Runyeon, Whited take home 2 Jimmy Awards each at 7th Renaissance Players Gala

Release Date: 1/29/2009. Expired: 2/12/2009

Linda Sue Simmons-Runyeon of Kingston Springs and Tammie Whited of White Bluff each picked up two awards at the 7th annual Renaissance Players Gala and Jimmy Awards recognizing achievement in the 2008 community theatre season at The Renaissance Center in Dickson. Tom and Trudy Whiting of Charlotte each earned one medal, bringing their career totals to seven apiece, the most in the history of the awards.

The Jimmy Awards were presented Friday, Jan. 23, in a ceremony in the Performance Hall of The Renaissance Center. Named in honor of the late Dr. Jimmy Jackson, founding board chairman of the arts and technology education and performing arts center, the awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievement both on and behind the stage in Renaissance Players productions. Awards were presented for the 2008 season, which included productions of Charlotte’s Web, The Music Man, Blithe Spirit and Oliver!

Simmons-Runyeon received the award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Nancy in Oliver! She also received The Harold, an award presented to the actor who appeared in his or her first performance at The Renaissance Center during the season. Originally called The Rising Star Award, it was renamed this year for Harold Fann, a former winner of the award who died in February 2008, just days before he was scheduled to make his professional debut in the Gaslight Dinner Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady. Simmons-Runyeon has performed in theme parks, dinner theatres and luxury cruise lines around the world over the last 18 years as well as appearing with Tennessee Rep, Mockingbird Theatre, Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, Opryland, the General Jackson, Act I and Circle Players.

Whited took home the award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Elvira Condomine in Blithe Spirit. She also received The Mel Scene Stealer Award, presented to the actor who can take command of a scene just with his or her presence on stage. First presented in 2005, the award is named in honor of the late Mel Romine, who appeared in several Renaissance Players productions prior to his death in 2004. Whited has appeared in productions of To Kill a Mockingbird, Noises Off, Annie and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with Patchwork Players and Clue, Dearly Departed and Animal Crackers with Amadeus Community Theatre.

Trudy and Tom Whiting of Charlotte remain the all-time career leaders in the Jimmy Awards after both picked up one medal each at this year’s ceremony, bringing their totals to seven apiece.

Trudy Whiting won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for playing Madame Arcati, the eccentric medium in Blithe Spirit, her 11th appearance in a Renaissance Players production. She has previously won Outstanding Technical Crew Member (2003 and ’07), Best Featured Actress in a Play (’05), Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (’06), Best Featured Actress in a Play (’07) and The Mel (’07).

Tom Whiting took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Mr. Bumble in Oliver!, his 22nd Renaissance Players show. His previous awards include Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (’03), Best Actor in a Musical (’04), Best Featured Actor in a Play (’05 and ‘07), Best Actor in a Play (’06) and Best Dog in a Musical (’07).

Emma Jordan of Charlotte received her fourth Jimmy Award when she was named Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Bet in Oliver! She previously won awards for Outstanding Chorus Member (’06 and ’07) and The Renaissance Players Spirit Award (’05). A home-schooled sophomore, Jordan has appeared in numerous Renaissance Players productions and as an intern with the Renaissance Repertory Theatre Company appeared in several Mind Enriching Theatre series shows and My Fair Lady and A Chorus Line in the Gaslight Dinner Theatre.

Matt Romine of Dickson earned his second Jimmy Award when he was named Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his performance as Templeton in Charlotte’s Web, his 13th Renaissance Players production. He was named Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in 2005 for his role as Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. An assistant manager for Murphy Oil, the former intern for the Renaissance Repertory Theatre Company also has appeared in several MET series and Young Actors Studio productions at The Renaissance Center.

Fred Doty of Erin won his second Jimmy Award after receiving Best Actor in a Musical for playing Prof. Harold Hill in The Music Man. He previously won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar (’05). An actor and singer at Miss Marple’s Mystery Dinner Theatre, Doty has appeared in several Houston County Community Theatre and Austin Peay State University productions, as well as shows at the Soldier Show Center at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Laurie Jordan of Charlotte won her second Jimmy Award when she took home Outstanding Technical Crew Member. She received The Renaissance Players Spirit Award in 2007. Jordan was a part of the crews for The Music Man and Oliver!

Dana Mead of Bon Aqua won the evening’s top honor for her first Jimmy Award. Mead won The Renaissance Players Spirit Award, presented to the actor or crew member who demonstrated consistent support throughout the season. Mead was a part of the technical crews for Blithe Spirit, The Music Man and Oliver! In addition to a medal, the Spirit Award winner receives a specially commissioned piece of art, which this year consisted of a tray and pitcher created by Anita Lewis, pottery instructor at The Renaissance Center.

Other first-time winners at the 2008 season Jimmy Awards were:

Chris Norman of Dickson was named Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Charles Condomine in Blithe Spirit;

Randy Jett of Nashville won Best Featured Actor in a Play for playing Gander in Charlotte’s Web;

Valerie Kopischke of Dickson earned Best Featured Actress in a play for her role as Goose in Charlotte’s Web;

Claudia Bennett of Bellevue won Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for playing Amaryllis in The Music Man;

Jon Kopischke of Dickson was named Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing Constable Locke in The Music Man;

Jennifer Bennett of Bellevue was named Outstanding Chorus Member after appearing in the choruses for The Music Man and Oliver!;

Bekah Komisar of White Bluff received the honor as Best Young Actress after making her first Renaissance Players appearance in Charlotte’s Web, and;

Nicolas Fair of Fairview won Best Young Actor after playing Artful Dodger in Oliver!

Gifts also were presented by Assistant Artistic Director Amy Scott in recognition of guest directors and stage managers for the 2008 season, including Tracy Nichols of Ashland City for directing The Music Man, Kim Cantu of Bon Aqua for directing Blithe Spirit, Tina Romine of Dickson as stage manager for Charlotte’s Web, Kyle Jones of White Bluff and Jeneva Moreau as stage managers for The Music Man, and Chancey Pickard of White Bluff as stage manager for Oliver!

The Renaissance Players will kick off 2009 with a production of the musical Once Upon a Mattress March 27-April 5.

For more information on the Renaissance Players community theatre program at The Renaissance Center, visit www.rcenter.org or call (615) 740-5600.

The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South 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.

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