LOS ANGELES: The LA Stage Alliance presented the 28th annual Ovation Awards on Jan. 29 at the Ace Hotel in L.A. Thirty-five awards were presented to 19 different theatre companies in Southern California. The most honored companies were Geffen Playhouse, East West Players, Actor’s Co-op, the Echo Theater Company, Center Theatre Group, and Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
In addition to the company awards, the Center Theatre Group has named live performance set and projection designer Hana Kim as the recipient of the 2017 Sherwood Award. Kim was awarded a $10,000 cash prize.
The Ovation Awards, established in 1989, are voted on by theatre professionals working in Los Angeles. This year’s eligibility period ran from Aug. 29, 2016 through Aug. 27, 2017.
Best Season
Rogue Machine
Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre)
33 Variations, Actors Co-op
Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre)
Gulf View Drive, Rubicon Theatre Company
Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre)
When Jazz Had the Blues, CEK Productions
Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre)
Next to Normal, East West Players
Best Presented Production
The Encounter, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Acting Ensemble of a Play
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Center Theatre Group
Acting Ensemble of a Musical
Five Guys Named Moe, Ebony Repertory Theatre
Choreography
Paul McGill, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Geffen Playhouse
Music Direction
Jesse Vargas, For the Record: Scorcese- American Crime Requiem, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Book for an Original Musical
Carole Kosoff, When Jazz Had the Blues, CEK Productions
Lyrics/Composition for an Original Musical
Michael Shaw Fisher, Skullduggery: The Musical Prequel to Hamlet, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Playwriting for an Original Play
Anna Ziegler, Actually, Geffen Playhouse
Direction of a Musical
Nancy Keystone, Next to Normal, East West Players
Direction of a Play
Thomas James O’Leary, 33 Variations, Actors Co-op
Lead Actor in a Musical
B. SLADE as Stacks, For the Record: Scorsese- American Crime Requiem, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Lead Actress in a Musical
Deedee Magno Hall. Next to Normal, East West Players
Lead Actor in a Play
Harry Groener, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Antaeus Theatre Company
Lead Actress in a Play
Debra Jo Rupp, The Cake, The Echo Theater Company
Featured Actor in a Musical
Rogelio Douglas Jr., Five Guys Named Moe, Ebony Repertory Theatre
Featured Actress in a Musical
Isa Briones, Next to Normal, East West Players
Featured Actor in a Play
Adolphus Ward, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Sophina Brown
Featured Actress in a Play
Ella Joyce, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Sophina Brown
Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre)
Andrew Schmedake, 33 Variations, Actors Co-op
Lighting Design (Large Theatre)
Joe Epstein, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Geffen Playhouse
Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre)
Nicholas Acciani, 33 Variations, Actors Co-op
Scenic Design (Large Theatre)
Tim Mackabee, Archduke, Center Theatre Group
Sound Design (Intimate Theatre)
Joseph Slawinski, Burners, Moving Arts
Sound Design (Large Theatre)
Jeff Gardner, Dry Land, Center Theatre Group / the Echo Theatre Company
Costume Design (Intimate Theatre)
Michael Mullen, Siamese Sex Show, Theatre Planners
Costume Design (Large Theatre)
E.B. Brooks, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Geffen Playhouse
Video/Projection Design
Corwin Evans, Plasticity, SoulArt
Music Composition for a Play
Noah Arguss, Bars and Measures, The Theatre @Boston Court
Fight Choreography
Ahmed Best, Blueberry Toast, the Echo Theater Company
Puppet Design
Joe Seely, Wicked Lit 2016, Unbound Productions
