The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the winners and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre for the year 2008. The 40th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony took place Monday, March 16 at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, and was co-hosted by Vicki Lewis and Wenzel Jones.
The Circle also announced a new Special Award, the Milton Katselas Award, sponsored by Camelot Artists, to be awarded beginning next year for career or special achievement in Directing.The award recipients for the 2008 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards are as follows:Direction
Jeremy Aldridge, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre
Ben Bradley, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre
David Fofi, Anything, Elephant Theatre Company at the Lillian Theatre
Writing
Athol Fugard, Victory, the Fountain Theatre
Writing (Adaptation)
Sean T. Cawelti with Miles Taber and the Rogues, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater
Music Direction
Dennis Kaye, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre
Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Lee Martino, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at Bootleg Theatre
Musical Score
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
Dolly Parton, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Featured Performance
JD Cullum, Don Juan, A Noise Within
Beth Kennedy, As U2 Like It, Troubadour Theater Company at the Falcon Theatre
Sharon Lawrence, Orson's Shadow, Pasadena Playhouse
Adolphus Ward, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre
Ensemble Performance
Assassins, West Coast Ensemble at The El Centro Theatre
Set Design
Laura Fine Hawkes, Snake in the Grass, Salem K Theatre Company at The Matrix Theatre
Lighting Design
Steven Young, Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story, Havok Theatre Company at the Hudson Backstage Theatre
Costume Design
Shigeru Yaji, An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, South Coast Repertory
Sound Design
Ken Rich, The Common Air, SoulArt and Elephant C.A.F.E at Theatre Asylum
Solo Performance
Nilaja Sun, No Child..., Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
CGI/Video
BrIan White, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater
Puppet and Mask Design
Joyce Hutter and Patrick Rubio, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater
Fight Choreography
Ned Mochel, On An Average Day, VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Theatre Lab
Special Awards
The Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play was awarded to EM Lewis for Song of Extinction. The award was accompanied by an offer to publish and a $1000 check funded by Samuel French, Inc.
The members of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle include: F. Kathleen Foley (L. A. TIMES),
Shirle Gottlieb (GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS, STAGEHAPPENINGS.COM),
Hoyt Hilsman (BACK Stage West), Wenzel Jones (FRONTIERS, SHOWMAG.COM),
Mayank Keshaviah (LA WEEKLY), Amy Lyons (SANTA MONICA MIRROR,
PARK LA BREA NEWS/BEVERLY PRESS, NOHOARTSDISTRICT.COM),
Dany Margolies (BACK STAGE), Terry Morgan (VARIETY), David C. Nichols (L.A. TIMES),
Amy Nicholson (LA WEEKLY), Sharon Perlmutter (TALKIN BROADWAY.COM),
Melinda Schupmann (BACK STAGE/SHOWMAG.COM), Madeleine Shaner
(PARK LA BREA NEWS/BEVERLY PRESS/BACK STAGE), Les Spindle (BACK STAGE/
THEATERMANIA.COM/FRONTIERS IN LA), Bob Verini (VARIETY), Neal Weaver (LA WEEKLY/
BACK STAGE/THE PINK SHEET).
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
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