'Drowsy,' Johnson, Harris Among L.A. Ovation Award-Winners

The Drowsy Chaperone, which played the Center Theater Group's Ahmanson Theatre before moving to its current hit run on Broadway, was among the big winners of Los Angeles' Ovation Awards, which took place on November 13th at the Orpheum Theatre in a ceremony hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and presented by the L.A. Stage Alliance.

The show was awarded Ovation Awards for Best Musical (Large Theatre), Direction of a Musical (Casey Nicholaw), Lead Actor in a Musical (Bob Martin), Lead Actress in a Musical (Sutton Foster) and Set Design (Large Theatre).

The legendary Jerry Herman (Mame, Hello, Dolly!) was presented with a Career Achivement Award.  Broadway, film and TV actress Laurie Metcalfe received an award as Lead Actress in a Play for All My Sons at the Geffen Playhouse, while Harriet Harris won for Featured Actress in a Musical for the Reprise! production of On the Town.  Jay Johnson, now starring in The Two and Only on Broadway, was honored for Solo Performance.

A list of Ovation Award-winners follows:

World Premiere Play
Zero Hour by Jim Brochu-West Coast Jewish Theater

World Premiere Musical
The Break Up Notebook: The Lesbian Musical, Book by Patricia Cotter, music & lyrics by Lori Scarlett, produced by Rose Marcario & L.A. Gay & Lesbian Centers Village-Ed Gould Plaza

Ray Stricklyn Memorial Award for Solo Performance
Jay Johnson, Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!-Colony Theater Company

Ensemble Performance
The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife, Del Shores & Jason Dottley-Zephyr Theater

Direction of a Play
Ben Bradley, Joe Turner's Come and Gone-Fountain Theater

Direction of a Musical
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater

Choreography
Dana Solimando , Swing!-La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment

Musical Direction
Gerald Sternbach, Zorba-Reprise! Broadway's Best

Play, Intimate Theater
Joe Turner's Come and Gone-Fountain Theater

Play, Large Theater
All My Sons-Geffen Playhouse

Franklin R. Levy Memorial Award for Musical, Intimate Theater
Gorey Stories-Sacred Fools Theater Company

Musical, Large Theater
The Drowsy Chaperone-Center Theater Group/ Ahmanson Theater

Set Design, Intimate Theater
Dana Moran Williams, Elizabeth Rex-Open at the Top Productions

Set Design, Large Theater (tie)
James Noone, Dead End-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater
David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater

Lighting Design, Intimate Theater
Luke Moyer, Elizabeth Rex-Open at the Top Prods.

Lighting Design, Large Theater
Robert Wilson, The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater

Sound Design, Intimate Theater
Christopher Burns, The Lion in Winter-Theater West

Sound Design, Large Theater
David O, Ubu Roi-A Noise Within

Costume Design, Intimate Theater
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg, Elizabeth Rex-Open at the Top Prods.

Costume Design, Large Theater
Leon Wiebers, Ubu Roi-A Noise Within

Lead Actor in a Play
Charlie Robinson, Fences-Jeffrey Hayden, Eva Marie Saint, Ron Sossi and the Odyssey Theater

Lead Actress in a Play
Laurie Metcalf, All My Sons-Geffen Playhouse

Lead Actor in a Musical
Bob Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater

Lead Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone-Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater

Featured Actor in a Play
Dakin Matthews, Water & Power-Center Theater Group/ Mark Taper Forum

Featured Actress in a Play
Dale Dickey, Southern Baptist Sissies-Del Shores & Jason Dottley & Zephyr Theater

Featured Actor in a Musical
Stephen Breithaupt, It Came From Beyond-Cornell Christianson

Featured Actress in a Musical
Harriet Harris, On the Town-Reprise! Broadway's Best

Career Achievement
Jerry Herman

Community Outreach Award
California Institute of the Arts Community Arts Partnership (CAP)