2011 LA Ovation Award Nominations Announced; Reprise, Troubadour, CTG & Demand Lead Pack

Nominees for the 2011 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 19 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. The nominations were revealed by 2010 Ovation Award winners Brendan Hunt, Bruce French, Alan Mandell, David St. Louis, Beth Grant, and Anna Khaja, along with LA Stage Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

The Reprise Theatre Company received the most nominations (17), followed by the Troubadour Theater Company (16), Center Theatre Group (12) and Demand Productions (11). The Reprise Theatre Company garnered nominations for Kiss Me, Kate (14), Gigi (1), They're Playing Our Song (1), and Best Season. The Troubies' nominations are for A Withers Tale (10), and The First Jo-el (5), as well as Best Season (which also included Fleetwood Macbeth). The CTG nominations are for Venice at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (11), and Leap of Faith at the Ahmanson (1). Demand Productions' nominations are for Having It All (7) and Girls Talk (4).

The other three Best Season nominations were received by Celebration Theatre (Bash'd! A Gay Rap Opera, The Next Fairy Tale, Take Me Out), the Fountain Theatre (Bakersfield Mist, A House Not Meant to Stand, The Train Driver), and Theatre Banshee (The Crucible, The Field, The Walworth Farce, War).

The complete list of nominees is as follows:

BEST SEASON
Celebration Theatre - BASH'd! A Gay Rap Opera, The Next Fairy Tale, Take Me Out
Fountain Theatre - Bakersfield Mist, A House Not Meant to Stand, The Train Driver
Reprise Theatre Company - Gigi, Kiss Me, Kate, They're Playing Our Song
Theatre Banshee - The Crucible, The Field, The Walworth Farce, War
Troubadour Theater Company - The First Jo-el, Fleetwood Macbeth, A Wither's Tale

BEST PLAY - INTIMATE THEATRE
EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT (The Echo Theater Company)
HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
NAZI HUNTER - SIMON WIESENTHAL (Theatre 40)
NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)

BEST PLAY - LARGE THEATRE
EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)
MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
SUPERIOR DONUTS (Geffen Playhouse) 
WAITING FOR LEFTY (Theatre West)

BEST MUSICAL - INTIMATE THEATRE
BASH'D! A GAY RAP OPERA (Celebration Theatre)
HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD (Reasoner Associates LLC)
Jerry Springer: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)
RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)

BEST MUSICAL - LARGE THEATRE
FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
A WITHER'S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)

ACTING ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY
The Cast of EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT (The Echo Theater Company)
The Cast of GIRLS TALK (DEMAND Productions)
The Cast of NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)
The Cast of A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
The Cast of SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
The Cast of VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
The Cast of THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)

ACTING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL
The Cast of HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
The Cast of Jerry Springer: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)
The Cast of KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
The Cast of VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
The Cast of A WITHER'S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)

CHOREOGRAPHY
Debbie Allen/TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL /Pasadena Playhouse
Molly Alvarez/THE FIRST JO-EL/Troubadour Theater Company
Cate Caplin/FASCINATING RHYTHMS/Rubicon Theatre Company
Jason Chong /KRUNK FU BATTLE BATTLE/East West Players
Ameenah Kaplan /A WITHER'S TALE/Troubadour Theater Company
Lee Martino/KISS ME, KATE/Reprise Theatre Company
Kelly Todd /Jerry Springer: THE OPERA/The Chance Theater

MUSIC DIRECTION
Darryl Archibald/THE SOUND OF MUSIC /Cabrillo Music Theatre
Eric Heinly/A WITHER'S TALE/Troubadour Theater Company
DJ Jedi /BASH'D! A GAY RAP OPERA /Celebration Theatre
Paul Litteral/HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD /Reasoner Associates LLC
Curtis Moore/VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Michael Paternostro/KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Mike Wilkins /Jerry Springer: THE OPERA /The Chance Theater

BOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
David Goldsmith and Wendy Perelman /HAVING IT ALL /DEMAND Productions
William Norris, Stuart Gordon, and Dennis Paoli/RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL /Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC
Brian Pugach /THE NEXT FAIRY TALE/Celebration Theatre

LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Gregory Nabours /THE TROUBLE WITH WORDS/Coeurage Theatre Company
Mark Nutter/RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL/Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC
Eric Rosen and Matt Sax /VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre

PLAYWRIGHTING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Tom Burmester /THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD/Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble
Donald Jolly /BONDED/Playwrights Arena
Marja Lewis-Ryan/DYSNOMIA/The Lounge Theatre
Stefan Marks /HELLO/Crooked Arrow Productions
John Pollono /SMALL ENGINE REPAIR/Rogue Machine
Elliot Shoenman/AFTERMATH /Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger
David Wiener/EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS/Geffen Playhouse

DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Trevor Biship/Jerry Springer: THE OPERA/The Chance Theater
Cate Caplin /FASCINATING RHYTHMS /Rubicon Theatre Company
Ameenah Kaplan /BASH'D! A GAY RAP OPERA/Celebration Theatre
Michael Michetti /KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Eric Rosen /VENICE /Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Matt Walker /THE FIRST JO-EL /Troubadour Theatre Company
Matt Walker/A WITHER'S TALE /Troubadour Theatre Company

DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Andrew Block/SMALL ENGINE REPAIR /Rogue Machine
Stefan Marks/HELLO /Crooked Arrow Productions
Michael Matthews /TAKE ME OUT/Celebration Theatre
Phylicia Rashad/A RAISIN IN THE SUN /Ebony Repertory Theatre
Jaime Robledo /WATSON: THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES/Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Danika Sudik/THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD/Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble
Jenny Sullivan /NAZI HUNTER - SIMON WIESENTHAL/Theatre 40

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Alaman Diadhiou as Twist /TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL/Pasadena Playhouse
Luca Ellis as The Crooner/HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD /Reasoner Associates LLC
Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale/LEAP OF FAITH/Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Tom Hewitt as FrEd Graham, Petruchio/KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
David Laffey as Jonathan Weirus, Satan /Jerry Springer: THE OPERA/The Chance Theatre
Jesse Merlin as Dr. Hill/RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL/Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC
Graham Skipper as HerBert West/RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL/Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lindsey Alley as Sissy /HAVING IT ALL/DEMAND Productions
Stephanie Block as Sonia Walsk/THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG/Reprise Theatre Company
Kim Huber as Lizzie /HAVING IT ALL/DEMAND Productions
Lesli Margherita as Lilli Vanessi, Kate/KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Kelli Provart as Grizabella/CATS /Musical Theatre West
Alet Taylor as Carly/HAVING IT ALL/DEMAND Productions
Shannon Warne as Amy /HAVING IT ALL/DEMAND Productions

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Obba Babatunde as Waters /A SOLDIER'S PLAY /Malibu Stage Company
Jon Bernthal as Terence Swaino/SMALL ENGINE REPAIR/Rogue Machine
Tom Dugan as Simon Wiesenthal/NAZI HUNTER - SIMON WIESENTHAL/Theatre 40
Joe Fria as Sherlock Holmes /WATSON - THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES/Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Tom Haney as Sam/MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS/Rubicon Theatre Company
Stefan Marks as Clark/HELLO /Crooked Arrow Productions
French Stewart as Nate /VOICE LESSONS/Sacred Fools Theatre Company

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Susan Claassen as Edith Head/A CONVERSATION WITH Edith Head/El Portal Theatre
Alana Dietze as Charlotte/EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT /The Echo Theatre Company
Diarra Kilpatrick as Lou/THE INTERLOPERS/Bootleg Theatre
Sandy Martin as Bella McCorkle/A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND/Fountain Theatre
Laurie Metcalf as Virginia/VOICE LESSONS/Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Beth Patrik as Alice /HELLO /Crooked Arrow Productions
Constance Zimmer as Claire /GIRLS TALK /DEMAND Productions

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Willem de Vries/FASCINATING RHYTHMS /Rubicon Theatre Company
Sean Hingston as Bill Calhoun, Petruchio /KISS ME, KATE/Reprise Theatre Company
Morgan Rusler as King Herod, Frankenstein /THE FIRST JO-EL/Troubadour Theater Company
Isaac Wade as Dr. Allen/GROUP: A MUSICAL/Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble
Matt Walker as Leontes, Clown/A WITHER'S TALE /Troubadour Theater Company
Matt Walker as Joseph, Gold /THE FIRST JO-EL /Troubadour Theater Company
Jay Winnick as Man #1 /KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Anya/FASCINATING RHYTHMS/Rubicon Theatre Company
Meg Gillentine as Lois Lane, Bianca/KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Beth Kennedy as Paulina, Shepard/A WITHER'S TALE/Troubadour Theater Company
Beth Kennedy as Hoffy, Virginia, Winter Warlock/THE FIRST JO-EL /Troubadour Theater Company
Katherine Malak as Perdita /A WITHER'S TALE /Troubadour Theater Company
Millicent Martin as Mamita /GIGI /Reprise Theatre Company
Victoria Platt as Emilia Monroe/VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre

FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Francois Chau as Dr. Heng/EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS/Geffen Playhouse
Henry Dittman as James Moriarty/WATSON - THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES /Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Edi Gathegi as Franco Wicks/SUPERIOR DONUTS/Geffen Playhouse
Michael Pappas as PFC Raasch /THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD/Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble
Darryl Stephens as Victoria/THE INTERLOPERS/Bootleg Theatre
French Stewart as Freud, Queen Victoria/WATSON - THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES/Sacred Fools Theatre Company
Greg Watanabe as Sopoan/EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS/Geffen Playhouse

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Andrea Bendewald as Jane /GIRLS TALK/DEMAND Productions
Meredith Bishop as Natalie/AFTERMATH /Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger
Anne Gee Byrd as Mrs. Ellis/THE AUTUMN GARDEN/The Antaeus Company
Deidrie Henry as Ruth Younger /A RAISIN IN THE SUN /Ebony Repertory Theatre
Vivian Kerr as Mary Warren/THE CRUCIBLE /Theatre Banshee
Nicole Paggi as Scarlett /GIRLS TALK/DEMAND Productions
Daniele Watts as Topsy /NEIGHBORS /The Matrix Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN - INTIMATE THEATRE
Ken Booth /A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND/Fountain Theatre
Ken Booth /THE TRAIN DRIVER /Fountain Theatre
Bosco Flanagan /AWAKE /Bootleg Theatre
Christopher Kuhl/HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND /The Theatre @ Boston Court
Matt Richter/SKELETON STORIES/Theatre of NOTE
Matt Richter /SHOE STORY /Theatre of NOTE
Mark Svastics/HELLO /Crooked Arrow Productions

LIGHTING DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE
Howell Binkley/TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL/Pasadena Playhouse
Elizabeth Harper/A RAISIN IN THE SUN /Ebony Repertory Theatre
Paulie Jenkins /MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIAS /The Colony Theatre Company
Jeremy Pivnick /A WITHER'S TALE/Troubadour Theater Company
Jared Sayeg /KISS ME, KATE/Reprise Theatre Company
David Weiner/VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Dan Weingarten/KRUNK FU BATTLE BATTLE/East West Players

SCENIC DESIGN - INTIMATE THEATRE
Kurt Boetcher /HEAVIER THAN... /The Theatre @ Boston Court
Tom Buderwitz /THE AUTUMN GARDEN/The Antaeus Company
Joel Daavid /SKELETON STORIES /Theatre of NOTE
Joel Daavid /THE VIOLET HOUR/Hollywood Food Chain Productions
Jeff McLaughlin/BAKERSFIELD MIST /Fountain Theatre
Jeff McLaughlin/THE TRAIN DRIVER/Fountain Theatre
Jeff McLaughlin/A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND /Fountain Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE
John Arnone /SUPERIOR DONUTS/Geffen Playhouse
Tom Buderwitz/KISS ME, KATE/Reprise Theatre Company
Michael Ganio/A RAISIN IN THE SUN /Ebony Repertory Theatre
Stephen Gifford /THE CLEAN HOUSE /International City Theatre
John Iacovelli /ON GOLDEN POND/The Colony Theatre Company
Meghan Raham/VENICE /Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Todd Rosenthal/TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL/Pasadena Playhouse

SOUND DESIGN - INTIMATE THEATRE
Peter Bayne/A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND/Fountain Theatre
Alyssa Ishii /AWAKE /Bootleg Theater
Bryan Maier/SHOE STORY /Theatre of NOTE
David Marling /THE TRAIN DRIVER /Fountain Theatre
Mark McClain Wilson /SKELETON STORIES /Theatre of NOTE
John Zalewski/HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND /The Theatre @ Boston Court
John Zalewski /MARGO VEIL/Odyssey Theatre Ensemble

SOUND DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE
Philip Allen /KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Bob Blackburn/A RAISIN IN THE SUN/Ebony Repertory Theatre
Jonathan Burke /THE SOUND OF MUSIC C/abrillo Music Theatre
Kenny Hobbs/MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS/Rubicon Theatre Company
Joshua Horvath/VENICE /Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Vincent Olivieri /EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS /Geffen Playhouse
Richard Woodbury /SUPERIOR DONUTS /Geffen Playhouse

COSTUME DESIGN - INTIMATE THEATRE
Naila Alladin-Sanders /NEIGHBORS /The Matrix Theatre Company
Ann Closs-Farley /Ken Roht'S 99 CENT ONLY SAME-O, AN ELECTRIC BALLAD/Bootleg Theater
Ann Closs-Farley/THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO /Deaf West Theatre
Tina Haatainen-Jones/THE AUTUMN GARDEN /The Antaeus Company
Shon LeBlanc/THE VIOLET HOUR/Hollywood Food Chain Productions
Tifanie McQueen /ENDGAME /Sacred Fools Theatre Company
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg/THE MALCONTENT /The Antaeus Company

COSTUME DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE
Christa Armendariz /BEEHIVE - THE1960'S GIRL GROUP MUSICAL /Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities
Angela Calin/GREAT EXPECTATIONS/A Noise Within
Ruth Carter/A RAISIN IN THE SUN/Ebony Repertory Theatre
Garry Lennon/KISS ME, KATE /Reprise Theatre Company
Sharon McGunigle /A WITHER'S TALE /Troubadour Theater Company
Meghan Raham/VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Emilio Sosa/TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL /Pasadena Playhouse

OVATION HONORS CATEGORIES
Composition for a Play:  Brian Joseph, Lyle Lovett, FrEd Sanders, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins/MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING /The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles

Fight Choreography: Brian Danner/THE WALWORTH FARCE /Theatre Banshee

Puppet Design: Kristopher Bicknell, Gwyneth Conaway Bennison, and Miles Taber/D IS FOR DOG/Rogue Artists Ensemble

Video Design: Jason Thompson/VENICE/Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre