Francis Wilson Playhouse tops community theater Lary Awards

Seven other local theaters received honors at the 20th annual ceremony on Sunday.

By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002

LARGO -- The Francis Wilson Playhouse's production of the 1953 comedy The Teahouse of the August Moon won six Lary Awards, including Favorite Comedy, to be the top winner in the 20th annual ceremony honoring Tampa Bay area community theaters.

More than 350 theater enthusiasts attended the event Sunday in Largo, where actors, directors and crew members from eight community theaters were honored for shows during the 2001-02 season.

The big winner in the musical division was the Eight O'Clock Theatre in Largo. Its production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel won five awards, including a tie for Favorite Musical with St. Petersburg Little Theatre's Anything Goes.

In the drama division, the West Coast Players in Dunedin took home five awards, including Favorite Drama, for the comedy-drama The Rainmaker.

Other nominees were from the Island Community Theatre in St. Pete Beach, the Richey Suncoast Theatre in New Port Richey, Stage Agenda in Clearwater and the Gulfport Community Players.

Actors and productions are nominated by the participating theaters. Winners are chosen by subscribers to the Tampa Bay actors' newsletter, The Grapevine, which was founded in 1978 by Lary Crews, after whom the awards are named.

Crews now lives in California, but his mother, Dee Ray Crews, continues to publish the popular theater newsletter and spearhead the annual gala. She was given the Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday.

Theater stalwart Dick Poole -- who has acted, directed and made costumes for Francis Wilson Playhouse in Clearwater, St. Petersburg Little Theatre and Richey Suncoast Theatre -- was given the Editor's Award for his contributions and another Lary for costuming Teahouse of the August Moon.

Besides the 30 stage awards, several theaters presented special service awards to various board members and volunteers.

Lary Awards 2002

Musical: (tie) Carousel, Eight O'Clock Theatre, and Anything Goes, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Drama: The Rainmaker, West Coast Players

Comedy: Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Musical Director: Michael Schwartzberg, Anything Goes, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Drama Director: Linda Weir, The Rainmaker, West Coast Players

Comedy Director: Ray Kenney, Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Musical Actress: Kathleen Edwards, Brigadoon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Musical Actor: Rand Smith, Anything Goes, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Drama Actress: Stephanie Roberts, The Rainmaker, West Coast Players

Drama Actor: Stuart Jonap, The Rainmaker, West Coast Players

Comedy Actress: Joanna Mallon, Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Comedy Actor: (tie) Jimmy Chang, Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse, and Gary L. Smith, Harvey, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Musical Supporting Actress: Katie Larsen, Carousel, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Musical Supporting Actor: (tie) Christopher Strong, Carousel, Eight O'Clock Theatre, and Ron Zeitz, Anything Goes, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Drama Supporting Actress: Robin Rhodes, Steel Magnolias, Gulfport Community Players

Drama Supporting Actor: (tie) Ian MacCallum, The Seagull, Stage Agenda, and Alan Mohney, The Rainmaker, West Coast Players

Comedy Supporting Actress: Mary Lee Ross, Much Ado About Nothing, Stage Agenda

Comedy Supporting Actor: Charley Belcher, Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Choral/Orchestra Director: John Carter, Carousel, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Choreographer: Christine White, Meet Me in St. Louis, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Back Stage Person: Ronnie Farley, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Costume Design: Dick Poole, Teahouse of the August Moon, Francis Wilson Playhouse

Set Design: Tom Hansen, Harvey, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Lighting Design: Gary White, Meet Me in St. Louis, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Female New Kid on the Block: Madison Kebler, Meet Me in St. Louis, St. Petersburg Little Theatre

Male New Kid on the Block: Terry Farley, Carousel, Eight O'Clock Theatre

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dee Ray Crews

Editor's Award: Dick Poole

Theater Awards: Julie Johnson, Eight O'Clock Theatre; Patrick Moran, Francis Wilson Playhouse; Preston Brock, Gulfport Community Players; Alice Stevens, Island Community Theatre; Robert DeBree, Oakhurst Theatre Award; Jack Beery, St. Petersburg Little Theatre; Renee Marie, Stage Agenda; and Abbot and Marjorie Morgan, West Coast Players.

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