LADCC announces nominees for 2011 – a year of theatre excellence

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) annually gives awards for excellence in theatre.  You can now follow them on twitter via @LADramaCC .

Recently announced  were the nominees and special award recipients for the 43rd Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, honoring distinguished achievements in L.A. theater during 2011.

Ebony Repertory Theatre Company’s revival of Lorraine Hansbury’s classic drama A Raisin in the Sun – currently being remounted by Center Theatre Group (CTG) at the Kirk Douglas Theatre with only the role of the matriarch having been recast – and the Chance Theater’s Southern California premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera (pictured, above) both lead the nominations with a total of eight each.

Other shows receiving several nominations are the Odyssey Theatre-Evidence Room co-production of Len Jenkin’s noir-inspired Margo Veil with five, and the wacky musical Re-Animator the Musical with four. Leading production companies were Center Theatre Group, which gained 10 noms, for shows at its Ahmanson and Kirk Douglas Theatres and the Mark Taper Forum. Eight noms each went to Ebony Repertory Theatre, Chance Theater and Rogue Machine. Geffen Playhouse received seven.

The awards ceremony is set for Monday, March 19, 2012 at A Noise Within (3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena), the classical repertory theatre company.

Tickets are now available to the public and can be purchased here.

The awards show will be hosted by actor-singer Jason Graae, who received LADCC’s 2007 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theater, and actor Lesli Margherita, a nominee this year for Kiss Me, Kate.

Additional performers and presenters are soon to be announced.

LADCC Annual Awards ceremony

Monday, March 19, 2012

At A Noise Within’s brand new theatre

3352 East Foothill Blvd.,

Pasadena

Tickets:

$40.00  (cheap!)

Purchase tickets here.

Complete nominees list:

Production:

“9 Circles,” Alicia Adams and Jessica Hanna, Bootleg Theater
“Blackbird,” Rogue Machine, Theatre/Theater
“House of the Rising Son,” Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA, Atwater Village Theatre
“Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater
“Margo Veil,” The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room, Odyssey Theatre
“Re-Animator: The Musical,” Dean Schramm & Stuart Gordon, Steve Allen Theater
“Small Engine Repair,” Rogue Machine, Theatre/Theater
“The Cripple of Inishmaan,” Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company,    Kirk Douglas Theatre
“Way to Heaven,” Ron Sossi, Odyssey Theatre

Tom McCulloh Award for Revival:

“A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre, Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
“Cabaret,” Reprise Theatre Company, Freud Playhouse
“Kiss Me, Kate,” Reprise Theatre Company, Freud Playhouse
“Peace in Our Time,” The Antaeus Company, Deaf West Theatre
“The Crucible,” Theatre Banshee

Direction:

Trevor Biship, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater
Andrew Block, “Small Engine Repair,” Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Sean Branney, “The Crucible,” Theatre Banshee
Bart DeLorenzo, “Margo Veil,” The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
Phylicia Rashad, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center

Writing:

Jane Anderson, “The Escort, “Geffen Playhouse
David Harrower, “Blackbird,” Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
John Pollono, “Small Engine Repair,” Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Charlayne Woodard, “The Night Watcher,” Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Writing (Adaptation):

Dakin Matthews, “The Capulets & the Montagues,” Andak Stage Company at NewPlace Studio Theatre
Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Morris, “Re-Animator: The Musical,” Steve Allen Theater

Music Direction:

Gregory Nabours, “Falsettos,” Third Street Theatre
Michael Paternostro, “Kiss Me, Kate,” Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Gerald Sternbach, “The Robber Bridegroom,” International City Theatre
Mike Wilkins, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater

Choreography:

Karole Armitage, “Hair,” Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Andy Blankenbuehler, “Bring It On: The Musical,” Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Todd Nielsen, “The Robber Bridegroom,” International City Theatre
Kelly Todd, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater

Musical Score:

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green, and Tom Kitt, “Bring It On: The Musical,” Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Mark Nutter, “Re-Animator: The Musical,” Steve Allen Theater
Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, “Shrek the Musical,” DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater

Lead Performance:

Patrick J. Adams, “9 Circles,” Bootleg Theater
Sam Anderson, “Blackbird,” Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Gigi Birmingham, “Hermetically Sealed,” The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Anne Gee Byrd,“All My Sons,“ Matrix Theatre
L. Scott Caldwell, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Kevin Carroll, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Edi Gathegi, “Superior Donuts,” Geffen Playhouse
Lesli Margherita, “Kiss Me, Kate,” Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Lisa O’Hare, “Cabaret,” Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Maggie Siff, “The Escort,” Geffen Playhouse
Norbert Weisser, “Way to Heaven,” Odyssey Theatre

Featured Performance:

Kenya Alexander, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Anne Gee Byrd, “I Never Sang for My Father,” The New American Theatre at the McCadden Theatre
Dermot Crowley, “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
Deidrie Henry, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Kate Huffman, “100 Saints You Should Know,” Elephant Theatre Company
Casey Kramer, “Dolly West’s Kitchen,” Theatre Banshee
Ryann Redmond, “Bring It On: The Musical,” Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Ensemble Performance:

“A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
“Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater
“Margo Veil,” The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
“The Cripple of Inishmaan,” Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
“The Crucible,” Theatre Banshee

Solo Performance:

Tom Dugan, “Nazi Hunter — Simon Wiesenthal,” Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre
John Fleck, “Mad Women,” The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Guy Hollingsworth, “The Expert at the Card Table,” Menier Chocolate Factory at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage
John Leguizamo, “Ghetto Klown”, WestBeth Entertainment at The Montálban
Charlayne Woodard, The Night Watcher, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Set Design:

Cameron Anderson, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” South Coast Repertory
John Lee Beatty, “Poor Behavior,” Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum
Brian Sidney “Bembridge, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” Geffen Playhouse
Michael Ganio, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Richard Hoover, “House of the Rising Son,” Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at the Atwater Village Theatre

Lighting Design:

Patrice Besombes, “Iris,” Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Paule Constable, “Les Misérables,” Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Jeremy Pivnick, “House of the Rising Son,” Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at the Atwater Village Theatre
Brian S. Shevelenko, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater

Costume Design:

Ann Closs-Farley, “Margo Veil,” The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
Philippe Guillotel, “Iris,” Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Tim Hatley, “Shrek the Musical,” DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Garry Lennon, “Kiss Me, Kate,” Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse

Sound Design:

Mikhail Fiksel, “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” Geffen Playhouse
Casey Long, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” Chance Theater
Adam Phalen, “9 Circles,” Bootleg Theater
John Zalewski, “Margo Veil,” The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre

Specialty:

Eric Anderson (fight choreography), “Gospel According to First Squad,” The Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble at The Powerhouse Theatre
John Boesche (projection design), “Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie,” Geffen Playhouse
David Combs and Linda Hoag (puppet design), “Monkey Adored,” Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Tony Doublin, John Naulin, John Buechler, Tom Devlin, & Greg McDougall (special effects), “Re-Animator: The Musical,” Steve Allen Theater
Shana Carroll, Boris Verkhovsky, Pierre Masse (acrobatic performance design), “Iris,” Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Peter Nigrini (projection and video design), “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” Geffen Playhouse

Unique Theatrical Event:

“Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays,” Joan Stein and Stuart Ross in association with the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center at The Renberg Theatre

Special awards:

Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play: David Wiener for “Extraordinary Chambers,” accompanied by an offer to publish by Samuel French, Inc.

Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theater: Rogue Machine; accompanied by an honorarium funded by the Nederlander Organization.

Bob Z Award for career achievement in set design: Kurt Boetcher.

Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design: Lap Chi Chu; accompanied by an honorarium funded by Angstrom Lighting.

Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater: the Odyssey Theatre.

Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre: Lee Martino.

Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction will be awarded to Matt Shakman; accompanied by an honorarium funded by The Katselas Theatre Company.

 

About the LADCC:

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle was founded in 1969.  It is dedicated to excellence in theatrical criticism, and to the encouragement and improvement of theater in Greater Los Angeles.

The 2011 voting members of the LADCC: 

F. Kathleen Foley (LA Times), Shirle Gottlieb (Gazette Newspapers, StageHappenings.com), Hoyt Hilsman (Back Stage, the Huffington Post), Mayank Keshaviah (LA Weekly), Amy Lyons (Back Stage, LA Weekly), Dany Margolies (Back Stage), Terry Morgan (Variety), Steven Leigh Morris (LA Weekly), David C. Nichols (LA Times, Back Stage), Sharon Perlmutter (TalkinBroadway.com), Melinda Schupmann (Back Stage, ShowMag.com), Madeleine Shaner (Park La Brea News/Beverly Press, Back Stage), Les Spindle (Back Stage), Bob Verini (Variety), and Neal Weaver (Back Stage).

Joining for 2012 is your ArtsBeatLA host — Pauline Adamek (LA Weekly).