And the Winner Is ...
by Michael Finger
The men and women who jammed into the Old Daisy that June evening in 1984 were restless. Many glasses of wine tend to have that effect on people, and the various members of the Memphis theater community were rarely known for being anything less than boisterous at parties.
But they quieted down a bit when Barbara Cason stepped to the podium. Cason was the former Front Street Theatre actress who had found success in Hollywood playing bit parts in hit shows like The Waltons and Remington Steele, and she had come home to host a brand-new event in town. In the time-honored tradition of the Oscars, she opened an envelope to announce, "For best dramatic production, the winner is ... Amadeus, at Theatre Memphis.".....
This excerpt, from an article in the Memphis Flyer on August 21, 2008, commemorated the origins of the Memphis Theatre Awards, renamed the Ostranders in 2001 in honor of Jim Ostrander.
Today, the Ostranders honor over 60 award winners each year. Join us on the last Sunday in August every year to recognize and celebrate excellence in collegiate, community, and professional theatre!
Jim Ostrander, 1948-2002
James Joseph Ostrander passed away at age 53 in Memphis, TN, after a six-year battle with cancer. Jim arrived in Memphis in 1967 to attend Christian Brothers College, graduating first in his class with a degree in English. While at CBC, he continued his studies in Drama and Music with Brother Vincent, acting and singing in various productions.
Jim worked as a bookkeeper for various businesses in the Memphis area which allowed him to have evenings and weekends free to perform in a multitude of plays, musicals and theatrical productions at Theatre Memphis and Playhouse on the Square. Additionally, he appeared in local television and radio commercials, as well as in prime time television. One of his most memorable roles was that of Elvis Presley's boss in "Elvis, the Early Years," appearing in several episodes of the series. His popularity with the Memphis theatrical community was so great that the Memphis Theatre Awards, were renamed "the Ostranders" in 2001 in his honor.
by Michael Finger
The men and women who jammed into the Old Daisy that June evening in 1984 were restless. Many glasses of wine tend to have that effect on people, and the various members of the Memphis theater community were rarely known for being anything less than boisterous at parties.
But they quieted down a bit when Barbara Cason stepped to the podium. Cason was the former Front Street Theatre actress who had found success in Hollywood playing bit parts in hit shows like The Waltons and Remington Steele, and she had come home to host a brand-new event in town. In the time-honored tradition of the Oscars, she opened an envelope to announce, "For best dramatic production, the winner is ... Amadeus, at Theatre Memphis.".....
This excerpt, from an article in the Memphis Flyer on August 21, 2008, commemorated the origins of the Memphis Theatre Awards, renamed the Ostranders in 2001 in honor of Jim Ostrander.
Today, the Ostranders honor over 60 award winners each year. Join us on the last Sunday in August every year to recognize and celebrate excellence in collegiate, community, and professional theatre!
Jim Ostrander, 1948-2002
James Joseph Ostrander passed away at age 53 in Memphis, TN, after a six-year battle with cancer. Jim arrived in Memphis in 1967 to attend Christian Brothers College, graduating first in his class with a degree in English. While at CBC, he continued his studies in Drama and Music with Brother Vincent, acting and singing in various productions.
Jim worked as a bookkeeper for various businesses in the Memphis area which allowed him to have evenings and weekends free to perform in a multitude of plays, musicals and theatrical productions at Theatre Memphis and Playhouse on the Square. Additionally, he appeared in local television and radio commercials, as well as in prime time television. One of his most memorable roles was that of Elvis Presley's boss in "Elvis, the Early Years," appearing in several episodes of the series. His popularity with the Memphis theatrical community was so great that the Memphis Theatre Awards, were renamed "the Ostranders" in 2001 in his honor.
