27th Annual LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards Celebrated Achievement Throughout Los Angeles

The 27th Annual LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Tuesday, January 17 at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center.

Thirty-five awards were bestowed upon 19 different Southern California theatre companies. The most honored companies of the year were Celebration Theatre (The Boy from Oz, Bootycandy); the Los Angeles LGBT Center (Hit the Wall, HAM: A Musical Memoir); The Theatre @ Boston Court for Colony Collapse, The Golden Dragon, and Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles (co-production with the Getty Villa); Unbound Productions (Wicked Lit 2015); and Sierra Madre Playhouse (Deathtrap, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). The Los Angeles LGBT Center received the Best Season Award (Fool for Love, HAM: A Musical Memoir, Hit the Wall.

Other companies recognized were the Falcon Theatre (The Complete History of America-Abridged), The Broad Stage (1984), The Echo Theater Company (Dry Land), Geffen Playhouse (Guards at the Taj), org*smico Theatre Company (Shakespeare's Night Out), The Road Theatre Company (John is a Father), La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts (Dreamgirls), Heart and Flame Productions (We Are The Tigers: A New Musical), The Pasadena Playhouse (Casa Valentina), Rubicon Theatre Company (See Rock City), and 24th Street Theatre (Man Covets Bird). For a complete list of winners, go to @ This Stage Magazine (ThisStage.LA).

Ovation Honors, which recognize outstanding achievement in areas that are not among the standard list of nomination categories, were awarded to Gregory Nabours (Music Composition for a Play, The Sparrow at Coeurage Theatre Company); Edgar Landa (Fight Choreography, Son of Semele Ensemble's That Pretty Pretty; or, The Rape Play); and Greg Ballora, Sean Cawelti, Christine Papalexis, Jack Pullman, and BrIan White (Puppet Design, Woody Boy Long Fish at Bootleg Theater).

Additionally, Center Theatre Group presented the 2017 Sherwood Award for innovative and adventurous artists to Pablo Santiago. This award is endowed by the Sherwood family and is accompanied by $10,000 to further Santiago's artistic work.

The ceremony was hosted by Alexandra Billings, and this year's presenters included LA theatre luminaries (in alphabetical order) Michael Arden, Randall Arney, Jon Robin Baitz, EB Brooks, Sterling K. Brown, Sara Ryung Clement, Paul Crewes, Dale Dickey, Danny Feldman, Marilyn Fox, Beth Grant, Elizabeth Harper, Rajiv Joseph, Richard Montoya, Oanh Nguyen, Mitch O'Farrell, Bill Pullman, Diane Rodriguez, Ric Salinas, Del Shores, Herbert Siguenza, Ali Stroker, and Kitty Swink. Musical numbers were presented by DOMA Theatre Company.

Founded in 1989, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. Voters are Los Angeles theatre professionals who are chosen each year, through an application process, by the Ovation Rules Committee. This year's Ovation Awards eligibility period ran from August 31, 2015 through August 28, 2016.

Since 1975, LA Stage Alliance has dedicated to building awareness, appreciation, and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles. All of its initiatives aim to serve and strengthen the sector - both at an individual and community level - providing resources that facilitate audience engagement, collaborative marketing, community building, and professional development.

Sponsors for this year's Ovation Awards ceremony were Wells Fargo, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment, F&D Scene Changes Ltd., UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, Goldstar, USC School of Dramatic Arts, Ken Werther Publicity, Bakers Man Productions, Time Out Los Angeles, TheaterMania | OvationTix, Performances Magazine, Variety, and Peter Konerko Photography. The Ovation Awards were presented in partnership with the New York Drama Desk Awards.

For more information visit www.lastagealliance.com.

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