Jeff Skowrow, E.E. Bell and the company of 3-D Theatricals’ “Parade.” Photo by Isaac James Creative.
Ovation Awards voters this year found a lot to savor in Orange County and other areas south of downtown Los Angeles, according to the nominations for the 2013 awards, announced tonight at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood.
Receiving the most nominations, with 12 nods, was 3-D Theatricals’ revival of the Jason Robert Brown musical Parade — which originated in Fullerton and traveled to Redondo Beach. The second most-nominated show was Chance Theater‘s Triassic Parq — the Musical in Anaheim, with 11.
Center Theatre Group productions picked up the next spot on the most-nominated list — The Nether, in Culver City’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, with nine. CTG’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, at the Ahmanson Theatre, tied with La Mirada Theatre‘s Next to Normal, with eight nominations each. Completing the top nine most-nominated shows, with seven each, were two more La Mirada revivals — Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Spring Awakening — plus CTG’s The Royale at the Douglas and 24th Street Theatre‘s Walking the Tightrope.
The cast of Chance Theater’s “Triassic Parq: The Musical.” Photo by Doug Catiller/True Image Studio.
Considering that the Douglas and 24th Street Theatre are also slightly south of downtown LA, the locus of Ovation Awards contenders is now firmly planted on the south side of LA County, as well as Orange County (represented by 3-D and Chance) to the southeast.
Center Theatre Group, LA’s largest and most prolific theater company, received the most nominations for a single company, 29, followed by La Mirada (24), 3-D (15), Rogue Machine (12 — and even Rogue Machine is slightly south of downtown LA) and Chance (11). On that list, the area north of downtown LA is finally represented by Antaeus Company (9) and Fountain Theatre (8) — both of which were nominated for best season along with CTG, La Mirada and Rogue Machine.
The most-nominated individuals were designers Tom Buderwitz and John Zalewski, with five nods each, followed by four each for director and choreographer Tina Kronis and actress Micaela Martinez, who received one nomination by herself and three others as a member of ensembles.
Besides the nominations, Ovation Honors — which recognize outstanding achievement in areas that are not among the standard list of nomination categories — were announced Monday and will be presented at the Ovation ceremony on November 3. The winners are Michael Redfield (composition for a play, Walking the Tightrope at 24th Street Theatre), Ken Merckx (fight choreography, Cymbeline at A Noise Within), Derek Lux and Christian Anderson (puppet design, Shrek the Musical, 3-D Theatricals), and Jeffrey Elias Teeter (video design, On the Spectrum at the Fountain Theatre).
The nominees and Ovation Honors were announced by past Ovation Award recipients Susanne Blakeslee, Shirley Jo Finney, Ryan Johnson, Michael Matthews, Gregory Nabours, Janet Roston, and John Sloan, along with LA STAGE Alliance chief executive officer Terence McFarland.
Dakin Matthews and Jeanne Syquia in Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre’s “The Nether.” Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Founded in 1989, the LA STAGE Alliance’s Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theater awards in Los Angeles. Voters are Los Angeles theater professionals who are chosen each year, through an application process, by the Ovation Awards rules committee. The list of nominees is determined by a tabulation of scores conducted by Green Hasson Janks. This year’s Ovation Award eligibility period ran from August 27, 2012 through August 25, 2013.
The Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, 320 S. Mission Drive in San Gabriel. For more information, visit www.OvationAwards.com.
The 2013 Ovation Award nominees:
SEASON
ANTAEUS COMPANY
The Crucible
Mrs. Warren‘s Profession
You Can‘t Take It With You
CENTER THEATRE GROUP
Anything Goes
Backbeat
Elephant Room
End of the Rainbow
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Krapp’s Last Tape
The Nether
November
Other Desert Cities
A Parallelogram
The Royale
The Scottsboro Boys
The Second City’s A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens
Seminar
Tribes
Keith David and Glynn Turman in Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.” Photo by Craig Schwartz.
FOUNTAIN THEATRE
The Blue Iris
Heart Song
In the Red and Brown Water
On the Spectrum
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Boeing Boeing
Jekyll & Hyde
Next to Normal
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Spring Awakening
ROGUE MACHINE
A Bright New Boise
Dirty Filthy Love Story
Dying City
One Night in Miami…
Three Views of the Same Object
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (INTIMATE THEATER)
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
TRACK 3
Theatre Movement Bazaar and Bootleg Theater
THE BELLE OF BELFAST
Ensemble Studio Theatre — LA
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
DYING CITY
Rogue Machine
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Rogue Machine
OUR CLASS
Son of Semele Ensemble
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (LARGE THEATER)
JOE TURNER‘S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
AMERICAN BUFFALO
Geffen Playhouse
FALLEN ANGELS
Pasadena Playhouse
Bets Malone and the cast of “Next to Normal” at La Mirada Theatre. Photo by Michael Lamont.
PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (INTIMATE THEATER)
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
AVENUE Q
DOMA Theatre Company
TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATER)
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
PRESENTED PRODUCTION
‘TIS PITY SHE’S A WHORE
Center for the Art of Performance UCLA
ANYTHING GOES
Center Theatre Group
THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS
Center Theatre Group
BOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Bret Calder, Patricia Cotter, and David Elzer
JUSTIN LOVE
Celebration Theatre
Jim Leonard
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
Velina Hasu Houston
TEA, WITH MUSIC
East West Players
LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
David Manning and Lori Scarlett
JUSTIN LOVE
Celebration Theatre
Rob Cairns, Jim Leonard and Beth Thornley
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
Michael Fisher
DOOMSDAY CABARET: A ROCK MUSICAL OF APOCALYPTIC PROPORTIONS
Orgasmico Theatre Company
PLAYWRIGHTING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Jennifer Haley
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Marco Ramirez
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Nate Edelman
THE BELLE OF BELFAST
Ensemble Studio Theatre — LA
Robert Mersola
DIRTY FILTHY LOVE STORY
Rogue Machine
Kemp Powers
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Rogue Machine
Kathryn Walat
CREATION
Theatre @ Boston Court
Richard Alger
HOT CAT
Theatre of NOTE
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
T.J. Dawson
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Nick DeGruccio
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Glenn Casale
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Brian Kite
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Marshall Pailet
TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Debbie Devine
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
Tina Kronis
TRACK 3
Theatre Movement Bazaar and Bootleg Theater
Shirley Jo Finney
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
Art Manke
FALLEN ANGELS
Pasadena Playhouse
Michael Peretzian
DYING CITY
Rogue Machine
Matthew McCray
OUR CLASS
Son of Semele Ensemble
Tina Kronis
HOT CAT
Theatre of NOTE
MUSIC DIRECTION
David Lamoureux
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Chris Raymond
AVENUE Q
DOMA Theatre Company
Darryl Archibald
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Dennis Castellano
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
John Glaudini
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Dennis Castellano
OKLAHOMA!
Musical Theatre West
Taylor Stephenson
TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
CHOREOGRAPHY
Dana Solimando
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Tina Kronis
TRACK 3
Theatre Movement Bazaar and Bootleg Theater
Ameenah Kaplan
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Anil Natyaveda and Aparna Sindhoor
ENCOUNTER
East West Players
Lee Martino
OKLAHOMA!
Musical Theatre West
Kelly Todd
TRIASSIC PARQ — The MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Tina Kronis
HOT CAT
Theatre of NOTE
ACTING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
The cast of WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
The cast of EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM
Artists at Play
The cast of JOE TURNER‘S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
The cast of THE BELLE OF BELFAST
Ensemble Studio Theatre — LA
The cast of IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
The cast of ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Rogue Machine
The cast of WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE HERO OF NAMIBIA, FORMERLY…
Matrix Theatre Company
ACTING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
The cast of PARADE
3-D Theatricals
The cast of LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
The cast of AVENUE Q
DOMA Theatre Company
The cast of NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
The cast of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
The cast of SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
The cast of TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jeff Skowron as Leo Frank
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Chris Kauffmann as Princeton/Rod
Avenue Q
DOMA Theatre Company
Robert Townsend as Dan
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Coby Getzug as Moritz
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Austin MacPhee as Melchior
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
David Burnham as Joe Gillis
SUNSET BOULEVARD
Musical Theatre West
Keaton Williams as The Velociraptor of Innocence
TRIASSIC PARQ – THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Caitlin Humphreys as Lucille Frank
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Emma Degerstedt as Elle Woods
LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Alet Taylor as Buck Ralston
JUSTIN LOVE
Celebration Theatre
Kate Chadwick as Lindsay Skinner
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
Danielle Jodovits as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut
AVENUE Q
DOMA Theatre Company
Bets Malone as Diana
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Beth Malone as Milly
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mark Bramhall as Granddad Stan
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
John Thompson as Herald Loomis
JOE TURNER‘S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
Glynn Turman as Bynum Walker
JOE TURNER‘S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
R. Christopher Sands as Twanky
THE SNOW QUEEN
Fremont Center Theatre
Burt Grinstead as Peter & Craig
DYING CITY
Rogue Machine
JD Cullum as John Doe
SEXSTING
Skylight Theatre Company
Bo Foxworth as John Proctor
THE CRUCIBLE
Antaeus Company
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Paige White as Esme
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
Diarra Kilpatrick as Oya
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
Gigi Bermingham as Maria Callas
MASTER CLASS
International City Theatre
Jaimi Paige as Woman
TENDER NAPALM
Point First Productions
Julie Granata as Amanda
PRIVATE LIVES
Rubicon Theatre Company
Rebecca Mozo as Vivie Warren
MRS. WARREN‘S PROFESSION
Antaeus Company
Blaire Chandler as Big Momma
HOT CAT
Theatre of NOTE
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Rufus Bonds, Jr. as Jim Conley
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Norman Large as Hugh Dorsey
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
David Vaughn as Farquaad
SHREK THE MUSICAL
3-D Theatricals
Matt Bauer as Emmett
LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Mark Whitten as Nicky/Trekkie/Bad Idea Bear
AVENUE Q
DOMA Theatre Company
Norman Large as Max Von Mayerling
SUNSET BOULEVARD
Musical Theatre West
Matt Walker as Puck/Quince
A MIDSUMMER SATURDAY NIGHT‘S FEVER DREAM
Troubadour Theater Company
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jaycie Dotin as Brooke
LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Lowe Taylor as Paulette
LEGALLY BLONDE
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Tessa Grady as Natalie
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Micaela Martinez as T-Rex 1
TRIASSIC PARQ – THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Kellie Spill as T-Rex 2
TRIASSIC PARQ – THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Camryn Zelinger as Morgan Freeman / Velociraptor of Science
TRIASSIC PARQ – THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Beth Kennedy as Helena/Faerie
A MIDSUMMER SATURDAY NIGHT‘S FEVER DREAM
Troubadour Theater Company
FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mark Skeens as Andre
TRACK 3Theatre Movement Bazaar and Bootleg Theater
Adam Hunter as Woodnut
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Dakin Matthews as Doyle
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Robert Gossett as Wynton
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Billy Meleady as Father Behan
THE BELLE OF BELFAST
Ensemble Studio Theatre — LA
Jefferson Mays as Bernard Woolley
YES, PRIME MINISTER
Geffen Playhouse
Tony Amendola as Sir George Crofts
MRS. WARREN‘S PROFESSION
Antaeus Company
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
January LaVoy as Mattie Campbell
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
Brighid Fleming as Iris
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Kimberlee Soo as Lucy Law
THE FOURTH GRADERS PRESENT AN UNNAMED LOVE-SUICIDE
Coeurage Theatre Company
Annika Marks as Candace
DOESN‘T ANYONE KNOW WHAT A PANCREAS IS?
Ensemble Studio Theatre — LA
Peggy Blow as Mama Mojo
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
Iona Morris as Aunt Elegba
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
Fountain Theatre
Betsy Zajko as Pauline
A BRIGHT NEW BOISE
Rogue Machine
Catia Ojeda as Maria
BRENDAN
Theatre Banshee
LIGHTING DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Dan Weingarten
HEART OF DARKNESS
Actors’ Gang
Jeremy Pivnick
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
Leigh Allen
DYING CITY
Rogue Machine
Jeremy Pivnick
MRS. WARREN‘S PROFESSION
Antaeus Company
Zack Lipinski and Tim Swiss
PETER PAN: THE BOY WHO HATED MOTHERS
Blank Theatre Company
Matt Schleicher
TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Jeremy Pivnick
CASSIOPEIA
Theatre @ Boston Court
LIGHTING DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Jean-Yves Tessier
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Allen Hughes
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
Christopher Kuhl
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Lap Chi Chu
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Steven Young
NEXT TO NORMAL
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Tom Ruzika
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Steven Young
SPRING AWAKENING
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
SCENIC DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Michael Allen
LONG WAY GO DOWN
Art of Acting Studio
Tom Walsh
ANNAPURNA
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Desma Murphy
COOPERSTOWN
Road Theatre Company
Tom Buderwitz
DYING CITY
Rogue Machine
Tom Buderwitz
YOU CAN‘T TAKE IT WITH YOU
Antaeus Company
Stephen Gifford
CASSIOPEIA
Theatre @ Boston Court
Danny Cistone
COPS AND FRIENDS OF COPS
Vs. Theatre Company
SCENIC DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Tom Buderwitz
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Adrian Jones
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Andrew Boyce
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Tom Buderwitz
THE SECOND CITY‘S A CHRISTMAS CAROL: TWIST YOUR DICKENS!
Center Theatre Group
Takeshi Kata
AMERICAN BUFFALO
Geffen Playhouse
Myung Hee Cho
MISS JULIE
Geffen Playhouse
Tom Buderwitz
FALLEN ANGELS
Pasadena Playhouse
SOUND DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
John Zalewski
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
Mark Nichols
HEART OF DARKNESS
Actors’ Gang
John Zalewski
DEATH OF A SALESGIRL
Bootleg Theater
Cricket Myers
BAD APPLES
Circle X Theatre Company
John Zalewski
THEATRE IN THE DARK
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
John Zalewski
MRS. WARREN‘S PROFESSION
Antaeus Company
Jack Arky
CASSIOPEIA
Theatre @ Boston Court
SOUND DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Cricket Myers
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group
John Zalewski
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group
Ryan Rumery
THE ROYALE
Center Theatre Group
Cricket Myers
THE SECOND CITY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL: TWIST YOUR DICKENS!
Center Theatre Group
Josh Bessom
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Julie Ferrin
OKLAHOMA!
Musical Theatre West
Steven Cahill
FALLEN ANGELS
Pasadena Playhouse
COSTUME DESIGN (INTIMATE THEATER)
Ann Closs-Farley
HEART OF DARKNESS
Actors’ Gang
Michael Mullen
DREAMGIRLS
DOMA Theatre Company
Naila Aladdin-Sanders
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Rogue Machine
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg
MRS. WARREN‘S PROFESSION
Antaeus Company
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg
YOU CAN‘T TAKE IT WITH YOU
Antaeus Company
Anthony Tran
TRIASSIC PARQ — THE MUSICAL
Chance Theater
Ann Closs-Farley
AMERICAN MISFIT
Theatre @ Boston Court
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATER)
Shon LeBlanc
PARADE
3-D Theatricals
Kate Bergh
SHREK THE MUSICAL
3-D Theatricals
Karen Perry
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
Alex Jaeger
THE NETHER
Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Tobin Ost
JEKYLL & HYDE
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
David Kay Mickelsen
FALLEN ANGELS
Pasadena Playhouse
Sharon McGunigle
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDOORS
Troubadour Theater Company
OVATION HONORS CATEGORIES
COMPOSITION FOR A PLAY
Michael Redfield
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
24th Street Theatre
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Ken Merckx
CYMBELINE
A Noise Within
PUPPET DESIGN
Derek Lux and Christian Anderson
SHREK THE MUSICAL
3-D Theatricals
VIDEO DESIGN
Jeffrey Elias Teeter
ON THE SPECTRUM
Fountain Theatre