Ovations laud Porter, Gershwin
A revival of a 1953 musical and a one-man tribute to George Gershwin tied for most honors for a single show in the 2007 Ovation Awards, LA Stage Alliance’s peer-judged awards recognizing excellence in Southern California theater. The awards were scheduled to be announced Monday night at a ceremony at downtown L.A.’s Orpheum Theatre, hosted by actor Neil Patrick Harris.
Netting four awards each were the Pasadena Playhouse’s production of the Cole Porter-Abe Burrows classic “Can-Can,” which had received 12 nominations, and Hershey Felder’s solo musical “George Gershwin Alone” at the Geffen Playhouse. Felder -- whose second Geffen show, “Monsieur Chopin,” was nominated in many of the same categories but was shut out -- received awards for best musical in a large theater, lead actor, lighting design (Michael Gilliam) and sound design (Jon Gottlieb).
“Can-Can” won for best direction of a musical (David Lee), lead actress (Michelle Duffy), featured actor (David Engel) and set design (Roy Christopher).
Center Theatre Group, which encompasses the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas Theatre, wound up with three awards out of 18 nominations: best touring production for “Jersey Boys” at the Ahmanson and best world premiere musical for Deaf West Theatre’s fairy tale-inspired “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” at the Kirk Douglas, as well as musical direction honors for “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” co-creator Brendan Milburn. A second award in that category went to musical director Dan Wheetman for “Back Home Again: A John Denver Holiday Concert” at the Rubicon Theatre.
Lee Martino received the award for choreography for the Reprise! Broadway’s Best production of “On Your Toes.”
The Franklin R. Levy Memorial Award for best musical in an intimate theater went to Roger Bean’s jukebox tribute to girl groups of yesteryear, “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” still running at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.
Honors for world premiere play went to the first U.S. production of Singaporean playwright Damon Chua’s drama, “Film Chinois,” presented by the Grove Theater Center.
The Richmark production of Stephen Temperley’s “Souvenir,” at the Brentwood Theatre, with Judy Kaye reprising her Tony-nominated role as a would-be opera diva, won best play in a large theater, while August Wilson’s “Jitney,” presented by Stagewalker Productions at the Lillian Theatre, was named best play in an intimate theater and took best ensemble honors.
Veteran actor Alan Mandell was named best lead actor for his critically acclaimed turn as an irascible former U.S. attorney general in Joanna McClelland Glass’ drama, “Trying,” at the Colony Theatre.
Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith won the Ray Stricklyn Memorial Award for solo performance for her play “The Gimmick” at the Fountain Theatre.
Best direction of a play went to Stuart Rogers for the Theatre Tribe production of Paula Vogel’s “The Long Christmas Ride Home.”
Among other winners, Boston Court, which had fielded 10 nominations for Eric Whitacre and co-lyricist David Norona’s rock opera “Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings,” received awards for set design (Tom Buderwitz), lighting (Steven Young) and sound (Martin Carrillo) in an intimate theater.
As previously announced, Annette Bening received the Alliance’s Board of Governors Award for career achievement.
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