Jon Robin Baitz’s “The Paris Letter” (Center Theater Group/Kirk Douglas Theater) won world-premiere play honors and “Blake … Da Musical” (Grove Theater Center) by Rick Battala and Henry Phillips nabbed top musical honors at the 2005 L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, held Monday at downtown’s Orpheum Theater.
The well-traveled Deaf West Theatre Company tuner “Big River” was tapped for best touring production.
Fullerton Civic Light Opera’s revival of the tuner “Miss Saigon” and Hollywood-based Lost Angels Theater Company’s staging of Tracy Lett’s “Killer Joe” shared top honors, nabbing four awards each. Garnering three nods was Ventura-based Rubicon Theatre’s “Songs for a New World.” Last year’s big winner, downtown-based Center Theater Group, garnered four awards spread out over its three theaters (Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson, Kirk Douglas).
Other multiple winners included: “Yellowman” (Fountain Theater), including lead actor and lead actress nods for its two-member cast, Chris Butler and Deidrie Henry; and “Merchant of Venice” (Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company).
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Ovations are handed out by L.A. Stage Alliance, formerly Theater L.A., a nonprofit association of theaters, performing arts organizations and producers in the greater Los Angeles area. Thesp Ann Magnuson emceed the evening.
WORLD PREMIERE PLAY
“The Paris Letter”
Jon Robin Baitz
Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL
“Blake…Da Musical!”
Rick Batalla and Henry Phillips
Grove Theater Center
RAY STRICKLYN MEMORIAL AWARD FOR SOLO PERFORMANCE
“Letting Go of God”
Julia Sweeney
Indefatigable Productions
ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
“Killer Joe”
Lost Angels Theatre Company
DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Lost Angels Theatre Company
DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Jan Duncan, “Miss Saigon”
Fullerton Civic Light Opera
CHOREOGRAPHY
Lee Martino, “Guys and Dolls”
Musical Theatre West
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Charles Love, “Hey! I’m the Mama”
The Tamarind Theatre
TOURING PRODUCTION
The Deaf West Theatre Production of “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre, Atlanta’s Theater of the Stars, Deaf West Theatre, Dallas Summer Musicals, Gorgeous Entertainment, Theatre Under the Stars, Wang Center Productions, Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum, Roundabout Theatre Company and Jeff Calhoun
PLAY INTIMATE THEATRE
“Killer Joe”
Lost Angels Theatre Company
PLAY LARGE THEATRE
“The Goat Or, Who Is Sylavia?”
Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
FRANKLIN R. LEVY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MUSICAL INTIMATE THEATRE
“The Big Voice”
Blue Sphere Alliance
MUSICAL LARGE THEATRE
“Miss Saigon”
Fullerton Civic Light Opera
SET DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE (3 winners)
Jeff G. Rack, “Papa”
Open Fist Theatre Company
Tom Buderwitz, “Pera Palas”
The Theatre @ Boston Court and The Antaeus Company
Tim Farmer, “Two Gentlemen of Corona”
West Coast Ensemble
SET DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Trefoni Michael Rizzi, “Songs For A New World”
Rubicon Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Brian J. Lilienthal, “Echo’s Hammer”
The Theatre @ Boston Court
LIGHTING DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Steven Young, “Songs For A New World”
Rubicon Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Lindsay Jones, “Killer Joe”
Lost Angels Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Drew Dalzell, “Songs For A New World”
Rubicon Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Allison Leach, “The Merchant of Venice”
Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company
COSTUME DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Josh Agle & Joel Berlin, “Shag With A Twist”
LA Theatre Center in Association with Jetsetter Productions
LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY (2 winners)
Robert Mandan, “The Caretaker”
Zephyr Theatre
Chris Butler, “Yellowman”
Fountain Theatre
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Deidrie Henry, “Yellowman”
Fountain Theatre
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Franc-Anton Harwart, “Miss Saigon”
Fullerton Civic Light Opera
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kristine Remigio, “Miss Saigon”
Fullerton Civic Light Opera
FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY (2 winners)
Don Robb, “The Habitation of Dragons”
Actors Co-op/Crossley Theatre
Marcelo Tubert, “San Fran Scapin”
Andak Stage Company
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Fran Bennett, “The Merchant of Venice”
Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Harrison White, “Purlie”
Pasadena Playhouse
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Anika Noni Rose, “Caroline, Or Change”
Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
LA Stage Alliance Board of Governors Awards:
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
David Galligan
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AWARD
Shakespeare Festival/LA
JAMES A. DOOLITTLE AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE THEATRE
Luis Alfaro
