Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Announces Winners For Achievement In 2017

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the recipients of its 49th annual awards for distinguished achievement in theatre last night, Monday, March 19, 2018, at A Noise Within in Pasadena. Wenzel Jones presided over the festivities, and Christopher Raymond served as music director.

There were two winners of the 2017 Production award: Hamilton (Hollywood Pantages Theatre) and Rotterdam (Skylight Theatre). Awards in 17 other categories went to touring hits as well as productions by local 99-seat companies. In addition, the LADCC presented seven previously announced awards, including the Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theatre, to the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center; and the Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community, to Steven Leigh Morris.

The complete list of award recipients is as follows:

Production:
Hamilton, Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
Rotterdam, Skylight Theatre Company.

McCulloh Award for Revival (plays written between 1920 and 1992):
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Antaeus Theatre Company

Lead Performance:
Tim Cummings in The House in Scarsdale: A Memoir for the Stage, Boston Court.
Carmen Cusack in Bright Star, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.
Joe Morton in Turn Me Loose: A Play about Comic Genius Dick Gregory, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Tonya Pinkins in Time Alone, Belle Rêve Theater Co., Los Angeles Theatre Center
Ashley Romans in Rotterdam, Skylight Theatre Company
Debra Jo Rupp in The Cake, The Echo Theater Company

Featured Performance:
Harry Groener in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Antaeus Theatre Company
Matt McGrath in The Legend of Georgia McBride, Geffen Playhouse

Ensemble Performance:
Into the Woods, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.

Solo Performance:
Alex Alpharaoh, WET: A DACAmented Journey, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Los Angeles

Direction:
Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, Into the Woods, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre
Thomas Kail, Hamilton, Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Jaime Robledo, Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, Sacred Fools Theatre Company at the Broadwater

Writing:
Jon Brittain, Rotterdam, Skylight Theatre Company.

Musical Score:
Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten!, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton, Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, Fun Home, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

Music Direction:
Julian Reeve, Hamilton, Hollywood Pantages Theatre

Choreography:
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton, Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Matthew Bourne, The Red Shoes, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

Set Design:
Joel Daavid, Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, Sacred Fools Theatre Company at the Broadwater

CGI/Video Design:
Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

Lighting Design:
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.

Costume Design:
E.B. Brooks, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Geffen Playhouse
Lez Brotherston, The Red Shoes, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

Sound Design:
Ian Dickinson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre
Christopher Moscatiello, Rhinoceros, Pacific Resident Theatre

Specialty:
Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi for Aerial/Acrobatic Choreography in Moby Dick, South Coast Repertory
Lyndie Wright and Sarah Wright for Puppets in 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

The following special award winners were previously announced:

2017 Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theatre:
The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center

2017 Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theatre:
Boston Court

2017 Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play:
Alessandro Camon for Time Alone, originally produced by Belle Rêve Theater Co., Los Angeles Theatre Center

2017 Kinetic Lighting Award for outstanding achievement in theatrical design:
Stephanie Kerley Schwartz

2017 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre:
The Reiner Staged Reading Series at Musical Theatre West

2017 Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction:
Shirley Jo Finney

2017 Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community:
Steven Leigh Morris

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle was founded in 1969. It is dedicated to excellence in theatrical criticism, and to the encouragement and improvement of theatre in Greater Los Angeles.

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