The critics who voted are Paul Birchall, Jeff Favre, Hoyt Hilsman, Travis Holder, Wenzel Jones, Iris Mann, Eric Marchese, Dany Margolies, Dink O’Neal, Brad Schreiber, Madeleine Shaner, Les Spindle, Neal Weaver, and Jennie Webb. Collectively we saw hundreds of shows in 2008, whether we were reviewing or not. This is true devotion to theatre.

Under our voting system, each Garland winner was named on at least three critics' Best of 2008 lists. Each critic listed up to five nominees for each category except performance, up to 10 nominees for performance in musical productions and 10 for straight plays. Lists, minus the winners, are here Critics List.

This year we present two special awards in what we hope will become an annual honor. Our Visionary Award -- to a person who gave work to many actors and brought many first-time audiences into L.A. theatre -- goes to Marc Platt, producer of Wicked. Our Lifetime Achievement Award -- to a person who not only made his mark in the performing arts but also stood up and fought hard for Southland theatre, large and small—goes to Gil Cates, producing director of the Geffen Playhouse. You can read more about them in our April 23 issue.

The Garland tradition might not have continued without the tenacity of our editor-in-chief, Jamie Painter Young; our associate publisher, Charles Weiss; and our publisher, Jeff Black. They pondered and networked and created means to see us through another season. We warmly welcome to the Garlands family the following sponsors: Joel Asher, Stella Adler Los Angeles, Commercial Kids, Studio C, DC Design 8, Women in Theatre, the Geffen Playhouse, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

This year’s winners are herewith invited to a party scheduled for April 27, at which they will be presented with their Garland statuettes. Please email dmargolies@backstage.com to let us know whether or not you can attend.

And, as always, to all other theatremakers in the Southland, we hope to see your names on these lists next year. Now get to work!

Dany Margolies
Executive Editor

PRODUCTION

Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

PLAYWRIGHTING

Jake Broder and Vanessa Claire Smith, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Jonathan Tolins, Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

ADAPTATION

Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, Crime and Punishment, Actors Co-op

Patricia Resnick, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Nick Salamone, Gulls, the Theatre @ Boston Court

Ron West, deLEARious, Open Fist Theatre Company



MUSICAL SCORE

Maury McIntyre (music) and Nick Salamone (lyrics), Gulls, the Theatre @ Boston Court

Dolly Parton, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Duncan Sheik (music) and Steven Sater (lyrics), Spring Awakening, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Phil Swann and Ron West, deLEARious, Open Fist Theatre Company

Charlotte Caffey and Anna Waronker, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

DIRECTION

Jeremy Aldridge, Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Nick DeGruccio, For an Outstanding Season

Matt Shakman, Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY

Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Bill T. Jones, Spring Awakening, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Lee Martino, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at Bootleg Theatre

Sha Newman, West Side Story, FCLO Music Theatre at Plummer Auditorium

MUSIC DIRECTION

Dennis Kaye, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Johanna Kent, Assassins, West Coast Ensemble at the El Centro Theatre

Christian Nesmith, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the MET Theatre

Jared Stein, Spring Awakening, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN

Scott Pask, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN

Christian Epps, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Steven Young, For an Outstanding Season

COSTUME DESIGN

Alex Jaeger, Gulls, the Theatre @ Boston Court

Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater

William Ivey Long, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

SOUND DESIGN

David B. Marling, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

PERFORMANCE IN A STRAIGHT PLAY

Joe Egender, He Asked for It, Theatre of NOTE

John Glover, Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

Mark St. Amant, American Dead, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater

Nilaja Sun, No Child…, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL PRODUCTION

Jake Broder, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Chuck DiMaria, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the MET Theatre

Judy Kaye, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Katrina Lenk, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

Lisa O'Hare, My Fair Lady, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Vanessa Claire Smith, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

Amy Aquino, Bill Brochtrup, John Glover, Mark L. Taylor, and Edward Tournier

Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story, Havok Theatre Company at the Hudson Backstage Theatre

Stewart W. Calhoun and Alex Schemmer