‘Orpheus,’ ‘Shaggs,’ ‘Gem’ in the circle

Good things came in threes at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony.

With the critics spreading the honors fairly evenly this year, three shows each won three awards, announced Sunday at the Coronet Theatre: Pacific Resident Theatre’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ “Orpheus Descending,” the Mark Taper Forum’s production of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” and Powerhouse Theatre Company’s premiere of the musical “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World” at [Inside] the Ford.

Del Shores’ “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife” at the Zephyr Theatre also won three, if Shores’ previously announced special award, the Ted Schmitt Award for outstanding premiere, is included in the totals. A somewhat different trio of shows garnered the top award of outstanding production: “Orpheus Descending” plus International City Theatre’s revival of the musical “Raisin” and Sharyn Lane’s production of Shores’ play.

The highest number of awards won by any single company also was three. But four companies tied for that distinction: International City Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and Powerhouse Theatre. The Matrix Theatre also was the site of three award-winning achievements, but those honors went to two production companies, for “Anyone Can Whistle” and “Sneaux!”

In an unusual display of gender imbalance in favor of women, all six of the leading performance awards went to actresses.

The voting membership was made up of 21 critics for about 20 publications, radio stations and websites. The winners:

Production: “Orpheus Descending,” Pacific Resident Theatre; “Raisin,” International City Theatre; “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife,” produced by Sharyn Lane at Zephyr Theatre

Writing: Geraldine Hughes, “Belfast Blues”; August Wilson, “Gem of the Ocean”

Adaptation/Translation: Bradley Rand Smith, “Johnny Got His Gun”; Tom Szentgyorgyi, “Among the Thugs”

Direction: Rick Sparks, “A Clockwork Orange”; Elina de Santos, “Orpheus Descending”; Jessica Kubzansky, “Toys in the Attic”

Musical score: Gunnar Madsen and Joy Gregory, “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World”

Musical direction: David O, “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World”

Lead performance: Hedy Burress, “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World”; Madison Dunaway, “Agnes of God”; Marilyn Fox, “Orpheus Descending”; Beth Grant, “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife”; Jacqueline Kim, “Passion”; Phylicia Rashad, “Gem of the Ocean”

Featured performance: John Berczeller, “The Big Knife”; Nancy Linehan Charles, “Toys in the Attic”; James Farentino, “Boy Gets Girl”

Ensemble performance: cast of “Among the Thugs”

Set design: Victoria Petrovich, “Passion”; David Gallo, “Gem of the Ocean”

Lighting design: Leigh Allen, “Johnny Got His Gun”

Costume design: Ann Closs-Farley, “Sneaux!”

Sound design: Paul Fabre, “Agnes of God”

Choreography: Larry Sousa, “Anyone Can Whistle”

Hair/wigs/makeup: Sugano, “Anyone Can Whistle”

Digital imagery: Jonathan Christman, “Belfast Blues”

Ted Schmitt Award: Del Shores, “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife”

Margaret Harford Award: Jessica Kubzansky

Natalie Schafer Award: Rebecca O’Brien

Bob Z Award: Desma Murphy

Polly Warfield Award: A Noise Within