUSICAL

Katie Ward, 13, Harrell Theatre
Carla McDonald, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Laura Stracko, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Playhouse on the Square
Kim Baker, Pippin, Playhouse on the Square
Laura Stracko, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

SUPPORTING ACTOR/MUSICAL

Jason Lee Blank, 13, Harrell Theatre
Karlos Andre Nichols, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Matt Reed, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Kent Fleshman, Pippin, Playhouse on the Square
David Foster, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

LEADING ACTRESS/MUSICAL

Deborah Manning Thomas, Mahalia, Hattiloo Theatre
Courtney Oliver, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Jenny Odle Madden, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Playhouse on the Square
Emily Chateau, Guys and Dolls, Germantown Theatre
Hannah Dowdy, Oliver, Playhouse on the Square

LEADING ACTOR/MUSICAL

Tim Greer, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Circuit Playhouse
Jonathan Christian, La Cage Aux Folles, Theatre Memphis
Pete Montgomery, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Playhouse on the Square
Ken Zimmerman, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
Jordan Nichols, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Emily Wells, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Circuit Playhouse
Amy Hanford, 13, Harrell Theatre
Mitzi Hamilton, La Cage, Theatre Memphis
Dave Landis, Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

MUSICAL PRODUCTION

Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Circuit Playhouse
13, Harrell Theatre
Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square
La Cage Aux Folles, Theatre Memphis

SUPPORTING ACTRESS/DRAMA

Christina Wellford Scott, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis
Cecelia Wingate, Cicada, Voices of the South
Mary Buchignani, Fallen Angels, Theatre Memphis
Liz Sharpe, Trouble in Mind, Circuit Playhouse
Angela Fredriksson, Is He Dead?, Germantown Theatre

SUPPORTING ACTOR/DRAMA

Steve Swift, Cicada, Voices of the South
Tony Isbell, The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse
Jason Hansen, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Circuit Playhouse
Tony Isbell, Buffalo Gal, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
Justin Asher, The Crucible, Harrell Theatre

LEADING ACTRESS/DRAMA

Jude Knight, Souvenir, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
Jo Lynn Palmer, Driving Miss Dais, Theatre Memphis
Christina Wellford Scott, Buffalo Gal, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
Erin Shelton, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis
Teresa Willis, Trouble in Mind, Circuit Playhouse

LEADING ACTOR/DRAMA

Ron Gephart, Visiting Mr. Green, Germantown Theatre
Bill Andrews Frost/Nixon, Playhouse on the Square
Michael Gravois, The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse
Elizah Zelonky, Over the Tavern, Germantown Theatre
David Shipley, Souvenir, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis

DIRECTION OF A DRAMA

Jerry Chipman, Buffalo Gal, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
Bennett Wood, Souvenir, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
Jerre Dye, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis
Bob Hetherington, The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse

DRAMATIC PRODUCTION

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Theatre Memphis
Souvenir, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis
The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse
Buffalo Gal, Next Stage/Theatre Memphis

ENSEMBLE CAST

13, Harrell Theatre
The Seafarer, Circuit Playhouse
God’s Trombones, Hattiloo Theatre
Jekyll and Hyde, Theatre Memphis
Hairspray, Playhouse on the Square

FEATURED ROLE

Kent Mathis, Is He Dead? Germantown Theatre
Renee Kemper, Jacques Brel Circuit Playhouse

BEHIND THE SCENES AWARD

Sue Binnie, Theatre Memphis
Tina Fockler, Playhouse on the Square
Mary Jane Taintor, Germantown Theatre

EUGART YERIAN LIFETIME AWARD
Otis Smith

COLLEGE OSTRANDER AWARDS - NOMINEES 2010

SET DESIGN

David Galloway, Hay Fever University of Memphis
Dave Nofsinger, Dark of the Moon University of Memphis
Lee Bryant, Reckless McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

COSTUME DESIGN

David Jilg, assisted by Madison Hannahs, The Elephant Man, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Laura Perkins, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis
Janice Lacek, Hay Fever, University of Memphis

LIGHTING DESIGN

Laura Canon, The Elephant Man, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Daniel Mueller, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis
Laura Canon, Reckless, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

PROPS

Jay Innerarity, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Kathy Haaga, Shakuntala, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Daniel Mueller and Morgan Yeates, The Horror of the Little Family Farce, University of Memphis

SET DRESSING

David Galloway/Jay Innerarity, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Daniel Mueller/Morgan Yeates, The Horror of the Little Family Farce, University of Memphis
Dave Nofsinger/David Galloway, 12 Angry Jurors, University of Memphis

MUSIC DIRECTION

Davis Fancher/Matthew Karner, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis
Brennan Villines, Blood Brothers, University of Memphis

SOUND DESIGN

Jennifer Northup, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Dave Mason, Shakuntula, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Jennifer Northup, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis

CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT
Heather Wilson and Holly Lau, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis
Jyo Carolino, Shakuntula, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

LEADING ACTOR/MUSICAL

Jason Blank, Blood Brothers, University of Memphis
Taylor Burnside, Blood Brothers, University of Memphis
Bruce Huffman, Blood Brothers, University of Memphis

SUPPORTING ACTRESS/DRAMA

Emily Childers, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Alicia Queen, Reckless, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Alicia Queen, The Elephant Man, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

SUPPORTING ACTOR/DRAMA

Sean Christian Taylor, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Spencer Miller, The Horror of the Little Family Farce, University of Memphis
Chris McCollum, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis

LEADING ACTRESS/DRAMA

Sarah Brown, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Lee Bryant, Reckless, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Monica Engesser, 12 Angry Jurors, University of Memphis

LEADING ACTOR/DRAMA

Ed Porter, The Elephant Man, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Jason Gerhard, 12 Angry Jurors, University of Memphis
Adam Maldonado, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis

ENSEMBLE ACTING

12 Angry Jurors University of Memphis
Shakuntala, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

CAMEO ROLE

Jade Hobbs, The Horror of the Little Family Farce, University of Memphis
Jason Gerhard, Dark of the Moon, University of Memphis

DIRECTION OF A DRAMA

Bob Hetherington, Hay Fever, University of Memphis
Brandon Lawrence, 12 Angry Jurors, University of Memphis
David Jilg, Reckless, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College

DRAMATIC PRODUCTION

Reckless, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
12 Angry Jurors, University of Memphis
Hay Fever, University of Memphis

BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Jerre Dye, Cicada, Voices of the South
Dave Mason, Shakuntala, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College
Phil Darius Wallace and Jerre Dye, Hold Fast, Voices of the South

BEST PRODUCTION OF AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT
Hold Fast, Voices of the South
Cicada, Voices of the South
Shakuntala, McCoy Theatre, Rhodes College