Behind
the Scenes
Theatre
Memphis Helpers Earn Ostrander Award for Efforts
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Special to My Life (The Commercial Appeal)
By
Randall Hartzog,
Patsy
Kiefer (left) and Elsie Yeates were awarded the “Behind the Scenes” Award at
the recent Ostrander Awards honoring the Memphis Theatre Community.
With
more than 40 years of volunteer service to Theatre Memphis between the two of
them, Patsy Kiefer and Elsie Yeates had it allsewn up. On Aug. 30, they
received the Behind the Scenes Award at the 2008-09 Ostrander Awards Ceremony,
sponsored by Contemporary Media and Memphis Magazine. They both have worked
tirelessly to assist the Theatre Memphis resident costume designer, Andre Bruce
Ward, with costumes that require draping, cutting, sewing and special
handwork.
Kiefer
is a retired anesthesiologist with the Medical Anesthesia Group. She was
introduced to the shop when she came to inquire about renting a costume. She
had been looking for something to do to occupy her newly found free time after
retirement. "It has been a
rewarding experience as service to the community and as ongoing personal
training," she said.
Yeates,
a former biology and chemistry teacher at Hutchison, began sewing for Theatre
Memphis more than 30 years ago. Though she had sewn for her family for years,
upon her retirement from teaching Yeates founded a cottage industry for design
and construction of children's clothes. "This is the happiest volunteer
work I've ever done," Yeates said.
Ward,
who won a 2008-09 Ostrander for the costume design for TM's production of
"Cyrano" said, "They are my right and left hands in the costume
shop. I really depend on them. You could not ask for better support."
Anyone
interested in volunteering at the theater in the costume shop, scenic shop or
for the backstage or front of the house crews should contact Amy Salerno Hale.