25th Ovation Awards Proves Theatre Is Alive And Well In L.A.
Although several productions achieved wide-sweeping success, such as “Floyd Collins” at The La Mirada, “Country House” at the Geffen PLayhouse, and “The Pliant Girls” at Fugitive Kind Theater, no theatre company was a clear frontrunner above the rest.
Among the many attendees were both faculty and alumni of the USC School of Dramatic Arts, including Parmer and Lili Fuller, Joe Sofranko, Brian James Polak, Els Collins, and Kimberly Hessler, and others. Brian Kite, who will be directing USC’s spring production of “Grease”, was nominated for Best Director of a Musical for “Les Miserables” at The La Mirada Center for the Perfoming Arts.
The presentation of the awards was stunning and well organized. Katie Lowes and Kate Burton, both cast members of the hit show “Scandal," hosted the event. They were accompanied by a successful group of professionals in the industry, accomplished in theatre, film and television, for the presentation of the awards.
Along with the verbal presenters was a pair of ASL interpreters that signed for the entirety of the event. The LA Stage Alliance showed great respect for the deaf theatre community by presenting the Best Play (Large Theatre) award entirely in ASL. The staging of the show was elegant, with many elaborate drapes and curtains constantly changing behind the presenters and a variety of lighting to highlight the action onstage. Christopher Murillo’s scenic design and Dan Weingarten’s lighting design really added to the theatricality of the event.
The LA Stage Alliance has done a great service in uniting the theatre community of Los Angeles for the past twenty-five years, proving that Los Angeles is indeed a thriving hub for theatre in the United States.
Without further ado, here is the list of Ovation Award winners in each category.
Best Season:
Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre):
The Recommendation, IAMA Theatre Company
Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre):
The Country House, Geffen Playhouse
Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre):
110 In the Shade, Actors Co-op
Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre):
Floyd Collins, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Best Presented Production:
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, Center Theatre Group
Acting Ensemble For a Play:
The Country House, Geffen Playhouse
Acting Ensemble For a Musical:
Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ Thru Life, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Choreography:
Kelly Todd, Lysistrata Jones, Chance Theatre
Music Direction:
Sherrie Maricle, Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ Thru Life, Wallis Annenberg Center For the Performing Arts
Book For an Original Musical:
Ross Golan, The Wrong Man, Skylight Theatre Company
Lyrics/Music For an Original Musical:
Ross Golan, The Wrong Man, Skylight Theatre Company
Playwriting For an Original Play:
Meghan Brown, The Pliant Girls, Fugitive Kind Theater
Director of a Musical:
Richard Israel , Floyd Collins, La Mirada Center For the Performing Arts
Director of a Play:
Guillermo Cienfuegos, Henry V, Pacific Resident Theatre
Amanda McRaven, The Pliant Girls, Fugitive Kind Theater
Lead Actor in a Musical:
Jamoes Barbour (Jean Valjean), Les Misérables, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts/McCoy Rigby Entertainment
Lead Actress in a Musical:
Nicole Parker (Fanny Brice), Funny Girl, 3-D Theatricals
Lead Actor in a Play:
Malcolm Barrett (Dwight Barnes), The Recommendation, IAMA Theatre Company
Lead Actress in a Play:
Deborah Strang (Lola), Come Back, Little Sheba, A Noise Within
Featured Actor in a Musical:
Leigh Wakeford (Carmen Ghia), The Producers, 3-D Theatricals
Featured Actress in a Musical:
Tracy Lore (Frau Blucher), Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, Musical Theatre West
Featured Actor in a Play:
Hugo Armstrong (Ted), Backyard, The Echo Theater Company
Featured Actress in a Play:
Rebecca Gray (Susan), Firemen, The Echo Theater Company
Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre):
Jeremy Pivnick, Everything You Touch, The Theatre @ Boston Court/Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Lighting Design (Large Theatre):
Peter Kaczorowski, The Country House, Geffen Playhouse
Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre):
Jeff McLaughlin, Pray to Ball, Skylight Theatre Company
Scenic Design (Large Theatre):
Allen Moyer, Parfumerie, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Sound Design (Intimate Theatre):
John Zalewski, R II, The Theatre @ Boston Court
Sound Design (Large Theatre):
Richard Woodbury, Slowgirl, Geffen Playhouse
Costume Design (Intimate Theatre):
Jenny Foldenauer, Everything You Touch, The Theatre @ Boston Court/Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre
Costume Design (Large Theatre):
Michael Krass, Parfurmerie, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Video/Projection Design:
Michael Hoy & Adam Flemming, The Wrong Man, Skylight Theatre Company
Composition for a Play:
Dave Robbins, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Actors' Gang
Fight Choreography:
Ahmed Best, Backyard , The Echo Theater Company
Puppet Design:
Michelle Zamora , Roald Dahl’s The Magic Finger, MainStreet Theatre Company
Sherwood Award:
Sean Cawelti, Director
Building Excellence In Small Theatre Award:
A Noise Within
The Fountain Theatre
The Theatre @ Boston Court
For more information about the 25th L.A. Ovation Awards visit LAStageAlliance.com/OvationAwards
Contact Contributors Ryan David McRee here and Elizabeth Mary Weir here.
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