'Hairspray' takes hold of Ostrander Awards

Christopher Blank/Special to The Commercial Appeal

"Hairspray" at Playhouse on the Square receives a standing ovation after a performance in July.

Playhouse on the Square's standing-room-only musical "Hairspray" brought a crowd to its feet once again Sunday night, when it collected five top honors at the 27th annual Ostrander Awards.

"The judges really thought 'Hairspray' was the perfect show," said Janie McCrary, coordinator of the Ostranders. "Every single aspect of the show knocked it to the top. There was no dissension at all."

Photo by Andrew Moore

Jordan Nichols and Courtney Oliver in "Hairspray" at Playhouse on the Square.

Out of its whopping 17 total nominations, the campy musical won honors for best musical, direction of a musical, choreography, best actress and best supporting actress.

Like Broadway's Tonys, the Ossies honor excellence in the local theater community. Judges selected winners from nearly 50 productions staged in area theaters during the 2009-10 season. Hundreds of people attended the two-hour ceremony at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

The Eugart Yerian Award for Lifetime Achievement went, for the first time, to a choreographer.

Though Otis Smith, 76, had never previously won an Ostrander Award, nor had ever attended a ceremony, the former dance instructor still choreographs numerous high school musicals every year and has taught many past veterans of the stage.

"I guess I still do it because I believe it's important to keep passing it down to the next generation," Smith said. "We all do it for the love of the art."

Critically acclaimed Playhouse on the Square resident company member Laura Stracko, nominated for two Ossies, won the Larry Riley Rising Star Award for young performers.

Theatre Memphis' "La Cage aux Folles" received four awards.

Hotly debated were the winners in the dramatic categories. "The Seafarer," a dark comedy that received mixed reviews at Circuit Playhouse last December, won best drama, best director and best leading actor, shutting out crowd favorites such as Theatre Memphis' "Souvenir" for best play and actor Bill Andrews for his predicted victory as Richard Nixon in Playhouse's "Frost/Nixon."

The Ostrander Awards are named after prolific local stage actor Jim Ostrander, who performed in hundreds of community theater shows before his death in 2002.

The awards are sponsored by Memphis Magazine.

Award winners

Key: Circuit Playhouse (CP), Playhouse on the Square (POTS), Theatre Memphis (TM), Voices of the South (VOTS)

Eugart Yerian Award: Otis Smith

Larry Riley Rising Star Award: Laura Stracko

Behind the Scenes Award: Sue Binnie of Theatre Memphis

Musical Production: Hairspray (POTS)

Direction of a Musical: Dave Landis, "Hairspray" (POTS)

Music Direction: Marsha Neely, "God's Trombones" (Hattiloo Theatre)

Leading Actor, Musical (tie): Jonathan Christian, "La Cage aux Folles" (TM) and Tim Greer, "Hank WIlliams: Lost Highway" (CP)

Leading Actress, Musical: Courtney Oliver, "Hairspray" (POTS)

Supporting Actress, Musical: Laura Stracko, "Hairspray" (POTS)

Supporting Actor, Musical: Kent Fleshman, "Pippin" (POTS)

Choreography: Shorey Walker and Jordan Nichols, "Hairspray" (POTS)

Dramatic Production: "The Seafarer" (CP)

Direction of a Drama: Bob Hetherington, "The Seafarer" (CP)

Leading Actor, Drama: Michael Gravois, "The Seafarer" (CP)

Leading Actress, Drama: Jude Knight, "Souvenir" (TM - Next Stage)

Supporting Actor, Drama: Tony Isbell, "Buffalo Gal" (TM - Next Stage)

Supporting Actress, Drama: Cecelia Wingate, "Cicada" (VOTS)

Featured Role: Renee Kemper, "Jacques Brel" (CP)

Ensemble Cast: "Jekyll and Hyde" (TM)

Makeup: Daniel Matthews, "La Cage aux Folles" (TM)

Wigs: Barbara Sanders, "La Cage aux Folles" (TM)

Props: Jerre Dye, "Cicada" (VOTS)

Lighting Design: Diane Kinkennon, "Jekyll and Hyde" (TM)

Costumes: Andre Bruce Ward, "La Cage Aux Folles" (TM)

Set Design: Jimmy Humphries, "Musical Comedy Murders of 1940" (POTS)

Sound Design: David Newsome, "Cicada" (VOTS)

Best Production of a New Play: "Cicada" (VOTS)

Best Original Script: "Hold Fast" by Phil Darius Wallace and Jerre Dye (VOTS)

2009-10 College Ostrander Award Winners

Key: University of Memphis (UM), Rhodes College (RC)

Dramatic Production: "12 Angry Jurors" (UM)

Direction of a Drama: Brandon Lawrence, "12 Angry Jurors" (UM)

Ensemble Acting: "12 Angry Jurors" (UM)

Leading Actor, Musical: Bruce Huffman, "Blood Brothers" (UM)

Supporting Actor, Musical: Chris McCollum, "Blood Brothers" (UM)

Leading Actor, Drama: Ed Porter, "The Elephant Man" (RC)

Leading Actress, Drama: Lee Bryant, "Reckless" (RC)

Supporting Actor, Drama: Chris McCollum, "Dark of the Moon" (UM)

Supporting Actress, Drama: Alicia Queen, "The Elephant Man" (RC)

Cameo Role: Jason Gerhard, "Dark of the Moon" (UM)

Choreography: Heather Wilson and Holly Lau, "Dark of the Moon" (UM)

Sound Design: Jennifer Northup, "Dark of the Moon" (UM)

Music Direction: Brennan Villines, "Blood Brothers" (UM)

Set Dressing: David Galloway and Jay Innerarity, "Hay Fever" (UM)

Props: Kathy Haaga, "Shakuntala Reductia" (RC)

Lighting Design: Daniel Mueller, "Dark of the Moon" (UM)

Costume Design: Janice Lacek, "Hay Fever" (UM)

Set Design: David Galloway, "Hay Fever" (UM)

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