Los Angeles LGBT Center wins big in local theater awards
The 2016 Ovation Awards handed its top honors to Los Angeles LGBT Center’s “Hit the Wall” and “Ham: A Musical Memoir,” as well as to Celebration Theatre’s “The Boy From Oz” and “Bootycandy.”
Sam Harris, the actor and singer upon whose book “Ham” was based, took the honors for lead actor in a musical. That production was part of a lineup including “Fool for Love” that nabbed the LGBT Center the award for best season.
The ceremony, held Tuesday night by the nonprofit L.A. Stage Alliance, took place at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles with host Alexandra Billings. Awards covering small, midsize and large theaters were delivered to 19 Southern California companies in more than 30 categories. The winners were determined by local producers, directors, actors and other theater professionals chosen through an application process.
“Dry Land” at the Echo Theater Company won best production of a play for intimate theater, while “Guards of the Taj” at the Geffen Playhouse took the same award for large theater. The Theater @ Boston Court also had a strong evening with awards for playwriting (Luis Alfaro, “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles”), featured actress in a play (Paula Christensen, “Colony Collapse”), lighting design for intimate theater (Elizabeth Harper, “The Golden Dragon”) and sound design for intimate theater (John Nobori, “The Golden Dragon”).
Winners are listed in bold among other nominees:
Best season
Celebration Theatre
Geffen Playhouse
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Best production of a play (intimate theater)
“Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
“Space,” Crooked Arrow Productions | Review
“My Mañana Comes,” Fountain Theatre | Review
“Hit the Wall,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
“Honky,” Rogue Machine | Review
“Church & State,” Skylight Theatre Company | Review
“Dry Land,” The Echo Theater Company | Review
Best production of a play (large theater)
“Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
“The Complete History of America (Abridged),” Falcon Theatre
“Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
“Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
“Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles,” the Getty Villa & the Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Best production of a musical (intimate theater)
“The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
“We Are the Tigers: A New Musical,” Heart and Flame Productions
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Sierra Madre Playhouse
Best production of a musical (large theater)
“American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“Ham: A Musical Memoir,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Best presented production
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” Center Theatre Group | Review
“1984,” The Broad Stage | Review
“Jane Austen Unscripted,” Broad Stage
Acting ensemble of a play
“Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
“Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group | Review
“Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
“The Complete History of America (Abridged),” Falcon Theatre
“My Mañana Comes,” Fountain Theatre | Review
“Hit the Wall,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
“Fly,” Pasadena Playhouse | Review
Acting ensemble of a musical
“The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
“American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“Dreamgirls,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“Empire,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts | Review
“First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“I Only Have Eyes for You: The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin,” Corky Hale | Review
“Recorded In Hollywood,” Theatre Planners
Choreography
Annie Yee, “The Golden Dragon,” the Theatre @ Boston Court
Janet Roston, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Tasheena Medina, “The Sparrow,” Coeurage Theatre Company
Dana Solimando, “American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
John Farmanesh-Bocca, “Tempest Redux,” Odyssey Theatre Ensemble | Review
Music direction
Bryan Blaskie, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Patrick Sulken, “We Are the Tigers: A New Musical,” Heart and Flame Productions
David O, “American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Todd Schroeder, “Ham: A Musical Memoir,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Gerald Sternbach, “I Only Have Eyes for You: The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin,” Corky Hale | Review
Book for an original musical
Robert Hull and Caroline Sherman, “Empire,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts | Review
Mo Willems, “Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We Are in a Play!’ ” MainStreet Theatre Company
Michael Shaw Fisher, “Shakespeare’s Last Night Out,” Orgasmico Theatre Company
Lyrics/Composition for an original musical
Rebekah Allen, “We Are the Tigers: A New Musical,” Heart and Flame Productions
Deborah Wicks-La Puma and Mo Willems, “Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We Are In A Play!’ ” MainStreet Theatre Company
Michael Shaw Fisher, “Shakespeare’s Last Night Out,” Orgasmico Theatre Company
Playwriting for an original play
Nancy Keystone, “Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
Stefan Marks, “Space,” Crooked Arrow Productions | Review
Julie Marie Myatt, “John Is a Father,” the Road Theatre Company | Review
Jason Odell Williams, “Church & State,” Skylight Theatre Company | Review
Erik Patterson, “One of the Nice Ones,” Echo Theater Company | Review
Luis Alfaro, “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles,” The Getty Villa & The Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Jason Wells, “The Engine of Our Ruin,” Victory Theatre Center | Review
Direction of a musical
Michael A. Shepperd, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Oanh Nguyen, “A Chorus Line,” Chance Theater | Review
Brian Kite, “American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Nick DeGruccio, “First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Billy Porter and Ken Sawyer, “Ham: A Musical Memoir,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Direction of a play
Alan Mandell, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Joseph Calarco, “The Sparrow,” Coeurage Theatre Company
Jerry Kernion, “The Complete History of America (abridged),” Falcon Theatre
Trip Cullman, “Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Giovanna Sardelli, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Ken Sawyer, “Hit the Wall,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Katharine Farmer, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company | Review
Lead actor in a musical
Andrew Bongiorno, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Jon Jon Briones, “La Cage Aux Folles,” East West Players | Review
David LaMarr, “Dreamgirls,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Marc Ginsburg, “First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Sam Harris, “Ham: A Musical Memoir,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Lead actress in a musical
Rachel York, “Grey Gardens,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Moya Angela, “Dreamgirls,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Brittney Johnson, “Dreamgirls,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Erica Lustig, “First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Alison Luff, “Breaking Through,” Pasadena Playhouse | Review
Lead actor in a play
Barry McGovern, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Sterling K. Brown, “Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group | Review
Stefan Marks, “Space,” Crooked Arrow Productions | Review
Ramiz Monsef, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Sam Anderson, “John Is a Father,” The Road Theatre Company | Review
Erik Odom, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company
Rob Nagle, “Church & State,” Skylight Theatre Company | Review
Lead actress in a play
Betty Gilpin, “Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Lily Nicksay, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company
Angelle Brooks, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ruskin Group Theatre Co.
Starletta DuPois, “A Raisin in the Sun,” Ruskin Group Theatre Co
Kate Morgan Chadwick, “Bed,” Echo Theater Company | Review
Connor Kelly-Eiding, “Dry Land,” Echo Theater Company | Review
Danielle Truitt, “The Mountaintop,” Matrix Theatre Company | Review
Featured actor in a musical
Ryan Driscoll, “Children of Eden,” Cabrillo Music Theatre
Leigh Wakeford, “First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Justin Wilcox, “First Date,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Stanton Morales, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Sierra Madre Playhouse
Elijah Rock, “I Only Have Eyes for You: The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin,” Corky Hale | Review
Wilkie Ferguson III, “Recorded In Hollywood,” Theatre Planners
Matt Magnusson, “Recorded In Hollywood,” Theatre Planners
Featured actress in a musical
Natalia Vivino, “Children of Eden,” Cabrillo Music Theatre
Kelly Lester, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Bess Motta, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Jessica Pennington, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Betty Buckley, “Grey Gardens,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Michelle Spears, “Sondheim UnScripted,” Impro Theatre
Cristina Gerla, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Sierra Madre Playhouse
Featured actor in a play
Michael Shepperd, “Bootycandy,” Celebration Theatre | Review
James Greene, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Michael McKean, “Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group | Review
Larry Powell, “Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group | Review
Ray Ford, “Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
Robert Gossett, “Watching O.J.,” Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA
Matthew Hancock, “Hit the Wall,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Featured actress in a play
Paula Christensen, “Colony Collapse,” The Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Charlotte Rae, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris, “Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group| Review
Patrena Murray, “Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3),” Center Theatre Group | Review
Robin Pearson Rose, “Outside Mullingar,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Sharon Sharth, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company
Vivis Colombettik, “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles,” the Getty Villa & the Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Lighting design (intimate theater)
Karyn Lawrence, “Colony Collapse,” the Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Elizabeth Harper, “The Golden Dragon,” the Theatre @ Boston Court
Matthew Denman, “Bootycandy,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Tim Swiss, “Dream Boy,” Celebration Theatre
Elizabeth Harper, “Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
Matt Richter, “Hit the Wall,” Los Angeles LGBT Center | Review
Katelan Braymer, “The Hairy Ape,” Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Lighting design (large theater)
Jared Sayeg, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Japhy Weideman, “Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Lap Chi Chu, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Daniel Ionazzi, “Outside Mullingar,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Steven Young, “American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Mike Billings, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company | Review
KC Wilkerson, “Wicked Lit 2015,” Unbound Productions
Scenic design (intimate theater)
Sara Ryung Clement, “Seven Spots on the Sun,” the Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Stephen Gifford, “Dream Boy,” Celebration Theatre
John Iacovelli, “Kingdom of Earth,” Dance on Productions in association with Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger
John Iacovelli, “The Money Fi$h,” Cox Productions
Pete Hickok, “Rio Hondo,” Theatre of Note | Review
Michael Navarro, “My Mañana Comes,” Fountain Theatre | Review
John Vertrees & Erin Walley, “Deathtrap,” Sierra Madre Playhouse
Scenic design (large theater)
John Iacovelli, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Mark Wendland, “Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Derek McLane, “Big Sky,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Tom Buderwitz, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Tom Buderwitz, “Casa Valentina,” Pasadena Playhouse | Review
Mike Billings, “See Rock City,” Rubicon Theatre Company | Review
Jeff Cowie, “The City of Conversation,” Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts | Review
Sound design (intimate theater)
John Nobori, “Colony Collapse,” the Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
John Nobori, “The Golden Dragon,” the Theatre @ Boston Court
Joseph Calarco, “The Sparrow,” Coeurage Theatre Company
Randy Tico, “Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
Christopher Moscatiello, “The Hairy Ape,” Odyssey Theatre Ensemble | Review
David Marling, “Birder,” The Road Theatre Company | Review
Matt Richter, “A Gulag Mouse,” Sacred Fools Theater Company
Sound design (Large theatre)
Cricket Myers, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Vincent Olivieri, “Barcelona,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Vincent Olivieri, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Philip Allen, “Empire,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts | Review
Cricket Myers, “I Only Have Eyes for You: The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin,” Corky Hale | Review
Bruno Louchouarn, “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles,” The Getty Villa & The Theatre @ Boston Court | Review
Drew Dalzell and Noelle Hoffman, “Wicked Lit 2015,” Unbound Productions
Costume design (intimate theater)
Kerry Hennessy, “Wood Boy Dog Fish,” Bootleg Theater
Allison Dillard, “Bootycandy,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Michael Mullen, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre | Review
Lena Sands, “Ameryka,” Critical Mass Performance Group
Halei Parker, “The Hairy Ape,” Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Candice Cain, “The Glass Menagerie,” Sierra Madre Playhouse
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg, “Cloud 9,” The Antaeus Company
Costume design (large theater)
Maggie Morgan, “Endgame,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Ann Closs-Farley, “Women Laughing Alone With Salad,” Center Theatre Group | Review
Denitsa Bliznakova, “Guards at the Taj,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Jessica Ford, “These Paper Bullets! A Modish Ripoff of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing,” Geffen Playhouse | Review
Kate Bergh, “Casa Valentina,” Pasadena Playhouse | Review
Christine Cover Ferro, “Wicked Lit 2015,” Unbound Productions
Vicki Conrad, “The Imaginary Invalid,” Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum
Video/Projection design
Matthew Hill, “Man Covets Bird,” 24th Street Theatre
Dallas Nicholas, “Wood Boy Dog Fish,” Bootleg Theater
Stephen Epstein and Ron Wood, “Space,” Crooked Arrow Productions | Review
Jonathan Infante, “American Idiot,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
David Gallo and Brad Peterson, “Empire,” La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts | Review
Adam Flemming, “Wicked Lit 2015,” Unbound Productions
Hana Kim, “The City of Conversation,” Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts | Review
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