Friday , June 1, 2007 The Hammy Awards Night at the Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach got its start in 1997 when LT members, Bob Niemeyer and Dottie Hughes, proposed and organized a recognition night for the 1996 - 1997 season of shows. It has since become a tradition and on June 1, 2007, the Little Theatre celebrated its 10th Annual Hammy Awards Night (the theater was dark for one season when we were renovating) with 43 categories of winners. The Hammys have come to be known as the Little Theatre’s own version of the Tony Awards complete with Masters of Ceremonies and a gala production of entertainment for attendees. The event is by invitation only and features an hour of cocktails and hors d’ouvres in our rehearsal hall followed by the awards ceremonies in the theater’s auditorium complex.

During the year, the Hammy Committee, appointed by the Little Theatre’s Board of Directors at the beginning of the season, meets after each performance and nominates actors and crew in each category. This process continues throughout the season of 8 shows. One week prior to Hammy Award Night, the committee meets in closed session to tally votes and create the list of winners. The list remains undisclosed and highly confidential until the evening of the actual awards ceremony. There the winners are called up on stage, one by one. Before their peers in the audience, they are presented their Hammy trophy and certificate whereupon they have the opportunity to address an LT audience, perhaps for the first time, as themselves. It is a very posh, fun evening.

This year’s event featured the following categories and winners:

1. Best Young Newcomer Actress - Rebecca Abramowitz as Rebecca Gibbs in Our Town

2. Best Young Newcomer Actor - Brandon Agan as Ralphie in A Christmas Story

3. Best Newcomer Actress - Justine Blanchette as Deidre O'Malley in Waiting in the Wings

4. Best Newcomer Actor - David Lowe as Max in Lend Me a Tenor

5. The Sexpot Award - Valerie Orzel as Maggie in Lend Me a Tenor

6. Best Accent by an Actress - Justine Blanchette as Deidre O'Malley in Waiting in the Wings

7. Best Accent by an Actor - Brian Fitzgibbons as Tito Merelli in Lend Me a Tenor

8. Best Young Actress in a Small Role - Rebecca Abramowitz as Rebecca Gibbs in Our Town

9. Best Young Actor in a Small Role was a tie - Jonah Powers as Wally Webb and Si Cromwell in Our Town and Gerrit Bosma as Toadie in A Christmas Story

10. Best Actress in a Small Role – Comedy - Jane Taylor as Julia in Lend Me a Tenor

11. Best Actor in a Small Role – Comedy - Ken Guilbeault as the Bellhop and Borden Eisler in Plaza Suite

12. Best Actress in a Small Role – Drama - Kerry-Anne Purkiss as Doreen in Waiting in the Wings

13. Best Actor in a Small Role – Drama - Sparky Holmes as Detective Cadwallader in The Unexpected Guest

14. Best Actress in a Small Role – Musical - Danielle Grau as Angel in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

15. Best Actor in a Small Role – Musical - John Stenko as Governor of Texas in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

16. Meanest Character - Brian Fitzgibbons as Michael Starkwedder in The Unexpected Guest

17. Best Young Supporting Actress - Rachel David as Linda Lou in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

18. Best Young Supporting Actor - Hunter McGowan as Randy in A Christmas Story

19. Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy - Harriet Winokur as Vivian Trachtman in Love, Sex And The IRS

20. Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy - Larrie Tiffany as Mr Saunders in Lend Me a Tenor

21. Best Supporting Actress in a Drama - Ann Knadle as Sarita Myrtle in Waiting in the Wings

22. Best Supporting Actor in a Drama - Nathan Hyatt as Editor Webb in Our Town

23. Best Supporting Actress in a Musical - Pat Justin as Jewel in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

24. Best Supporting Actor in a Musical - Mark Oliver as Melvin P. Thorp in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

25. Best Young Actor - Brandon Agan as Ralphie in A Christmas Story

26. Best Actress in a Comedy - Patti Earl as Karen Nash in Plaza Suite

27. Best Actor in a Comedy - Dan Blazi as The Old Man in A Christmas Story

28. Best Actress in a Drama - Heather Campbell as Emily Webb in Our Town

29. Best Actor in a Drama - Don Campbell as the Stage Manager in Our Town

30. Best Actress in a Musical - Paige Elizabeth as Miss Mona in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

31. Best Actor in a Musical - Brian Fitzgibbons as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

32. You've Come a Long Way Baby – Actress - Patti Earl in Our Town, Waiting in the Wings & Plaza Suite

33. You've Come a Long Way Baby – Actor - Ken Guilbeault in Our Town, Love, Sex and the IRS, The Unexpected Guest,
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Plaza Suite

34. Most Versatile Actress - Patti Earl in Our Town, Waiting in the Wings & Plaza Suite

35. Most Versatile Actor - Brian Fitzgibbons in Our Town, The Unexpected Guest, Lend Me a Tenor, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Waiting in The Wings

36. Golden Prop Award (Best Prop) - Jo Patterson - Broken Leg Lamp in A Christmas Story

37. Outstanding Costume - Ruth Stammen - The Bunny Suite in A Christmas Story

38. Best Sound Operator - Bill Cook - A Christmas Story

39. Best Sound Design - Bill Cook - A Christmas Story

40. Best Light Operator - Noel Bickford - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

41. Best Light Design - Don Campbell - A Christmas Story

42. Best Set Design - Bill Roehrborn - Plaza Suite

43. Golden Whip (Best Stage Manager) - Hal Linn - A Christmas Story

Directors Honored:
Ted Pack - directed Our Town
Jenny Sejansky - directed Love Sex And The IRS
Kendra Blazi - directed A Christmas Story
John Stenko - directed The Unexpected Guest, Lend Me a Tenor and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Lawrence Benjamin - directed Waiting in the Wings
Frances Johnson - directed Plaza Suite

photos by SandiCarroll.net

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