2019 Buddy Award Winners and Recap!

01 Jul 2019 Buddy Award Winners and Recap!

From the response we’ve received from attendees, Olathe Civic Theatre Association’s 2019 Buddy Awards event, which happened Saturday, June 29, was a huge hit! With an Olathe “staycation” theme, guests dressed in their favorite staycation attire (lots of tropicals), as their favorite Olathe celebrity (an entire group dressed as local actor Michael Juncker), or as any Olathean you might see out and about (two guests dressed as members of the Olathe road repair crew). Guests feasted on a delicious taco bar from K-Machos thanks to generous donors. (See a complete album of photos here.)

Host/producer Shelly Stewart Banks pre-show!

OCTA’s  annual Buddy Awards, chaired and mc’d by Olathe-born-and-bred Shelly Stewart Banks along with Peter Leondedis, is the theatre’s annual party for current subscribers, volunteers, casts, and creative teams to celebrate the hard work everyone put in to create another successful season. The event is also an opportunity for the upcoming season’s directors to promote their shows and recruit auditioners, and for our board president to give the “State of the Theatre” address (first-term board president Rita Marks knocked it out of the park!).  The event usually means loads of happy cast reunions and … laughs galore, especially when the Sense and Sensibility cast recreated their infamous ‘skibidi’ dance live on stage. The Buddy Awards are named for Charles “Buddy” Rogers, an Olathean who made it big in silent films and was married to Mary Pickford (they’re on the big painting in the back of the theatre). Buddy made a significant contribution to the purchase of our current theatre building in the 1980s, thus we named an entire awards show after him.

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE…

2018-2019 was a big season. As in BIG casts, BIG creative teams, and even bigger show titles, as you’ll see from the massive nominee and award recipient list below (award winners are in green).  The two musicals dominated the proceedings, but everyone had an incredible time. Take a gander and know that every single human listed below (and our subscribers and volunteers) are not only winners, but have our undying gratitude. THANK YOU. Congratulations to all for helping to create something wonderful in Olathe!

CAMEO/ENSEMBLE
Don Arnott – Superintendent, The Drowsy Chaperone
*Mark McNeal – Ensemble, The Drowsy Chaperone
Dana Wardle – Ensemble, The Drowsy Chaperone
Catie Wolff -Ensemble, The Drowsy Chaperone
Amanda Bass –Ensemble, Sense and Sensibility
Irene Blend – Mrs. Ferrars, Sense and Sensibility
Lauren Crane – Ms. Grey, Sense and Sensibility

Amanda Bass, Sarah Jeter, Tracy Fox winner of supporting actress, Derrick Freeman, and Peggy Mall winner of featured actress.

FEATURED ACTOR
Bill Bergman – Underling, The Drowsy Chaperone
Arthur P. Clifford – Gangster Two, The Drowsy Chaperone
Mike Peterson – Gangster One, The Drowsy Chaperone
*Fisher Stewart – George, The Drowsy Chaperone
Charles Christesson, Jr. – Sir John Middleton, Sense and Sensibility
Don Leonard – Mr John Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
Patrick Peterson – Robert Ferrars, Sense and Sensibility
Alec Bridges – Soldier/Alex, Sunday in the Park with George
Chris Gleeson – Mr / Charles Redmond, Sunday in the Park with George
Michael Golliher – Franz/Dennis, Sunday in the Park with George
Matt Runnells – Louis/ Lee Randolph, Sunday in the Park with George
Spencer Thompson – Boatman/ Billy Webster, Sunday in the Park with George
Wes King – Baptiste, A Flea in Her Ear
Patrick Peterson – Etienne, A Flea in Her Ear
Aaron Roose – Rugby, A Flea in Her Ear

FEATURED ACTRESS (there was a tie!)

Ashley Jones – Trix, The Drowsy Chaperone
*Peggy Mall – Mrs. Tottendale, The Drowsy Chaperone
Jeannie Blau – Lady Middleton, Sense and Sensibility
*Victoria Hoffman – Mrs. John Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
Amy Reinhardt – Lucy Steele, Sense and Sensibility
Kristen Alley – Frieda / Betty, Sunday in the Park with George
Christina Casey – Celeste #1 / Elaine, Sunday in the Park with George
Abby Morrison – Louise, Sunday in the Park with George
Nancy Seeman – Celeste #2 / Photographer, Sunday in the Park with George
Amanda Bass – Antoinette, A Flea in Her Ear
Jeannie Blau – Eugenie, A Flea in Her Ear
Tracy Fox – Olympia, A Flea in Her Ear

Lauren Hambleton, Dan Heinz (winner in the  Supporting Actor category), and Nicole Olson.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Charles Christesson, Jr. – Mr Feldzieg, The Drowsy Chaperone
Matthew Henrickson – Adolpho, The Drowsy Chaperone
Derrick Freeman – Colonel Brandon, Sense and Sensibility
Khalid Johnson – Edward Ferrars, Sense and Sensibility
Kyle Tichenor – John Willoughby , Sense and Sensibility
Scott Kruse – Jule/Bob Greenburg, Sunday in the Park with George
Jonathan Sachsman – Jake Levy, Pass Over
Doug Ford – Feraillon, A Flea in Her Ear
*Dan Heinz – Don Carlos Homenides De Histangua, A Flea in Her Ear
Griffin Leander – Camille Chandebise, A Flea in Her Ear
Scott Shaw – Dr. Finache, A Flea in Her Ear

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Laura Irwin – Kitty, The Drowsy Chaperone
Kathleen Marx – The Drowsy Chaperone, The Drowsy Chaperone
Karla M. Fennick – Mrs. Jennings, Sense and Sensibility
*Tracy Fox – Mrs. Henry Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
Debbie Blinn – Old Lady/Blair Daniels, Sunday in the Park with George
Julie Fox – Nurse/Mrs/Harriet Pawling, Sunday in the Park with George
Joy Richardson – Yvonne/Naomi Eisen, Sunday in the Park with George
Larissa Briley – Dianna Levy, Pass Over
Laura Schwartz – Gloria Washington, Pass Over
Meghann Deveroux – Lucienne Homenides De Histangua, A Flea in Her Ear

OCTA board members Bekah Grieb, Jenn Ward, and Lauren McDonnell!

COSTUMES
Heather Stewart – The Drowsy Chaperone
Sarah Jeter – Sense and Sensibility
*Brenna McConaughey, Alison Nickel, and Julie Fox – Sunday in the Park with George
Sarah Jeter – A Flea in Her Ear

LIGHTS
Brandon Dupree – The Drowsy Chaperone
Chuck Cline & Camille Lerch – Sense and Sensibility
*Phil Leonard – Sunday in the Park with George
Theresa Kelly – Pass Over
Chuck Cline – A Flea in Her Ear

ACHIEVEMENT IN A MUSICAL
Kevin Bogan – The Drowsy Chaperone, Music Direction
Ann McCroskey – The Drowsy Chaperone, Choreography
Valerie Martin – Sense and Sensibility, Choreography
*Betsy Bledsoe – Sunday in the Park with George, Music Direction

PROPS
*Abby Wolff – The Drowsy Chaperone
Rita Marks – Sense and Sensibility
Em Loper – Sunday in the Park with George
Valerie Martin – A Flea in Her Ear

SET DESIGN

Ken Schmidt, winner in the set design category for his work on THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, and Jamie Campbell Larison in front of the Mary Pickford / Buddy Rogers painting.

*Ken Schmidt – The Drowsy Chaperone
Bill Wright – Sense and Sensibility
Doug Schroeder – Sunday in the Park with George
Theresa Kelly – Pass Over
Bill Wright – A Flea in Her Ear

SOUND
Joshua Finch – The Drowsy Chaperone
Erin Brown – Sense and Sensibility
*Joshua Finch – Sunday in the Park with George
Camille Lerch – Pass Over
David Martin – A Flea in Her Ear

STAGE MANAGEMENT
*Meghann Deveroux – The Drowsy Chaperone
D. K. Evenson – Sense and Sensibility
Nicole Brewer – Sunday in the Park with George
Alexa Cioffi-Abt – Pass Over
D. K. Evenson – A Flea in Her Ear

LEADING ACTOR (there was another tie!)
Mark Doyle – Robert Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone
*Peter G. Leondedis – Man in Chair, The Drowsy Chaperone
*Joel Morrison – George Seurat Sunday in the Park with George
Robert E. Coppage III – Paul Washington, Pass Over
Brent Custer – Romain Tournel A Flea in Her Ear
Peter G. Leondedis – Victor Chandebise/Poche, A Flea in Her Ear

LEADING ACTRESS
Ashton Botts – Janet Van De Graaf, The Drowsy Chaperone
Meghann Deveroux – Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
Erika Crane Ricketts – Elinor Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
*Victoria Strafuss – Dot/Marie, Sunday in the Park with George
Ebonee Grace – Angelique Washington, Pass Over
Lauren Hambleton – Raymonde Chandebise, A Flea in Her Ear

The cast of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE and the interloper from SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, winner for featured actress, Victoria Hoffman. 🙂  Winner of featured actor, Fisher Stewart, left. Winner of  best cameo, Mark McNeal, is next to Fisher. Winner of best actor, Peter G. Leondedis, and Ken Schmidt, winner for set design, are center. Meghann Deveroux, winner for stage management is next to Peter. Photo: Jamie Campbell Larison.

DIRECTION
*Julie Ewing – The Drowsy Chaperone
Jessica Franz – Sense and Sensibility
Tiffany Coville-Schweigert – Sunday in the Park with George
Teresa Leggard – Pass Over
David Martin – A Flea in Her Ear

PRODUCTION
*The Drowsy Chaperone
Sense and Sensibility
Sunday in the Park with George
Pass Over
A Flea in Her Ear

SERVICE AWARDS

Andrew Joseph Brown, Amy Pierron Volunteer of the Year Award (for his work on the New Works Playwright Competition)

Sean Tevis, Smith-Moyer Board Member of the Year Award (for his work on all the graphic design for the theatre for the past three seasons)

Terry and Glenna Anderson, Christie Award for an Outstanding Patron (for all the delicious cakes and for being generally awesome! You can read all about them here.)

HOW AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE DETERMINED

-Technical awards are chosen by an anonymous committee of local theatre folks who see every show each season.

-All other production/performance awards are chosen by OCTA season ticket holders

-Service awards are chosen by the OCTA board.

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Board members Sean Tevis (and winner of this year’s Smith Moyer Award), and Amanda Albert manning the tech booth!

Miss out on the fun this season? Get ready for next! Read up about our next event the 2019 New Works Playwright Competition Winner Workshop of THE GIVER – MUSICAL coming up July 12 and 13, check out the upcoming 2019-2020 season and subscribe, or learn more about volunteering!