The Ostranders, Memphis’ annual Theater awards sponsored by ArtsMemphis and Contemporary Media, turn 25 this year. Salud! Let’s celebrate with cake, champagne and some controversial nominations. I mean, C’mon. What in the world is going on with the Best Original Script category?
No, seriously. What is up with Best Original Script category? Rebecca Fisher probably deserves a special award for The Magnificence of the Disaster. But is it really fair for the judges to treat a guest artist like Fisher, who has been performing her show for years, as though it was an actual Voices of the South production?
Fisher started work on Disaster in San Francisco in 2005 and staged the completed work at The Marsh’s Festival of New Voices in 2006. Sheยs previously played to sold out houses in Memphis. So it’s a little weird thing to throw this Memphis script from somewhere else into competition with original scripts that were first produced locally.
This was actually an excellent year for homegrown playwrights, though that’s not reflected in the judges choices. Ekundayo Bandele’s Forget Me Not Christmas needed a good trimming but his production at the Hattiloo Theater stunned in fits and starts. Likewise, Kyle Hatley’s Lysistrata and the Death of Cupid could have used an editor. But when his self righteous sketch comedy clickedยand it was on more often than it was offย Lysistrata gave the bawdy source material a run for its money
Our Own Voice is constantly producing new material as is Chatterbox, Memphis’ new online audio playhouse. And what about Voices of the South who probably should be nominated in the original script category for one of Sister Myotis’ Youtube videos or Alice Berry’s thoughtful adaptation of Pandoraยs Box.
Oh well, the judges are all powerful and can do whatever they want to do I suppose. And frankly it would be a crime to not recognize Fisher for her close up account of life in the spotlight following a brutal Memphis murder. But the way that’s being handled doesn’t make much sense.
— Chris Davis
Now on with the nominees, beginning with the college and university division:
Set Design
Dave Nofsinger for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Craig Lewis for Assassins, University of Memphis
Costumes
Janice Lacek for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Janice Lacek for Hedda Gabler, University of Memphis
Joyce Bamman for Assassins, University of Memphis
Lighting Design
Ben Wheeler for Lysistrata and the Death of Cupid, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Ken Friedhoff for Assassins, University of Memphis
Ken Friedhoff for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Props
Emily Wells for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Emily Wells for Assassins at University of Memphis
Music Direction
Renee Kemper for Assassins, at University of Memphis
Mark Ensley for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Sound Design
Eric Sefton for How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Eric Sefton Lysistrata and the Death of Cupid McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Katie Preston for The Rocky Horror Show, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Claire Hayner for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Shaheerah Farrakhan for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Jason Hansen for Assassins University of Memphis
Ryan Scott for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Joe Watts, Jr. for Assassins, University of Memphis
Leading Actress in a Musical
Trisha Phillips for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Kirie Walz for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Annie Freres for Assassins, University of Memphis
Leading Actor in a Musical
Dylan Hunter for The Rocky Horror Show, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Jared Graham for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Chris McCollum for Assassins, University of Memphis
Direction of a Musical
Stephen Hancock, for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
David Shouse for Assassins, University of Memphis
Musical Production
Assassins, University of Memphis
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, University of Memphis
Supporting Actress in a Drama
Katie Preston for How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Shannon King for Lysistrata and the Death of Cupid, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Liz Sharpe for Hedda Gabler, University of Memphis
Supporting Actor in a Drama
Jason Gerhard for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Matthew Crewse for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Jared Graham for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Leading Actress in a Drama
Shannon King for How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Katie Preston for Lysistrata and the Death of Cupid, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Leading Actor in a Drama
Greg Krosnes for How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Reginald C. Brown for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Ensemble Acting
Animal Farm University of Memphis
Assassins University of Memphis
Direction of a Drama
Gloria Baxter for Animal Farm, University of Memphis
Wes Meader for How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Dramatic Production
How I Learned to Drive, McCoy Theatre Rhodes College
Animal Farm, University of Memphis
-Playwrighting Awards-
Best Original Script
Rebecca Fisher for The Magnificence of the Disaster, Voices of the South
Carol Galligan for Killing Louise, Playwright’s Forum
Best Production of an Original Script
Killing Louise, Playwright’s Forum
The Magnificence of the Disaster, Voices of the South and Playhouse
-Community Awards-
Set Design
Christopher McCollum for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Christopher McCollum for Night of the Iguana, Theatre Memphis
Christopher McCollum for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Dave Nofsinger for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre Memphis
Tim McMath for Scapin, Playhouse on the Square
Costume Design
Andre Bruce Ward for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Andre Bruce Ward for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre Memphis
Ashley Whitten-Kopera for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Luke Hall for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Lighting Design
Matthew Strampe for West Side Story, Theatre Memphis
Chris Swanson for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre Memphis
Matthew Strampe for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Ben Wheeler for Purlie, Playhouse on the Square
Michael Compton and Chris Swanson for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Props
Betty Dilley for Crimes of the Heart, Germantown Community Theatre
Robin Black for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Bill Short for The Importance of Being Earnest, Germantown Community Theatre
Christopher McCollum for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Set Dressing
Bill Short for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Christopher McCollum for Well, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Kerry Strahm for Crimes of the Heart, Germantown Community Theatre
Melinda Bott & Jimmy Humphries for The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Circuit
Makeup and Wigs
Barbara Sanders for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
David Shane Yelverton for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre Memphis
David Shane Yelverton for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Music Direction
Gary Beard for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Angelo Rapan for West Side Story, Theatre Memphis
Dennis Whitehead for Jerry Springer the Opera, Playhouse on the Square
Renee Kemper for The Producers, Playhouse on the Square
Angelo Rapan for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Sound Design
David Newsome for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre Memphis
David Newsome for Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
David Newsome for Pavilion, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Rory Dale for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Eric Sefton for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Choreography
Thomas Jones and Keith Patrick McCoy for Purlie, Playhouse on the Square
Amy Hanford for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Mitzi Hamilton & Kathy Caradine for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Jude Knight for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Sheana Tobey for The Producers, Playhouse on the Square
Cheyenne Nelson for The Pirates of Penzance, Playhouse on the Square
Meg Geer for Anything Goes, Harrell Theatre
Anita Jo Lenhart, Jerry Springer the Opera, Playhouse on the Square
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Kent Fleshman for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
David Foster for The Producers, Playhouse on the Square
Bentley Black for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Ken Zimmerman for The Producers, Playhouse on the Square
Jesus Manuel Pacheco for West Side Story, Theatre Memphis
Leading Actress in a Musical
Cheyenne Nelson for The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Circuit Playhouse
Lydia Hart for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Leading Actor in a Musical
Alvaro Francisco Barned for The Pirates of Penzance at Playhouse on the Square
Jim Hopkin for Jerry Springer the Opera, Playhouse on the Square
Kent Fleshman for The Great American Trailer Park Musical,Circuit Playhouse
Direction of a Musical
Mitzi Hamilton for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Amy Hanford for High School Musical 2, Harrell Theatre
Courtney Oliver for The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Circuit Playhouse
Thomas Jones for Purlie, Playhouse on the Square
Musical Production
West Side Story, Theatre Memphis
Thoroughly Modern Millie, Theatre Memphis
Purlie, Playhouse on the Square
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Circuit Playhouse
Supporting Actress in a Drama
Jo Lynne Palmer for Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Irene Crist for Orson’s Shadow, Circuit Playhouse
Tara Lawton for Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Circuit Playhouse
Erin McGhee for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Sheana Tobey for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Supporting Actor in a Drama
Kent Mathis for The Underpants, Germantown Community Theatre
Matt Reed for Scapin, Playhouse on the Square
Matt Reed for Seascape Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Matt Reed for Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Circuit Playhouse
Jim Palmer for Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Leading Actress in a Drama
Irene Crist for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Jade Hobbs for Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Sheana Tobey for And Baby Makes Seven, POTS at the Works
Christina Wellford Scott for The Night of the Iguana, Theatre Memphis
Aliza Moran for The Underpants, Germantown Community Theatre
Leading Actor in a Drama
Justin Willingham for The Importance of Being Earnest, Germantown
Jerre Dye for Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Circuit Playhouse
Tony Isbell for Orson’s Shadow, Circuit Playhouse
Dave Landis for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Keith Patrick McCoy for A Lesson Before Dying, Circuit Playhouse
Ensemble Acting
And Baby Makes Seven, POTS at the Works
Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Cameo
Corey Cochran for A Year With Frog and Toad, Circuit Playhouse
Bill Short for The Importance of Being Earnest, Germantown Community Theatre
Direction of a Drama
Andy Saunders for The Comedy of Errors, Germantown Community Theatre
Pamela Poletti for Orson’s Shadow, Circuit Playhouse
John Rone for Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Kyle Hatley for Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Dramatic Production
Seascape, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Pride and Prejudice, Next Stage Theatre Memphis
Orson’s Shadow, Circuit Playhouse
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Circuit Playhouse
Behind the Scenes Award
Jack Page, Harrell
Sue Binnie, Playhouse on the Square
Alvin Miller, Germantown Community Theatre
Gene Cochran, Theatre Memphis
The award ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, August 24 at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m.