Whiting becomes first 4-time Jimmy winner as Renaissance Players present awards

Release Date: 8/24/2006. Expired: 9/24/2006

Tom Whiting became the first four-time winner of a Jimmy when the Renaissance Players presented their annual awards recognizing excellence in the community theatre program at The Renaissance Center on Friday, Aug. 18.

Charlotte resident Whiting won Best Actor in a Play for his performance as Bubba Bedford in An Evening of Culture: Faith County II as the Renaissance Players presented awards for the 2005-06 theatre season. Whiting has won an award in each of the four years they have existed, previously taking home Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for The Sound of Music in 2003, Best Actor in a Musical for The Wizard of Oz in 2004 and Best Featured Actor in a Play for playing Bedford in Faith County in 2005.

The Jimmy Awards are presented annually to participants in The Renaissance Center’s community theatre program and are voted on by members of the Renaissance Players. They are named for the late Dr. Jimmy Jackson, founding chairman of the center’s board of trustees and the driving force behind the establishment of The Renaissance Center.

Awards were presented in 19 categories during Friday night’s 5th annual Renaissance Players Gala at The Renaissance Center, which also saw the second presentation of the Mel Romine Memorial Scholarship to Hannah Durgin of Bon Aqua. The scholarship is named for the late Mel Romine, who performed in a number of Renaissance Players productions prior to his death from heart problems in 2004. The scholarship is presented to a graduating senior who has participated in community productions at the center. Durgin, who will be attending Middle Tennessee State University, has appeared onstage and worked backstage in several Renaissance Players productions.

The Jimmy Awards presented Friday night recognize performers from the 2005-06 season, which included productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, An Evening of Culture: Faith County II and Guys and Dolls.

While Tom Whiting picked up his fourth Jimmy, his wife Trudy garnered her third award when she was named Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role as Big Jule in Guys and Dolls. She previously won awards as Outstanding Technical Crew Member in 2003 and Best Featured Actress in a Play for A Christmas Carol in 2005.

Also picking up a third Jimmy at Friday night’s ceremony was Daniel Bissell of Fairview. He was named Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for playing Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Bissell previously won Best Supporting Actor in a Play for The Mousetrap in 2004 and last year’s first presentation of The Mel Scene Stealer Award, also named in honor of Romine.

The Mel Award for 2006 went to Romine’s former daughter-in-law, Tina Smith Romine of Dickson. She joined the ranks of the multiple Jimmy Award-winners by also picking up Best Featured Actress in a Musical for playing Mission Band member Agatha in Guys and Dolls, making her the only double winner of the 2006 ceremony.

Beth Burch of Bellevue, Greg Frey of Dickson and Emma Jordan of Charlotte also became two-time winners.

Burch picked up Best Actress in a Play for playing Mildred Carson in Faith County II, to go with her award for Best Actress in a Musical for the title role in Annie Get Your Gun in 2003.

Frey garnered Best Featured Actor in a Play as Father Michael in Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, having previously won Best Actor in a Play for The Miracle Worker in 2004.

Last year’s winner of the Renaissance Players Spirit Award, Jordan earned her second medal by being named Most Outstanding Female Chorus Member for her performance in Guys and Dolls.

First-time winners at the 2005-06 Jimmy Awards include:

  • Bryan J. Wlas for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Seymour Krelbourne in Little Shop of Horrors;
  • Sara Schoch for Best Actress in a Musical for playing Adelaide in Guys and Dolls;
  • Carey Thompson of Dickson for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing Mission Band member Arvide Abernathy in Guys and Dolls;
  • Bryce Conner of Lyles for Most Outstanding Male Chorus Member for Guys and Dolls;
  • Michael Richardson of Burns for Best Actor/Actress Under 16 in a Musical for Guys and Dolls;
  • Eddie J. Nichols of Ashland City for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus;
  • Tracy Nichols of Ashland City for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus;
  • Annette White of Waverly for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus;
  • Hope Arent of Nashville as Best Actor/Actress Under 16 in a Play for Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus;
  • Harold Fann of Dickson won the Rising Star Award after making his Renaissance Players debut in Guys and Dolls, and;
  • Marc Romine of Dickson won the Renaissance Players Spirit Award.

With eight Jimmys, Guys and Dolls took over the top spot in the four-year history of the program, edging out A Christmas Carol, which took home seven medals last year. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus earned five medals to tie for third place.

The 5th annual Renaissance Players Gala was hosted by Amy Scott, managing director of the Renaissance Players, and included reviews of the past season, previews of coming productions and other entertainment.

Scott announced that the annual Renaissance Players Gala would be moving to January 2008 in order to be more convenient for participating members and also to allow the Renaissance Players season to coincide with the calendar year.

Productions for the remainder of 2006 and the 2007 season will be recognized at the 6th annual Renaissance Players Gala in 2008. Those productions include:

  • Dracula, Oct. 13-29
  • Annie, Dec. 1-17
  • Children of Eden, March 23-April 1, 2007
  • Cats, July 11-22, 2007
  • The Curious Savage, Oct. 19-28, 2007
  • Peter Pan, Nov. 30-Dec. 16, 2007.

For more information on the Renaissance Players community theatre program at The Renaissance Center, contact Scott at (615)740-5551 or .

The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

Visit the Theatre page for more about community and professional theatre.

News

Date ReleasedExpirationHeadline
No Press Releases to show...