The Golden Robe
OCT's Golden Robe Award was first presented in 1988 after our production of Carousel. And it has been presented each year since then. Inspired by the legendary Broadway tradition of the Actors' Equity Gypsy Robe (see story below), OCT's Golden Robe is passed on from chorus member to chorus member each year at the cast party of our winter musical.
Each year's recipient is chosen only by the Robe's current holder and the choice is not revealed until the presentation. The Robe is awarded to the cast member who, in the opinion of the current holder, exemplifies best the spirit of the show and of the cast.
According to OCT tradition, the presenter attaches a token from the current show to the Robe inscribed with the name of the new owner and the show title and production year. As a Golden Robe recipient it is then incumbent upon this latest recipient to return to the cast party of next year's musical production and pass the Golden Robeon to a member of that musical's cast. Thus, in the true spirit of community theater, the torch is passed. Congratulations to each and to all of our Golden Robe honorees!
The Shortie Trench Coat
A former OCT techie, Charles Baldwin, was given a trench coat worn by John Shortencarier shortly after John's passing. Charles came up with the idea of honoring our set designer friend and mentor "Shortie," as he was known, by using his coat to honor a tech person who had worked several OCT shows and, by example and work ethic, deserved to be recognized. Charles made the first presentation to Caddy Greenidge in 2002. He chose something symbolic from that show, attached it to the coat, and gave it to Caddy at the cast party of that year's winter musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The tradition has continued each winter since then in Shortie's memory.