We’re thrilled to announce this year’s LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards nominees.
For the unacquainted, the Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles, created to recognize excellence in theatrical performance, production, and design in the Greater Los Angeles area.
This year, the ceremony will be held at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on Monday, January 29th. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, November 16th, and full information can be found on OvationAwards.com.
Here are some numbers for you. This voting season, there were 263 total productions registered for the Ovation Awards from 106 different producing bodies, resulting in 197 total nominations for 70 productions presented by 43 organizations. These productions were voted on by 245 Ovation Awards voters — vetted individuals from the Greater Los Angeles area who are working theatre professionals.
And with that, scroll down to read the full list, or click on one of the categories below to jump straight to an individual category. And make sure to watch the above video… you might see some familiar faces.
We’ll see you on January 29th.
CATEGORIES [download pdf version]
[one_half] Best Season
Best Production of a Play (Intimate)
Best Production of a Play (Large)
Best Production of a Musical (Intimate)
Best Production of a Musical (Large)
Best Presented Production
Acting Ensemble of a Play
Acting Ensemble of a Musical
Choreography
Music Direction
Book for an Original Musical
Lyrics/Composition for an Original Musical
Playwriting for an Original Play
Direction of a Musical
Direction of a Play
Lead Actor in a Musical
[/one_half]
[one_half_last]
Lead Actress in a Musical
Lead Actor in a Play
Lead Actress in a Play
Featured Actor in a Musical
Featured Actress in a Musical
Featured Actor in a Play
Featured Actress in a Play
Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre)
Lighting Design (Large Theatre)
Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre)
Scenic Design (Large Theatre)
Sound Design (Intimate Theatre)
Sound Design (Large Theatre)
Costume Design (Intimate Theatre)
Costume Design (Large Theatre)
Video/Projection Design
Ovations Honors
[/one_half_last]
Best Season
center theatre group
Amélie, A New Musical
Archduke
Citizen: An American Lyric (co-produced with The Fountain Theatre)
Dry Land (co-produced with The Echo Theater Company)
Failure: A Love Story (co-produced with Coeurage Theatre Company)
Good Grief
King of the Yees
Ma Rainey‘s Black Bottom
Throw Me On the Burnpile and Light Me Up
Vicuña
Zoot Suit
geffen playhouse
Actually
Barbecue
Constellations
Icebergs
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
The Legend of Georgia McBride
The Model Apartment
Rogue Machine
Dutch Masters
Les Blancs
Still Life
The Super Variety Match Bonus Round
The Echo Theater Company
Blueberry Toast
The Cake
The Found Dog Ribbon Dance
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem (co-produced with For the Record)
Merrily We Roll Along
The Pride
Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre)
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
Dutch Masters
Rogue Machine
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
The Cake
The Echo Theater Company
The House in Scarsdale: A Memoir for the Stage
The Theatre @ Boston Court
WET: A DACAmented Journey
Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA
Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre)
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre)
Dogfight
After Hours Theatre Company
Parade, The Musical
Chance Theater
When Jazz Had The Blues
CEK Productions
Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre)
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
For the Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Next To Normal
East West Players
Best Presented Production
Fun Home
Center Theatre Group
Into The Woods
Center Theatre Group
The Encounter
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Acting Ensemble of a Play
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Failure: A Love Sory
Center Theatre Group / Coeurage Theatre Company
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
The Pride
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Acting Ensemble of a Musical
Dogfight
After Hours Theatre Company
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
For the Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Haunted House Party
The Getty Villa / The Troubadour Theater Company
Next To Normal
East West Players
Choreography
Joyce Guy
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Camille Loftin
Martha
Whitefire Theatre
Paul McGill
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Maria Torres
Zoot Suit
Center Theatre Group
Keith Young
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Music Direction
Rahn Coleman
When Jazz Had the Blues
CEK Productions
Abdul Hamid Royal
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Marc Macalintal
Next To Normal
East West Players
Jesse Vargas
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Elmo Zapp
Dogfight
After Hours Theatre Company
Book for an Original Musical
Michael Shaw Fisher
Skullduggery: The Musical Prequel to Hamlet
Sacred Fools Theater Company
David Carey Foster & Larry Poindexter
The Devil You Know, a Rhythm and Blues Story
Devilish Theatrical
Carole Eglash-Kosoff
When Jazz Had the Blues
CEK Productions
Lyrics/Composition for an Original Musical
Michael Shaw Fisher
Skullduggery: The Musical Prequel to Hamlet
Sacred Fools Theater Company
Drew Fornarola & Marshall Pailet
Claudio Quest, a Video Game Musical
Chance Theater
John Papageorge
Siamese Sex Show
Theatre Planners
Playwriting for an Original Play
Giovanni Adams
Love is a Dirty Word
Tilted Field Productions / VS. Theatre Company
Alex Alpharaoh
WET: A DACAmented Journey
Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA
Bekah Brunstetter
The Cake
The Echo Theater Company
Idris Goodwin
Bars and Measures
The Theatre @ Boston Court
Louisa Hill
Lord of the Underworld’s Home for Unwed Mothers
Skylight Theatre Company
Rajiv Joseph
Archduke
Center Theatre Group
Anna Ziegler
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden
Merrily We Roll Along
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Anderson Davis
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Kari Hayter
Parade, The Musical
Chance Theater
Kari Hayter
URINETOWN
Coeurage Theatre Company
Nancy Keystone
Next To Normal
East West Players
Matt Walker
Haunted House Party
The Getty Villa / The Troubadour Theater Company
Keith Young
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Direction of a Play
Gregg T. Daniel
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Alana Dietze
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Mike Donahue
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Katharine Farmer
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Thomas James O’Leary
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Tyne Rafaeli
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Phylicia Rashad
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
Lead Actor in a Musical
Obba Babatunde as Nomax
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Allen Everman as Leo Frank
Parade, the Musical
Chance Theater
Marc Ginsburg as Che
Evita
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Frank LAwson as Billy Strayhorn
When Jazz Had the Blues
CEK Productions
B. Slade as Stacks
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Lead Actress in a Musical
Nicci Claspell as Rose Fenney
Dogfight
After Hours Theatre Company
Carmen Cusack as Ginger
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Deedee Magno Hall as Diana
Next To Normal
East West Players
Bets Malone as Lana Mae
Honky Tonk Laundry
Honky Tonk Productions
Donna Vivino as Mary Flynn
Merrily We Roll Along
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Lead Actor in a Play
Jason Dirden as Levee
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
Harry Groener as Big Daddy
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Antaeus Theatre Company
Jerry MacKinnon as Tom
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Matt McGrath as Miss Tracy Mills
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Mike McShane as Big Daddy
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Antaeus Theatre Company
Erik Odom as Raleigh
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Glynn Turman as Toledo
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
Lead Actress in a Play
K Callan as Mama
Pie in the Sky
The Victory Theatre Center
Connor Kelly-Eiding as Ester
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Lily Nicksay as May
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Samantha Ressler as Amber
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Teagan Rose as Amy
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Debra Jo Rupp as Della
The Cake
The Echo Theater Company
Jacqueline Wright as Barb
Blueberry Toast
The Echo Theater Company
Featured Actor in a Musical
Eric B. Anthony as Eat Moe
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Rogelio Douglas, Jr. as Four Eyed Moe
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Brendan Hunt as Yorick
Skullduggery: The Musical Prequel to Hamlet
Sacred Fools Theater Company
Jason Paige as Frankie
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Jacques C. Smith as No Moe
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Matt Walker as Tranio
Haunted House Party
The Getty Villa / The Troubadour Theater Company
Octavius Womack as Big Moe
Five Guys Named Moe
Ebony Repertory Theatre
Featured Actress in a Musical
Whitney Bashor as Beth Spencer
Merrily We Roll Along
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Isa Briones as Mistress/Ensemble
Evita
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Isa Briones as Natalie
Next to Normal
East West Players
Isa Briones as Natalie
Next to Normal
Triage Productions and Standing Room Only Productions
Yvette Cason as Katie Bell/Mahalia Jackson
Shout Sister Shout!
Pasadena Playhouse
Dionne Gipson as Diane
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Lindsey Gort as Iris
For The Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Featured Actor in a Play
Tony Amendola as Jacques
As You Like It
Antaeus Theatre Company
Larry Cedar as Tom/Phyllis/Leslie
Sylvia
Rubicon Theatre Company
Lucas Near-Verbrugghe as Nicky
Icebergs
Geffen Playhouse
Larry Powell as Miss Rexy/Jason
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Montae Russell as Elmore
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
Adolphus Ward as Stool Pigeon
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
Matthew Wilkas as The Man/Peter/The Doctor
The Pride
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Featured Actress in a Play
Peggy Ann Blow as Antonio/Chauncey
The Gary Plays – Part 2
Open Fist Theatre Company
Ann Gee Byrd as Madame Neilsen
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Toni Christopher as Izzy
Rabbit Hole
JTK Productions
Dale Dickey as Adlean
Barbecue
Geffen Playhouse
Faline England as Treva
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Ella Joyce as Ruby
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
Sharon Sharth as Mrs. Gill
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre)
Martha Carter
Burners
Moving Arts
Elizabeth Harper
The House in Scarsdale: A Memoir for the Stage
The Theatre @ Boston Court
Derrick McDaniel
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Dan Reed
The Gary Plays – Part 2
Open Fist Theatre Company
Matt Richter
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe: Revisited
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Andrew Schmedake
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Jean-Yves Tessier
The Turn of the Screw
Actors Co-op
Lighting Design (Large Theatre)
Michael Berger & Dan Efros
For the Record: Scorsese – American Crime Requiem
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / For the Record
Mike Billings
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Lap Chi Chu
Actually
Geffen Playhouse
Lap Chi Chu
Archduke
Center Theatre Group
Josh Epstein
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Elizabeth Harper
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Geffen Playhouse
Pablo Santiago
Zoot Suit
Center Theatre Group
Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre)
Nicholas Acciani
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Glenn Michael Baker
Burners
Moving Arts
Evan Bartoletti
Pie in the Sky
The Victory Center Theatre
John Iacovelli
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
Stephanie Kerley Schwartz
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Stephanie Kerley Schwartz
The Super Variety Match Bonus Round
Rogue Machine
David Mauer
Dutch Masters
Rogue Machine
Scenic Design (Large Theatre)
JR Bruce
Failure: A Love Story
Center Theatre Group / Coeurage Theatre Company
Tom Buderwitz
Lend Me a Tenor
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Tom Buderwitz
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Geffen Playhouse
Kevin Depinet
Vicuña
Center Theatre Group
John Iacovelli
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
Amanda Knehans
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Tim Mackabee
Archduke
Center Theatre Group
Sound Design (Intimate Theatre)
Cameron Combe
Our Town
Actor Co-op
Jeff Gardner
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Howard Ho
Bloodletting
Playwright’s Arena
David B. Marling
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Ken Rich
Plasticity
SoulArt
Joseph Slawinski
Burners
Moving Arts
John Zalewski
The Gary Plays – Part 3
Open Fist Theatre Company
Sound Design (Large Theatre)
Drew Dalzell & Noelle Hoffman
Wicked Lit 2016
Unbound Productions
Jeff Gardner
Dry Land
Center Theatre Group / The Echo Theater Company
Daniel Kluger
Archduke
Center Theatre Group
Austin Quan
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Joshua Reid
The Pride
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
John Zalewski
A Mexican Trilogy: An American Story
The Latino Theatre Company
John Zalewski
The Conduct of Life
HERO Theatre Inc.
Costume Design (Intimate Theatre)
Wendell Carmichael
Les Blancs
Rogue Machine
Vicki Conrad
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Michael Mullen
Burners
Moving Arts
Michael Mullen
Siamese Sex Show
Theatre Planners
Michael Mullen
When Jazz Had the Blues
CEK Productions
Mylette Nora
August Wilson’s King Hedley II
Sophina Brown
John Sinner
John Sinner’s An Invastion of Decency!
fancyplayground
Costume Design (Large Theatre)
Denitsa Bliznakova
Archduke
Center Theatre Group
E.B. Brooks
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Geffen Playhouse
Ann Closs-Farley
Zoot Suit
Center Theatre Group
Marcy Froehlich
Gulf View Drive
Rubicon Theatre Company
Danae Iris McQueen
The Pride
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
David Kay Mickelsen
Lend Me a Tenor
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Emilio Sosa
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Center Theatre Group
Video/Projection Design
Nicholas Acciani
33 Variations
Actors Co-op
Hillary Bauman, Corwin Evans & Chris Hutchings
Rose and the Rime
Sacred Fools Theater Company
Corwin Evans
Plasticity
SoulArt
Matthew Hill
Hansel & Gretel Bluegrass
Ceneter
Hana Kim
The Gary Plays – Part 2
Open Fist Theatre Company
Peter Nigrini
Amélie, a New Musical
Center Theatre Group
Mike Tutaj
King of the Yees
Center Theatre Group
Ovation Honors Recipients
NOAH AGRUSS
BARS AND MEASURES
The Theatre @ Boston Court
Fight Choreography:
AHMED BEST
BLUEBERRY TOAST
The Echo Theater Company
Puppet Design:
JOE SEELY
WICKED LIT 2016
Unbound Productions
