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Alan Mandell, left, and Barry McGovern, in a production of "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett, at the Mark Taper Forum earlier this year. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times) |
Southern California's biggest theater company was the biggest winner at the 2012 Ovation Awards, which were handed out Monday evening at a ceremony at the Los Angeles Theatre in downtown.
Center Theatre Group scooped 13 trophies for its productions of "Waiting for Godot," "The Convert" and "War Horse." The company also received the evening's biggest honor as having the best season. The Ovations, organized by the L.A. Stage Alliance, honor excellence in stage productions throughout the L.A. area.
The Celebration Theatre took home six awards for its production of "The Color Purple: The Musical," which won for best musical at an intimate theater. Musical Theatre West received a total of four awards.
"Waiting for Godot," at the Mark Taper Forum, received five awards, including best production of a play by a large theater and for actors Alan Mandell and Hugo Armstrong. "The Convert," by Danai Gurira, which ran at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, won six awards, including a prize for director Emily Mann.
The Antaeus Company's production of "Peace in Our Time," a rarely revived play by Noel Coward, received the award for best production of a play at an intimate theater. The award for original playwriting went to Andrew Dolan for "The Many Mistresses of Martin Luther King," at the Ensemble Studio Theatre -- L.A.
The satirical show "Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits, Volume 2," at Musical Theatre West, received the award for best production of a musical at a large theater.
"Malcolm in the Middle" star Jane Kaczmarek served as a co-host for Monday's ceremony. Kaczmarek was nominated for her performance in "Good People, by David Lindsay-Abaire, at the Geffen Playhouse, but lost to Pascale Armand in "The Convert."
Ovation Awards are voted on by a group of 250 individuals from the L.A. theater community. This year's awards covered the season from Sept. 1, 2011, through Aug. 28, 2012.
Here is the full list with links to Los Angeles Times reviews.
BEST SEASON
Center Theatre Group
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (INTIMATE THEATER)
"Peace in Our Time," The Antaeus Company
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (LARGE THEATER)
"Waiting for Godot," Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (INTIMATE THEATER)
"The Color Purple: A Musical," Celebration Theatre
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATER)
"Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits, Volume 2," Musical Theatre West
BEST PRESENTED PRODUCTION
"War Horse," Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
ACTING ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY
The Cast of "Waiting for Godot," Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
MUSIC DIRECTION
Gregory Nabours, "The Color Purple: A Musical," Celebration Theatre
BOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Isaac Laskin, "Hey, Morgan!" Black Dahlia Theatre
LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Parmer Fuller and Michael Kramer, "Stations: A Los Angeles Holiday Story," Ensemble Theatre Company and Boom Kat Dance Theatre
PLAYWRIGHTING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Andrew Dolan, "The Many Mistresses of Martin Luther King," Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Michael Matthews, "The Color Purple: A Musical," Celebration Theatre
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Emily Mann, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY
Janet Roston, "The Color Purple: A Musical," Celebration Theatre
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Davis Gaines, "Man of La Mancha," Musical Theatre West
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Susanne Blakeslee, "Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits, Volume 2," Musical Theatre West
LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Alan Mandell, "Waiting for Godot," Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Pascale Armand, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Todrick Hall, "Hairspray," Musical Theatre West
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
La Toya London, "The Color Purple: A Musical," Celebration Theatre
FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Hugo Armstrong, "Waiting for Godot," Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Zainab Jah, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Luke Moyer, "Deathtrap," LA Gay & Lesbian Center
LIGHTING DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Lap Chi Chu, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
SOUND DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
John Zalewski, "A Wrinkle in Time," MainStreet Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Shon LeBlanc, "I Love Lucy Live on Stage," Rockahan, LLC
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Paul Tazewell, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Tom Buderwitz, "Peace in Our Time," The Antaeus Company
SCENIC DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Daniel Ostling, "The Convert," Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
SOUND DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Veronika Vorel and John Zalewski, "The Children," The Theatre @ Boston Court
COMPOSITION FOR A PLAY
Ryan Johnson, "Stoneface: The Rise and Fall of Buster Keaton," Sacred Fools Theatre Company
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Andrew Amani, "Hearts Like Fists," Theatre of NOTE
PUPPET DESIGN
Susan Gratch, "The Children," The Theatre @ Boston Court
VIDEO DESIGN
Brian Gale, "Waiting for Godot," Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
ALSO:
Center Theatre Group leads Ovation Awards nominations
Troubadour Theater Co. and Rogue Machine top Ovations
Ovation Awards nominations announced for 2010-11 season
