P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
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P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
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Jerry Pollard - A Zenon Winning Actor By: Roy Riedy |
Jerry Pollard began his prevailing career at Highlands Little Theatre as Humphry Bogart in Tammie Pollard's 1996 Woody Allen comedy, Play It Again, Sam. Even though he was a new face to the audiences at HLT, he was not a newcomer to acting. Before appearing on The Lakeside Playhouse stage, Jerry had studied under David Goldberg at the Acting Studio Company in Orlando and worked as a Production Assistant at Disney's MGM Studio on a variety of shows, including the feature film Thunder in Paradise II, even Bogie would have envied those prime credentials.
Theatergoers had to wait over two years to see Jerry again at HLT. He reappeared in Melanie Boulay's celebrated production of The Wizard of Oz as a citizen of Oz and also as a Winkie which probably made Bogie do a double take. Two months latter, Jerry had his picture in the program of Peter Pollard's production of The Miracle Worker playing James Keller, Helen Keller's older brother, a part that put an end to Bogie's smirks.
The following June Mr. Pollard appeared as Mortimer Brewster in Beverly Gillilan's reprise of the comic chestnut Arsenic and Old Lace, a role that made Bogie beam with pride. Arsenic and Old Lace was followed by Michael Frayne's wonderful farce Noises Off directed by Jet Hansen in which Jerry appeared as Garry Lejeune, a role that made Bogie weep with laughter. At Zenon time Jerry's fine work was recognized with three nominations: a Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his part as James Keller in The Miracle Worker; and two nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role: Mortimer in Arsenic and Old Lace, and Garry in Noises Off, Bogie was absolutely ecstatic!
John Lovelette opened the Twenty-sixth Season with his brilliant production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in which the voice of Jerry Pollard was heard on tape. Late in February, 2000, The Children's Academy of Theatre, Inc. (CAT) presented Cinderella, Cinderella on the HLT stage and Jerry was seen as playing King Cybil the Third, in that production. Sue McCollum presented Bye Bye, Birdie in April and Jerry worked backstage as part of her Sound team. In May Mr. Pollard was elected to the Board of Directors of HLT for the following year, and in June, Mike Logsdon brought Ray Cooney's grand farce Run For Your Wife to HLT with Jerry as John Smith, the two timing cabbie. Bogie was beside himself, and evidently the audience was too, for Jerry won the Best Actor in a Leading Role for his exuberant portrayal of how a good idea can go wrong.
In August 2000, Melanie Boulay brought Lionel Bart's musical Oliver!, based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, back to the Lakeside Playhouse stage and cast Jerry as the nefarious Bill Sykes, a role that won him a nomination at the Fifteenth Annual Zenon Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. That honor went to Rush Loughry, however, Jerry was consoled by the fact that he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Ceremonies for his manic performance in Run For Your Wife.
In June of 2001, Jerry reappeared at his ocular and kinetic best on the HLT stage as Paul/Victor in Steve McDaniel's delightful production of Moon Over Buffalo, another role that won him a nomination at the October Zenon Ceremonies for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
In August, Jerry rounded out the Twenty-seventh Season playing the much maligned Officer Krupke in Tammie Pollard's forceful production of West Side Story
During the first four shows of the Twenty-eighth Season, Jerry was part of the staff of Anthony's Lounge, in August he was cast as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in Melanie Boulay's charming production of Peter Pan, roles that once again nominated him for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Zenon Ceremonies in October.
The Twenty-ninth Season found Jerry either working with the Anthony Lounge Staff or backstage. He was Peter Pollard's Assistant Director and Stage Manager for the reprise of Steel Magnolias in January, 2003; in June he was Director Allen Branch's understudy for Sir Henry in the Sherlock Holmes thriller, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and also the play's Assistant Technical Director which fulfilled his final prerequisite to qualify him as a certified HLT director. Jerry ended the season as he started it, as a member of the Anthony Lounge support team.
Jerry started the Thirtieth Season out again as an Anthony Lounge worker. In January, 2004, he appeared as Richard Willey in Mike Logsdon's production of Ray Cooney's wonderful farce, Out Of Order. During the last three shows: Jennifer Westergom's March production of The Scarlet Pimpernel; Peter Pollard's June presentation of Lost in Yonkers; and Tammie Pollard's brilliant Jesus Christ, Superstar, Jerry could be found again in Anthony's Lounge.
At the Nineteenth Annual Zenon Awards in October, Jerry was awarded one of the two Best Actor in a Leading Role Awards for his extraordinary performance as Richard Willey in Mike Logsdon's Out of Order, another Ray Cooney play.
Since Mr. Pollard joined HLT he has been associated with 24 plays, participated in 5 Zenon Ceremonies, and was awarded his first Zenon for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his wonderful job as John Smith in Ray Cooney's comedy, Run For Your Wife, directed by Mike Logsdon. Jerry has been mention in 54 local news articles and 29 HLT Newsletters, for a grand total of 112 citations. I, for one, can't wait to see him star in another Cooney/Logsdon partnership which is perfect Zenon material.
