What’s in a Name?: Readers Have an Idea; Long Beach Repertory Reveals Schedule

The Thing? The Cindee? The Langy? The Angel?

These are a few of the suggestions that have been deposited in the Stage Watch mail box after our request for ideas for a Tony-like name for Theatre LA’s new Governors Awards, to be presented Nov. 20.

Two names drew three votes each. One was the Guvy (alternate spellings: Govy or Guvvy), for Governors. Along the same lines were the Grover (a “re-spelling of Governor ,” according to the person who suggested it), the GALA (for Governors Award, Los Angeles) and the Guber (as in gubernatorial). At least no one suggested Goober; apparently this award is worth more than peanuts.

The other name that three people suggested was the Angel, in honor of Los Angeles itself as well as the people who support theater. The same thinking brought forth a suggestion of the Halo.

Several letter writers took their inspiration from the award statuette that Robert Graham designed. One even suggested the Robby, in honor of Graham.

But Dean Norton wrote of the sculpture: “Surely it’s a joke . . . ? When we were kids we found scraps of metal in the street or the dump and made a ‘something’ out of it! So my title for your Governors Award is . . . THE THING.” Other critiques of the sculpture (at least as it appeared in its photo) resulted in suggestions of the Yukky and the Tilted Lampshade.

Some were more respectful of Graham’s design. The masks of comedy and tragedy on the statuette elicited these names: the Masque, the Janus (“He was the god of beginnings and ends, was shown with two faces looking right and left--as do the masks of comedy and tragedy.”) and the Lux (“The statue has the Greek symbols of tragedy and comedy, and Greek theater is the basis for the modern theater. Lux is Greek for light. Without light, the theater would not be possible. But more importantly, the purpose of theater is to illuminate people’s lives . . . ,” wrote Claudia Wellington.).

Among the other contributions: the La La (two votes), the Andreas (for the fault line, not the old Pan-Andreas Theatre), the Jewel, the Juilette, the Norry (“easy to say and sounds sort of musical”--unfortunately, it also sounds like a tribute to Manuel Noriega).

And let’s not neglect the Vitality, the LATY (no explanation of the acronym), the Ovation or its nickname the Ovi, the Vista, the Theatty or the Teatro.

The stipulation that the name shouldn’t honor individuals or particular theaters was ignored by a man who wanted to salute the Barrymore clan with the Barry.

Finally, one wag offered the WOB--for Watch Out, Broadway.

By the way, this is not a contest (some letter writers apparently believed otherwise). Theatre LA has made no commitment to choose any of these suggestions.

LONG BEACH REP: The Long Beach Repertory Theatre, operating out of the 862-seat Center Theatre in Long Beach, has announced details of its first season. As previously reported, Mayo Simon’s “Elaine’s Daughter” comes first (Feb. 20-March 11). Next are revivals of Paul Osborn’s “Morning’s at Seven” (May 22-June 10) and Kevin Heelan’s “Distant Fires” (Sept. 11-30). Steven J. McCarthy will be general manager of the new company. He has worked at St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble and the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in New York and the New Performance Gallery in San Francisco.

WILSON-BERNSTEIN BILL: Brian Kerwin will perform a new one-man one-act by Lanford Wilson, and cast members from the Ahmanson Theatre’s “The Phantom of the Opera” will sing selections from Leonard Bernstein’s oeuvre at “Because We Care,” an AIDS benefit at the Mark Taper Forum on Dec. 11.

The Wilson play, “A Poster From the Cosmos,” is about a man’s response to the death of his lover from AIDS.

The “Phantom” cast members will not include the Phantom himself, Michael Crawford, said a spokeswoman for the show: “He feels a commitment to being in top shape for eight performances a week, and Monday is the night he needs to take off.” But “Phantom” musical director Roger Cantrell will do the same job at the benefit.

Proceeds will go to the “Hollywood Helps” program of the Actors Fund. Audience members may also bring non-perishable food items for distribution by AIDS Project Los Angeles. Tickets are $25 or $50, with the higher tab including a reception hosted and donated by Stepps restaurant. Information: (213) 972-7392.

“A” IS FOR ALEXANDER: The Mark Taper Forum ads for “Mystery of the Rose Bouquet” specify that the actors, Jane Alexander and Anne Bancroft, are listed “in alphabetical order.” No, they’re not giving us remedial lessons in the alphabet. The Taper always bills actors alphabetically, said managing director Stephen J. Albert, but “usually we have so many actors it’s apparent.” In this case, with only two actors and with Alexander’s name listed over Bancroft’s, he thought the policy was worth “clarifying.” Asked whether anyone’s agent had anything to do with this decision, Albert said that “they both have the same agent (William Morris), so no.”

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: You probably wouldn’t think of dressing up as a witch or a clown to see “Death of a Salesman” or “Daytrips,” a play about a woman who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Think again.

If you wear a Halloween costume Tuesday, you can see any of the three Los Angeles Theatre Center productions for $10--compared with the usual $22 for “Salesman” or “Daytrips” and $17 for the preview of “Once in Doubt.”

Don’t worry--LATC marketing director Cynthia Anderson said that “if someone wears an obstructive headdress, we’ll make them take it off.” The idea is “to encourage people who are going to late-night parties to go to the theater first.”

Watch Willy Loman commit suicide--then party all night.