Center Theatre Group led the 2012 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards in November, winning 13 accolades, including six awards for its production of The Convert. The show’s lead actress Pascale Armand was among the winners. Other top prizes went to Peace in Our Time, at the Antaeus Company, for best play production in an intimate theatre; The Color Purple: A Musical at Celebration Theatre for best musical ensemble; and Parmer Fuller and Michael Kramer for their music and lyrics to Stations: A Los Angeles Holiday Story from Ensemble Theatre Company and Boom Kat Dance Theatre. Among the honorary winners were Oregon Shakespeare Festival artistic director Bill Rauch, who took home the Zelda Fichandler Award, accompanied by $5,000, from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation; and John Sinner, who received the $10,000 Sherwood Award from Center Theater Group. A complete list of winners can be found at www.tcg.org/publications/at/awards.cfm.
The Casting Society of America held its 28th Annual Artios Awards in October. Among the winners in the theatre categories were James Calleri, for The Cherry Orchard in New York City and A Doll’s House in the regional theatre east category; Pat McCorkle for Tribes in New York City; Jay Binder for Merrily We Roll Along in the special theatrical performances category; Rachel Hoffman for Hands on a Hardbody in the regional theatre west category; and Jeff Greenberg for Art in Los Angeles.
At an awards ceremony closing United Solo’s third annual solo theatre festival in November, prize-winners included veteran monologist John Leguizamo for outstanding solo artist. Best production went to Wrap Your Heart Around It by LynnMarie Rink, and the audience award went to Anita Hollander for Still Standing.
Signature Theatre in Virginia has announced that Harold Prince will receive the Stephen Sondheim Award at a ceremony in April, for his contribution to the works of Sondheim.
Jackie Nichols, founder and executive producer of Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Tenn., was handed the Thomas W. Briggs Community Service Award in a private ceremony in November.
James M. Nederlander and James L. Nederlander, chairman and president, respectively, of the Nederlander Organization, have been named living landmarks by the New York Landmark Conservancy.
Michael David, president of Dodger Properties, a theatrical producing partnership, received the UJA-Federation of New York theatre division’s 2013 excellence in theatre award in November.
