Colony wins Ovation’s Best Play again
JOYCE RUDOLPH
Burbank’s Colony Theatre Company won the Ovation Award Sunday for
Best Play (Large Theater), garnering the honor for the second year in
a row, and theater officials are flying high with pride.
The honor came for Lillian Hellman’s “Toys in the Attic,” which
received a second award for actress Nancy Linehan Charles in the
Featured Actress in a Play category.
“We are over the moon,” said an elated Barbara Beckley, producing
director.
Last year, the company won the Best Play category for “The Laramie
Project.”
This year, The Colony was up against the Ahmanson Theatre’s
“Morning’s at Seven” and other renowned theaters for Best Play, she
said.
“It’s the big one, the last one of the evening,” Beckley said. “To
be able to bring the award back home to Burbank, since almost all of
us who work at the Colony live here, gave me such a special
pleasure.”
The play had a winning combination, Beckley said.
“It is one of the giant classic plays of 20th century American
theater and had a brilliant director -- Jessica Kubzansky -- stunning
cast and design team,” she said.
Beckley was also impressed with Charles’ performance.
“Nancy was brilliant in the show, and when you consider the
competition, there were over 100 performances that were considered in
that category and she came out on top, that really says something
about the quality of the work that gets put on our stage,” she said.
Another Burbank company receiving an Ovation Award this year was
the Victory Theatre for “Judy’s Scary Little Christmas.” Connie
Champagne won in the Lead Actress in a Musical category.
“We’re very pleased,” said Maria Gobetti, artistic director.
“It’s as if Connie cloned Judy Garland,” she said. “At times, I’d
blink to make sure it wasn’t Garland on stage. It was an
extraordinary performance.”
The Victory Theatre, celebrating 24 years in town, has been
nominated for more than five Ovation Awards over the years, and this
is its third win, Gobetti said.
“Winning an Ovation Award means a lot because it’s voted on by
your peers and it is very respected in the theater community. It is
the West Coast version of the Tony Awards on the East Coast,” she
said.
It is also helpful when a theater company is looking for funding,
she added, which is very important because city funds for the arts
were cut this year.
“It is a mark of respect and to receive more than one means you
are doing quality work,” she said.
The box office has been doing especially well for the Victory’s
present production “Wishing Well,” Gobetti said. So much so that the
play has been extended to Dec. 14.
“At this time of lack of funding, having such a successful show
and strong box-office return has been a godsend,” she said.
“Wishing Well” has received the prestigious Critic’s Choice honor
from the Los Angeles Times and has been recommended by every critic
in town, she said. It is also in consideration for the Los Angeles
Drama Circle Critics Award.
“A big deal for a 99-seat theater,” said Gobetti, who is also
directing the play.
The company’s next show is “An Evening with Egos” by Joe DeRosa
getting its world premiere in the Little Victory Theatre.
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Burbank’s Alliance Theatre Company’s “The Hostage” has been
nominated in three categories for the Valley Theatre League’s 10th
annual Artistic Director Achievement Awards.
Nominations are for Best Production Revival -- Comedy, Best
Ensemble Cast -- Comedy; and Best Director Stephanie Shroyer.
Also nominated for three honors is Theatre Banshee’s “Red Noses.”
Nominations are for Best Ensemble, Best Production -- Comedy and
Best Director Sean Branney. Branney, a Glendale resident, is artistic
director of Theatre Banshee.
The production was produced at Burbank’s Gene Bua Theatre.
Winners will be announced beginning at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the El
Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Fritz Coleman will be master of
ceremonies.
Tickets are $20 before Sunday and $25 at the door. For
information, call 761-0704.
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Lily Gevorkian, 18-year-old coloratura soprano and a recent
graduate of Burbank High School, will replace opera singer Shana
Blake Hill for the Glendale Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas
Celebration Dec. 5 at The Alex Theatre.
Gevorkian, winner of the Women’s Committee of the Glendale
Symphony Assn.’s Chipman Encouragement Award in the spring, was heard
by Glendale Symphony conductor Norman Henry Mamey when she was
featured at the Women’s Committee’s Membership Tea in October. He was
so impressed, that, when Hill had to cancel because a rehearsal of
the opera she is performing in San Francisco was rescheduled, he
immediately thought of Lily.
She will sing the same aria that had been programmed for Hill,
Mozart’s Alleluia.
For tickets, call 243-2539.
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The Los Angeles Cinema Club, now in its 72nd year, will screen a
series of short videos by members at its meeting at 7:30 tonight in
the social hall of the Little White Chapel in Burbank. Refreshments
will be served.
The program will show a number of subjects as well as various
techniques for video making. Also being shown will be all the 2003
entries in the Amateur Movie Makers Assn. “Magic Moments” contest for
one-minute movies.
“Our members produced 10 of the 26 entries in the contest,” said
club member Stan Whitsett of Glendale. “And our members produced
three of the eight videos recognized by the judges including first
and second place and one honorable mention.”
The group meets on the fourth Wednesday every month, except
December.
For more information, call President Walt Gilmore of Burbank at
842-3820.
* JOYCE RUDOLPH’s column appears Wednesdays. For events happening
this weekend, read her 48 Hours column Saturdays. Reach her at
637-3241.