Musical Theatre West Wins Ovation Award

Musical Theatre West won top musical direction honors for its 2010 production of Sweeney Todd. John Glaudini took the prize for Best Musical Direction on the evening of January 17th at the Annual LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards for the 2009-2010 awards season.      
 
John Glaudini's credits as a musical director include: for Musical Theatre Guild-- Aspects Of Love, Street Scene.  For Musical Theatre West-- I Love A Piano, Altar Boyz (LA Drama Critics Circle nom), The Andrews Brothers (Ovation Award nom); for California Conservatory Of The Arts-- Andrew Lippa's A Little Princess (West Coast Premiere), Defying Gravity, Curtains.  As arranger/orchestrator and/or music director: Heaven Help Us (Florida Stage; Denver Center), The Prince and The  Pauper (Lamb's Theatre), I Love A Piano (Denver Center,  Florida Stage), Pete 'n' Keely (John Houseman). He co-wrote the revues, Are We There Yet?, A Christmas Survival Guide, and I Love New York  (NY Bistro award for best revue) which have been playing many small venues throughout the country. He began his career working for composer Stephen Flaherty on the shows Lucky Stiff, Ragtime, Seussical, and the film Anastasia. His NY credits include working in the music departments such shows as 9 To 5, Legally Blonde, Spamalot, Bounce, and A New Brain--to name a few. He is a member of the Dramatist Guild and an alumni of the BMI Workshop in NYC.  As a composer, his show, How The Nurse Feels was accepted into the Disney/ASCAP workshop (LA) and a reading at New World Stages (NYC) in 2008.  A revue of his music was performed at Birdland in NY.  
Musical Theatre West garnered 10 nominations this year for the 2009/2010 season:
 
Production of a Musical - Large Theatre - The Marvelous Wonderettes
Music Direction -Michael Borth, "The Marvelous Wonderettes"
Music Direction - John Glaudini, "Sweeney Todd"
Choreographer - Janet Miller, "The Marvelous Wonderettes"
Acting Ensemble - The Marvelous Wonderettes
Lead Actor in a Musical - Norman Large, "Sweeney Todd"
Lead Actress in a Musical - Debbie Prutsman, "Sweeney Todd"
Featured Actor in a Musical - Dan Callaway, "Sweeney Todd" Featured Actress in a Musical - Sarah Elizabeth Combs, "Sweeney Todd" Featured Actress in a Musical - Michelle Duffy, "Sweeney Todd"
 
Past MTW Ovation winners have been, for Featured Actor in a Musical: Michael Paternostro for The Producers; Featured Actress in a Musical: Gwen Stewart for All Shook Up, Sarah Cornell for The Producers and Sally Struthers for Mame; Lead Actor in a Musical: David Engel for Crazy for You; Best Ensemble: Swing and The Andrews Brothers and Best Choreography: Lee Martino for Guys and Dolls.

Established in 1989, The Ovation Awards were established to celebrate artistic excellence in theatre production, design and performance and to bring attention to the Greater LA theatre community. The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. Labeled the "...highest-profile contest for local theatre..." by the Los Angeles Times, the Ovation Awards presents an opportunity for the theatre community to join together and focus public attention on the area's rich and lively performing arts scene.

The Ovation Awards season runs from September 1st to August 31st each year, and culminates in a black-tie ceremony. The 2009-2010 season Awards Ceremony was held on January 17, 2011 at the Fred Kavli Theatre at The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza (Bank of America Performing Arts Center).

LA Stage Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to building awareness, appreciation and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles through community building, collaborative marketing, audience development, professional development to strengthen operations for members and advocacy. 
 
 

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