L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards — nominations

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The 32nd annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards has been dubbed ‘The Year of the Inner Child,’ thanks to its emphasis in celebrating what their idiosyncratic and contentious awards committee regards as the best of L.A. theater’s small stages (meaning, 99 seats or fewer) and the shows they presented during the calendar year, 2010.

Report by Pauline Adamek

The awards event will take place Monday, April 4, 2011 at the El Rey Theatre on Wilshire Boulevard. According to an article on the  L.A. Weekly’s official site, the evening is embracing its inner-pre-teen and staging the event much like a junior high sleepover featuring spin-the bottle and ouija in the lobby. Attendees are encouraged to show up in their pajamas and advised to bring a permission letter from their parents.

Tickets to the fun-filled event are $20.00. The online box office opens March 3 at their site.

According to the captain of the Critics Team, critic-at-large Steven Leigh Morris, “We did notice a groundswell of fine new plays last year, but the eight nominees include not one woman, when women are running so many of our best companies: Theatre @ Boston Court, Open fist Theatre Company, City Garage, Ensemble Studio Theatre -  and two theaters too large to qualify for the L.A. Weekly Theater awards: the Colony Theatre and Theatricum Botanicum. So what’s up with that?”

2010 L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEES:

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
Hyperbole: Origins, Rogue Artists Ensemble at [Inside] the Ford
Influence, Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
La Razón Blindada (Armored Reason), 24th Street Theatre

REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR (of a 20th- or 21st-century work)
The Autumn Garden, Antaeus Company
A Prayer for My Daughter, Crown City Theatre
Take Me Out, Celebration Theatre
Wit, Actors Co-op

MUSICAL OF THE YEAR
Hoboken to Hollywood, Reasoner Productions at the Edgemar Center for the Arts
See What I Wanna See, Blank Theatre Company

DIRECTION
Benjamin Burdick, A Wolf Inside the Fence, Open Fist Theatre Company
Guillermo Cienfuegos, Julia, Pacific Resident Theatre
Nick DeGruccio, Caught, Buttermilk Productions and Drumfish Productions at the Zephyr Theatre
Peter Haskell, Kataki, Prince Livingston Players at the Lex Theatre
Simon Levy, Opus, Fountain Theatre
Travis Preston, Brewsie and Willie, Poor Dog Group and the Center for New Performance at CalArts at the 7th Floor Penthouse
Diane Rodriguez, Sick, Playwrights’ Arena and Latino Theatre Company at the Los Angeles Theatre Center
Stephen Sachs, The Train Driver, Fountain Theatre

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Jeremy Aldridge, Hoboken to Hollywood, Reasoner Productions at the Edgemar Center for the Arts
Daniel Henning, See What I Wanna See, Blank Theatre Company
L. Flint Esquerra, Head: The Musical, Met Theatre
Amanda Marquardt, Schmutzigen Deutsche Kabarett, Zombie Joe’s Underground

COMEDY DIRECTION
Larry Biederman, Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre
Daniel Henning, Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them, Blank Theatre Company at the Stella Adler Theatre
Jaime Robledo, Watson, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Ron Sossi, The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Barbara Schofield, Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre Company
Richard Tatum, The Girl Who Would Be King, Absolute Theatre/Full Circle Theatrics at the El Centro Theatre

MUSICAL DIRECTION
Robert Shaw, Head: The Musical, Met Theatre
Paul Litteral, Hoboken to Hollywood, Reasoner Productions at the Edgemar Center for the Arts
Gregory Nabours, The Women of Brewster Place, Celebration Theatre
David O, See What I Wanna See, Blank Theatre Company

ENSEMBLE
Anton’s Uncles, Theater Movement Bazaar at 24th Street Theatre/Bootleg Theater
Caught, Buttermilk Productions and Drumfish Productions at the Zephyr Theatre
Holy Ghost, Theatre of NOTE
Influence, Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
A Prayer for My Daughter, Crown City Theatre
Supernova, Elephant Theatre Company
A Wolf Inside the Fence, Open Fist Theatre Company

MUSICAL ENSEMBLE
Head: The Musical, Met Theatre
Schmutzigen Deutsche Kabarett, Zombie Joe’s Underground
The Women of Brewster Place, Celebration Theatre

COMEDY ENSEMBLE
Dirty Pooh, Zombie Joe’s Underground
The Girl Who Would Be King, Absolute Theatre/Full Circle Theatrics at the El Centro Theatre
Looking For Trouble, White Buffalo Theatre Company at the Lost Studio
Paradise Park, City Garage
Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre Company
Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them, Blank Theatre Company at the Stella Adler Theatre
Yellow, Coast Playhouse

LEADING FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Nike Doukas/Alicia Wollerton, Cousin Bette, Antaeus Company at Deaf West Theatre
Allegra Fulton/Kirsten Potter, King Lear, Antaeus Company Taylor Gilbert, Madagascar, Road Theatre Company at the Lankershim Arts Center
Nan McNamara, Wit, Actors Co-op
Roses Prichard, Julia, Pacific Resident Theatre

LEADING MALE PERFORMANCE
Sam Anderson, Madagascar, Road Theatre Company at the Lankershim Arts Center
Kevin Brief, A Prayer for My Daughter, Crown City Theatre
Harry Groener/Dakin Matthews, King Lear, Antaeus Company
Justin Huen, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
Christian Lebano, Opus, Fountain Theatre
Jeremy Maxwell, Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre
Gregory Sims, Baal, Sacred Fools Theater
Jack Stehlin, More Lies About Jerzy, Circus Theatricals at the Hayworth Theatre

SUPPORTING FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Anne Gee Byrd, The Autumn Garden, Antaeus Company
Anne Gee Byrd, Four Places, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Charlotte Chanler, A Wolf Inside The Fence, Open Fist Theatre Company
Diana Cignoni The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Jia Doughman, Opus, Fountain Theatre
Agatha Nowicki, Parasite Drag, Elephant Theatre Company
Zoe Perry, The Autumn Garden, Antaeus Company
Jeanne Syquia, Sidhe, Road Theatre Company

SUPPORTING MALE PERFORMANCE
Tony Amendola/Michael McShane, Cousin Bette, Antaeus Company at Deaf West Theatre
Tom Costello, Take Me Out, Celebration Theatre
Gregory Itzin/Morlan Higgins, King Lear, Antaeus Company
Boyd Kestner, Parasite Drag, Elephant Theatre Company
Garrett Matheson, Take Me Out, Celebration Theatre
Thomas James O’Leary, Take Me Out, Celebration Theatre
Winston J. Rocha, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
Cooper Thornton, Opus, Fountain Theatre
Colin Walker, A Wolf Inside the Fence, Open Fist Theatre Company

TWO-PERSON PERFORMANCE
Tony Duran/Arturo Diaz de Sandy and Jesus Castaňos Chima, La Razón Blindada, 24th Street Theatre
Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward, The Train Driver, Fountain Theatre
Robert Mammana and Will Bradley, The Twentieth-Century Way, Theatre @ Boston Court
A.K. Murtadha and M.D. Walton, Topdog/Underdog, Lillian Theatre
Tucker Smallwood and Ron Bottitta, The Sunset Limited, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater

SOLO PERFORMANCE
Paul Dillon, The Event, needtheater at Son of Semele Ensemble
Anna Khaja, Shaheed, Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre
Michael McGee, St. Nicholas, Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre
Ann Randolph, Loveland, Santa Monica Playhouse

FEMALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE
Christine Estabrook, Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them, Blank Theatre Company at the Stella Adler Theatre
Beth Hogan, The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Jonica Patella, Schmutzigen Deutsche Kabarett, Zombie Joe’s Underground
Cynthia Mance, The Marriage of Figaro, City Garage
Amanda Weier, Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre Company

MALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE John Achorn, The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Henry Dittman, Watson, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Arthur Hanket, Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre Company
Norbert Weisser, The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble

ONE-ACT PERFORMANCE
Candice Afia, Blood and Thunder, Moving Arts
Keith Robinson, Looking For Trouble, White Buffalo Theatre Company at the Lost Studio
Tony Williams, Blood and Thunder, Moving Arts

PLAY WRITING
Matthew Benjamin and Logan Brown, Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre
Shem Bitterman, Influence, Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Joseph Fisher, A Wolf Inside the Fence, Open Fist Theatre Company
Timothy McNeil, Supernova, Elephant Theatre Company
Vince Melocchi, Julia, Pacific Resident Theatre
Tom Jacobson, The Twentieth Century Way, Theatre @ Boston Court
Erik Patterson, Sick, Playwrights’ Arena and Latino Theatre Company at the Los Angeles Theatre Center
John Steppling, Phantom Luck, Gunfighter Nation at the Lost Studio

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Lee Kissman

QUEEN OF THE ANGELS
Jessica Kubzansky & Michael Michetti

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Brewsie and Willie, Poor Dog Group and the Center for New Performance at CalArts at the 7th Floor Penthouse
Hyperbole: Origins, Rogue Artists Ensemble at [Inside] the Ford
Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
Paradise Park, City Garage
A Tale Told by an Idiot, Psittacus Productions at Son of Semele Ensemble/Lounge Theatre
Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre

ADAPTATION
Tim Acito, The Women of Brewster Place, Celebration Theatre
Luis Alfaro, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre@ Boston CourtӬ
Richard Alger and Tina Kronis, Anton’s Uncles, Theatre Movement Bazaar at 24th Street Theatre/Bootleg Theater”¨”¨

LIGHTING DESIGN
Efren Delgadillo Jr. and Adam Haas Hunter, Brewsie and Willie, Poor Dog Group and Center for New Performance at CalArts at the 7th Floor Penthouse
Jeremy Pivnick, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston CourtӬ
Dan Weingarten, A Tale Told By an Idiot, Psittacus Productions at Son of Semele Theatre/Lounge Theatre ҬDan Weingarten, Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre

COSTUME DESIGN
Shon LeBlanc, Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre CompanyӬ
Josephine Poinsot, The Marriage of Figaro, City Garage
Teresa Shea, Project: Wonderland, Bootleg TheaterӬ
Christina Wright, The Good Woman of Setzuan, Open Fist Theatre Company

SET DESIGN
Potsch Boyd, Kataki, Prince Livingston Players at the Lex Theatre
Efren Delgadillo Jr., Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 Theatre
Jeff McLaughlin, The Train Driver, Fountain Theatre
Birgitte Moos, The Arsonists, Odyssey Theatre EnsembleӬ
James Spencer, Stage Door, Open Fist Theatre Company

SOUND DESIGN
Drew Dalzell, Wirehead, Echo Theater Company at Stage 52 TheatreӬ
John Nobori, Hyperbole: Origins, Rogue Artists Ensemble at [Inside] the Ford
Robert Oriol, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court
Alex Wright, The Good Woman of Setzuan, Open Fist Theatre Company
John Zalewski, King Lear, Antaeus Company

CHOREOGRAPHY
Ameenah Kaplan, The Women of Brewster Place, Celebration Theatre
Tina Kronis, Anton’s Uncles, Theatre Movement Bazaar at 24th Street Theatre/Bootleg Theater
Natasha Norman and Ceasar F. Barajas, Watson, Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Aristides Vargas, La Razón Blindada (Armored Reason), 24th Street Theatre

PUPPET DESIGN
Lynn Jeffries, Project: Wonderland, Bootleg Theater

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Andrew Conrad and Andrew Gilbert, Brewsie and Willie, Poor Dog Group and the Center for New Performance at CalArts at the 7th Floor Penthouse
Ryan Johnson, Watson, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Dean Mora, The Good Woman of Setzuan, Open Fist Theatre Company
Robert Oriol, Oedipus El Rey, Theatre @ Boston Court

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Andrew Amani, Watson, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Louis Roth, Kataki, Prince Livingston Players at the Lex Theatre Ҭ
Jennings Turner, Holy Ghost, Theatre of NOTE
PROJECTION DESIGN
Jesse Bonnell, John Kern and Jeffrey Elias Teeter, Brewsie and Willie, Poor Dog Group     and the Center for New Performance at CalArts at the 7th Floor Penthouse
Hana Sooyeon Kim, Futura, Theatre @ Boston CourtӬ
Steven Calcote, The Limitations of Genetic Technology, Off-Chance Productions at  Theatre of NOTE”¨
Dave Mickey, Lianne Arnold, Sean T. Cawelti, Hyperbole: Origins, Rogue Artists Ensemble at [Inside] the FordӬ
Charles Otte, The Good Woman of Setzuan, Open Fist Theatre Company

TRANSLATION
Frederique Michel and Charles Duncombe, The Marriage of Figaro, City Garage

SPECIAL CITATION
Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble‘s trilogy of original plays presented in repertory at the Powerhouse Theatre: Gospel According to the First Squad, Wounded, and Survived, collectively titled The War Cycle. Each concerned the U.S. military presences in Iraq and Afghanistan. The citation is given for breadth of vision and clarity of purpose by an ensemble.