Valley Theatre League Honors Achievements

The 45 artistic directors of the Valley Theatre League announced the organization’s fifth annual achievement awards Tuesday night at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood.

The event was emceed by former TV series “Love Boat” bartender Ted Lange, who won an ADA, as the awards are called, for directing the original play “Lemon Meringue Facade,” which he also wrote. Lange explained that he wasn’t really a playwright and director, as his introduction indicated.

“I’m an actor,” he said, “but I really needed a job.”

The event, which included a pre-awards buffet, prompted Lange to quip that his father, also an actor, “used to say if you ever want actors to show up, just serve food.”

Among the winners in 34 categories were:

Author--Original Drama--Lonny Chapman, “Twilight Song,” Group Repertory Theatre.

Costume Design--Don Nelson, “A Tale of Two Cities--Part 1 & 2,” Woodland Hills Theatre.

Stage Management--Nancy Herald-Brown and Joel Mahr, “White People,” the Road Theatre Co.

Set Design--Donald Wayne Jarman, “Girls Night Out,” Two Roads Theatre.

Lead Actor--Musical--Tim DeWitt, “A Tale of Two Cities--Part 1 & 2,” Woodland Hills Theatre.

Book, Music and Lyrics--Original Musical--John Slade, “Shiloh,” Santa Susana Repertory Co.

Lead Actress--Musical--Lynn A. Henderson, “Girls Night Out,” Two Roads Theatre.

Lead Actress--Play/Drama--Bonnie Snyder, “Women of Worth,” Group Repertory Theatre.

Lead Actress--Play/Comedy--Francesca Fanti, “Orgasmo Adulto Escapes From the Zoo,” Fremont Center Theatre.

Director--Original Play--Ted Lange, “Lemon Meringue Facade,” Whitefire Theatre.

Author--Original Comedy--Marvin Chernoff, “Chaim’s Love Story,” American Renegade Theatre Co. and Bitter Truth Theatre.

Director--Musical--Tie: Jon Berry, “The Fantasticks,” Woodland Hills Theatre, and John Slade, “Shiloh,” Santa Susana Repertory Co.

Director--Revival Play--John DiFusco, “White People,” the Road Theatre Co.

Lead Actor--Play/Drama--Bert Kramer, “Twilight Song,” Group Repertory Theatre.

Production--Musical--”The Fantasticks,” Woodland Hills Theatre.

Production--Revival Play--”White People,” the Road Theatre Co.

Production--Original Play--”Chaim’s Love Song,” American Renegade Theatre Co. and Bitter Truth Theatre.