All seven productions of the 2017-2018 mainstage season, including four plays and three musicals, won honors at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s Miss Annie Awards on Saturday, August 25. The annual awards, Chattanooga’s answer to the Oscars, salute the volunteers onstage and off who have contributed their time and talent to the success of the theatre’s past season.
The recently closed “Hello Dolly,” the Broadway blockbuster that ended the theatre’s season, was recognized as Outstanding Musical of the Season and as Audience Favorite Musical of the Season. Audience Favorite awards are selected by a vote of season subscribers. In the title role of Dolly Levi, Beth McClary-Wolford was named Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical and Audience Favorite Actress in a Musical. Tanner Dean as “Ambrose Kemper” was honored as Outstanding Debut Actor in a Musical, and Ray Laliberte as “Rudolph” was recognized as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.
Singled out as Outstanding Play of the Season was “A Room with a View,” an Edwardian romantic comedy which also won honors for Jeremy Campbell as “George Emerson” as Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play, Gwynne Noel Jones as “Lucy Honeychurch” as Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play, Julie Van Valkenburg as “Charlotte Bartlett” as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play, Alexandra Feliciano as “Minnie Beebe” as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play, and Rodney Van Valkenburg as “Reverend Eager” as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play.
As “Belle” in “Beauty and the Beast,” a Disney favorite that attracted the highest attendance of the season, Jordan Otis was recognized as Outstanding Debut Actress in a Musical. In a tie vote, James Cunha as “Gaston” and Jason Russell as “Lumiere” were recognized as Outstanding Supporting Actors in a Musical. Alexis Newson as “Babette” was named Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, and the cast was recognized as Outstanding Ensemble.
“Boeing Boeing,” a comic farce following the exploits of a swinging bachelor in the 1960’s, was honored as Audience Favorite Play of the Season. The show also won honors for Kitty Reel as “Berthe” as Audience Favorite Actress in a Play and Annie Collins as Best Supporting Actress in a Play. Jim Eernisse was recognized twice for his role as “Robert,” tying with Campbell as Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play and tying with Patrick Brady as “Hercule Poirot” in “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” as Audience Favorite Actor in a Play.
Other performances recognized were those by Darryl Wheeler as “Scarecrow” in “The Wiz” as both Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play and Audience Favorite Actor in a Play; Tiffany Williams as “Lion” in “The Wiz” as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical; Jacob Moore as “Jim” in “The Glass Menagerie” as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play; Evans Jarnefeldt as “Captain Hastings” in “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” as Outstanding Debut Actor in a Play; and Courtenay Cholovich as “Mrs. Cavendish” in “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” as Outstanding Debut Actress in a Play.
Lauren Rayhab of “Beauty and the Beast” and Jeff Hill of “Hello Dolly” were presented the traditional Gypsy Robes, which honor outstanding ensemble members in a musical. Joshua Harrell received the Star Turn Award.
In backstage roles, Angie Griffin was recognized as Outstanding Stage Manager, and Vincent Lemmons was honored as Outstanding Crew Member.
Other top awards went to Paula Henderson as recipient of the President’s Award, Becki Jordan as winner of the Producer’s Award, and Brad Cansler as Volunteer of the Year.
Other honorees: The Larson Family, Outstanding Front of House Volunteers; Kim Jackson, Outstanding Administrative Volunteer; Kitty Murakami, Outstanding Costume Shop Volunteer; Carina Miller, Outstanding Scene Shop Volunteer; and Marieke Lowery, Outstanding Contributions to the Youth Theatre.
Here’s the complete list of honorees:
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical
Darryl Wheeler as “Scarecrow” in The Wiz
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical
Beth McClary-Wolford as “Dolly Levi” in Hello Dolly
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical (tie)
James Cunha as “Gaston” in Beauty and the Beast
Jason Russell as “Lumiere” in Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Tiffany Williams as “Lion” in The Wiz
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Ray Laliberte as “Rudolph” in Hello Dolly
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Alexis Newson as “Babette” in Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Debut Actor in a Musical
Tanner Dean as “Ambrose Kemper” in Hello Dolly
Outstanding Debut Actress in a Musical
Jordan Otis as “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play (tie)
Jeremy Campbell as “George Emerson” in A Room With A View
Jim Eernisse as “Robert” in Boeing Boeing
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play
Gwynne Noel Jones as “Lucy Honeychurch” in A Room With A View
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Jacob Moore as “Jim” in The Glass Menagerie
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play (tie)
Annie Collins as “Gretchen” in Boeing Boeing
Julie Van Valkenburg as “Charlotte Bartlett” in A Room With A View
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Rodney Van Valkenburg as “Reverend Eager” in A Room With A View
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Alexandra Feliciano as “Minnie Beebe” in A Room With A View
Outstanding Debut Actor in a Play
Evans Jarnefeldt as “Capt. Hastings” in The Mysterious Affair At Styles
Outstanding Debut Actress in a Play
Courtenay Gillean Cholovich as “Mrs. Cavendish” in The Mysterious Affair At Styles
Outstanding Ensemble
The Cast of “Beauty and the Beast”
Outstanding Musical of the Season
“Hello Dolly”
Outstanding Play of the Season
“A Room with a View”
Audience Favorite Actor in a Musical
Darryl Wheeler as “Scarecrow” in The Wiz
Audience Favorite Actress in a Musical
Beth McClary-Wolford as “Dolly” in Hello Dolly
Audience Favorite Actor in a Play (tie)
Jim Eernisse as “Robert” in Boeing Boeing
Patrick Brady as “Hercule Poirot” in The Mysterious Affair At Styles
Audience Favorite Actress In A Play
Kitty Reel as “Berthe” in Boeing Boeing
Audience Favorite Musical of the Season
“Hello Dolly”
Audience Favorite Play of the Season
“Boeing Boeing”
Star Turn
Joshua Harrell
Gypsy Robes
Lauren Rayhab in “Beauty and the Beast”
Jeff Hill in “Hello Dolly”
Outstanding Front of House Volunteer
The Larson Family
Outstanding Administrative Volunteer
Kim Jackson
Outstanding Costume Shop Volunteer
Kitty Murakami
Outstanding Scene Shop Volunteer
Carina Miller
Outstanding Crew Member
Vincent Lemmons
Outstanding Youth Theatre Contribution
Marieke Lowery
Outstanding Stage Manager
Angie Griffin
Volunteer of the Year
Brad Cansler
Producer’s Award
Becki Jordan
President’s Award
Paula Henderson
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