Awards will be given in 20 categories, honoring excellence in theater over the past year. Eight special awards will include a special citation to actor Kirk Douglas for his lifetime contribution to Los Angeles theatre, as well as the new Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction, sponsored by Camelot Artists.
The 2009 Special Awards include:
– The Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play: Julie Marie Myatt for the bittersweet domestic drama "The Happy Ones," which premiered at South Coast Repertory. The award is accompanied by an offer to publish and a $1,000 check funded by Samuel French, Inc.
– The Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theater: Celebration Theatre in Hollywood, accompanied by a $500 check, funded by the Nederlander Organization.
– The Bob Z award for career achievement in set design: Sibyl Wickersheimer.
– The Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design: Luke Moyer, accompanied by a $1,000 check, funded by Angstrom Lighting.
– The Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater: the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, accompanied by a $500 check, funded by Disney Theatricals.
– The Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre: composer-lyricist Jason Robert Brown ("Parade," "The Last Five Years," "13"), accompanied by a $500 check, funded by David Elzer/Demand PR.
– The Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction: Richard Israel, accompanied by a $1,000 check, funded by Katselas Theatre Company.
– Special award for lifetime contribution to Los Angeles theater: Kirk Douglas.
The nominees for the 2009 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards are as follows:
Production
– "Life Could Be a Dream," David Elzer, Peter Schneider & Crooning Crabcakes, LLC, Hudson Mainstage
– "Munched," Buzzworks Theater Company, El Centro Theatre
– "No Man’s Land," Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Odyssey Theatre
– "Parade," Center Theatre Group and the Donmar Warehouse, Mark Taper Forum
– "Stick Fly," The Matrix Theatre Company, Matrix Theatre
– "The Happy Ones," South Coast Repertory, South Coast Repertory
– "The Pain and the Itch", The Theatre @ Boston Court and Furious Theatre Company, Theatre @ Boston Court
McCulloh Award for Revival (shows premiering 1920–1980)
– "Equus," The Production Company, Chandler Studio Theatre
– "Hair," Chance Theater, Chance Theater
– "The Browning Version," Pacific Resident Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre
Direction
– Sean T. Cawelti, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
– Duane Daniels, "Munched," Buzzworks Theater Company at the El Centro Theatre
– Shirley Jo Finney, "Stick Fly,"The Matrix Theatre
– Marilyn Fox, "The Browning Version," Pacific Resident Theatre
– Oanh Nguyen, "Hair," Chance Theater
Writing
– Julie Hébert, "Tree," Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at [Inside] the Ford
– Bruce Norris, "The Pain and the Itch," The Theatre @ Boston Court and Furious Theatre Company at the Theatre @ Boston Court
– Kim Porter, "Munched," Buzzworks Theater Company at the El Centro Theatre
– Brian Christopher Williams, "Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins," West Coast Ensemble at the El Centro Theatre
Writing (Adaptation)
– Kitty Felde, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
– Meryl Friedman, "The Wasps," Stinger Productions at The Lost Studio
Music Direction
– Brent Crayon, "Songs for a New World," International City Theatre
– David O, "The Wasps," The Lost Studio
– Michael Paternostro, "Life Could Be a Dream," Hudson Mainstage
– Phil Reno, "Minsky's," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
– Bill Strongin, "Hair," Chance Theatre
Choreography
– Matthew Bourne, Stephen Mear, and Geoffrey Garratt, "Mary Poppins," Disney and Cameron Mackintosh at the Ahmanson Theatre
– Ameenah Kaplan, "Altar Boyz," Celebration Theatre
– Kelly Todd, "Hair," Chance Theater
Musical Score
– Susan Birkenhead and Charles Strouse, "Minsky’s," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
– Anthony Bollas, "Stranger," Bootleg Theater
– Erin Kamler, "Divorce! The Musical," Hudson Mainstage
Lead Performance
– Sam Anderson, "The Bird and Mr. Banks," The Road Theatre Company at the Lankershim Arts Center
– Johnny Clark, "Blackbird," VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Studio Space
– Jade Dornfeld, "Blackbird," VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Studio Space
– Bruce French, "The Browning Version," Pacific Resident Theatre
– Jim Hanna, "Equus," The Production Company at The Chandler Studio Theatre
– Deidrie Henry, "Coming Home," The Fountain Theatre
– William Dennis Hurley, "Shining City," The Fountain Theatre
– Michael Kostroff, "The Producers," Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center
– Alan Mandell, "No Man’s Land," Odyssey Theatre
– Laurie Metcalf, "Voice Lessons," Zephyr Theater
– Darin Singleton, "The Unseen,"The Road Theatre Company at the Lankershim Arts Center
– Samantha Sloyan, "Munched," Buzzworks Theater Company at the El Centro Theatre
Featured Performance
– Hugo Armstrong, "Land of the Tigers," The Sacred Fools Theater Company & Burglars of Hamm in association with Frantic Redhead Productions at Sacred Fools Theater
– Chuma Gault, "Tree," Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at [Inside] the Ford
– P.J. Griffith, "Setup & Punch," The Blank Theatre Company at the 2nd Stage Theatre
– Andrea Hutchman, "Munched," Buzzworks Theater Company at the El Centro Theatre
– Heather Lee, "No Way to Treat a Lady," Colony Theatre
– Sally Smythe, "The Browning Version," Pacific Resident Theatre
– Greg Watanabe, "The Happy Ones," South Coast Repertory
– Jacqueline Wright, "Tree," Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at [Inside] the Ford]
Ensemble Performance
– "Hair," Chance Theater
– "Hunter Gatherers," Furious Theatre Company at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre
– "Life Could Be a Dream," Hudson Mainstage
– "Our Mother’s Brief Affair," South Coast Repertory
– "Stick Fly," The Matrix Theatre
– "The Pain and the Itch," The Theatre @ Boston Court and Furious Theatre Company at the Theatre @ Boston Court
Set Design
– John Iacovelli, "Stick Fly," The Matrix Theater
– Jeff McLaughlin, "A Skull in Connemara," Theatre Tribe
– Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, "Treefall," Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Lighting Design
– Lap-Chi Chu, "Our Mother’s Brief Affair," South Coast Repertory
– Haylee Freeman, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
– David Lander, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo," Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
– Dan Weingarten, "Stranger," Bootleg Theater
Costume Design
– Gregg Barnes, "Minsky’s," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
– Ann Closs-Farley, "Land of the Tigers," The Sacred Fools Theater Company & Burglars of Hamm in association with Frantic Redhead Productions at Sacred Fools Theater
– Shigeru Yaji, "Peace," The Getty Villa
Sound Design
– Ron Klier, "Blackbird," Elephant Theatre Lab
– John Nobori, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
– Ken Sawyer, "Dracula," Noho Arts Center
CGI/Video
– John MacDonald, "Hair," Chance Theater
– Brian White, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
Fight Choreography
– Brian Danner, "Macbeth," Theater Banshee
– Victor Warren, "Stranger," Bootleg Theater
Awards will also be given in the following categories:
Solo Performance
– Danny Hoch, "Taking Over," Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
Makeup Design
– Ann Closs-Farley, "Land of the Tigers," The Sacred Fools Theater Company & Burglars of Hamm in association with Frantic Redhead Productions at Sacred Fools Theater
Puppet Design
– Wes Crain, Lena Garcia, Lynn Jeffries, Elizabeth Luce, and Brian White, "Gogol Project," Rogue Artists Ensemble in association with Bootleg Theater at Bootleg Theater
The show will be hosted by actor-singer Jason Graae (recipient of the 2007 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre), who will also perform. He will be joined by the perennial LADCC Awards co-host, critic Wenzel Jones. Also performing at the event will be the cast of "Life Could Be a Dream" (three nominations, including production). Additional performers and presenters are to be announced. Tickets can be reserved in advance from the LADCC website, at www.ladramacriticscircle.com.
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle was founded in 1969. Back Stage critics who are members include Executive Editor Dany Margolies, Theater Writer/Critic Les Spindle, and freelance contributors Hoyt Hilsman, Madeleine Shaner, Melinda Schupmann, and Neal Weaver.