-
Liz Sharpe at Memphis' Ostrander Awards
Monday, June 6, 2016 was a
big night for Memphis theater in Chicago. The cast of
Byhalia Mississippi was honored with
two non-equity Jeffs, including the prize for
Best New Work awarded to playwright (and past Playhouse on the Square intern) Evan Linder.
"Holy Shit!" Those were the first heartfelt words of Cecelia
WIngate's
acceptance speech.
Holy shit, indeed. Wingate's a terrific player but she’s better known locally for directing monster hits like
The Producers,
The Addams Family,
[Title of Show],
Young Frankenstein, and
Altar Boyz. Her performance as a loving but irredeemably racist grandmother earned the Jeff for
Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Memphis expat
Liz Sharpe was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading role, but lost to Amanda Drinkall for her performance in
Last Train to Nibroc. Theater fans my remember Sharpe as Jackie, the tough survivor in Lanford Wilson’s
Hot L Baltimore, or as the Valium-addicted Harper in
Angels in America at Playhouse on the Square. She played
Byhalia’s protagonist, Laurel, a young mother who doesn’t always make the best decisions.
The big winner, of course, is the play itself.
Byhalia, Mississippi co-premiered in four cities: Memphis, Chicago, Toronto, and Charleston. It’s since been picked up by Chicago’s
Steppenwolf Theatre where it opens in July.
Linder's a co-founder of Chicago's
New Colony theater collective.
The Warriors, The New Colony's fantastic docudrama about survivors of a playground shooting in
Jonesboro was recently adapted for audio-only by Memphis' Chatterbox Audio Theatre.
Give it a listen.
-
Cecelia WIngate (center) picking up an Ostrander.
CORRECTION: This post originally named Liz Sharpe as a winner. She was a nominee, but didn't win. But she shoulda, dammit.
Comments
Showing 1-1 of 1