Some of the couples are famous outside of L.A., some are not, but 10 of the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards' presenters handing out prizes April 2 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel represent Los Angeles theatre companies. Among them are Broadway's John Rubinstein (Ragtime, Pippin) and Jane Lanier (Fosse) of the Interact Theatre Co., Orson Bean ("Dr. Quinn," "Normal, Ohio") and Alley Mills ("Popular") of Pacific Resident Theatre, Alice Dodd and nominee Jillian Armenante of Circle X, Jim Brochu and The Last Session's Steve Schalchin of El Portal Center for the Arts and Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott of A Noise Within. Entertainment during the presentation will be provided by Keili Lefkovitz of bare and Audrey Rapoport, last year's Natalie Schafer Award.
In Flagrante Gothicto, a satiric mating of "Wuthering Heights," "Jane Eyre" and "Rebecca," is the big nominee for the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards. Not only is the Circle X Theatre staging up for Best Production, but it's also been nominated for six other awards, including best writing, direction (from co-writer Jillian Armenante), leading performance (from the other co writer Alice Dodd) and featured performance. Disney's The Lion King, a big Tony winner in New York, is up for most of the technical awards, competing against itself in costume design, where Julie Taymor's work on the physical costumes runs against her and Michael Curry's mask and puppets designs and against the hair and makeup work of Michael Ward.
The complete L.A. Critic's Circle nominations list follows:
Production
In Flagrante Gothicto, McCadden Place Theater (Circle X Theatre Company)
Lady Chatterley's Lover, Pacific Resident Theatre
The Master and Margarita, ArtShare and Hudson Theatre (Zoo District)
Metamorphoses, Mark Taper Forum
Tonight at 8:30, Pacific Resident Theatre
Direction
Jillian Armenante, In Flagrante Gothicto
Michael Lilly, Additional Particulars, Third Stage Theatre
Daniel O'Connor, Tonight at 8:30
John Vreeke, Lady Chatterley's Lover
Mary Zimmerman, Metamorphoses Musical Direction
Deborah Lurie, bare, Hudson Theatre
Charles Prince, James Joyce's The Dead, Ahmanson Theatre
Boko Suzuki, Swing!, Ahmanson Theatre
Mary Van Arsdel, Tonight at 8:30
Writing
Jillian Armenante & Alice Dodd, In Flagrante Gothicto
Phyllis Frelich, Linda Bove & Bob Daniels, A Streetcar Named Desire, Deaf West Theatre (Adaptation)
Ronald Harwood, Taking Sides, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Ed Simpson, Additional Particulars
Musical Score
Shaun Davey (m), Richard Nelson & Davey (l), James Joyce's The Dead
Amanda Green (l) & Curtis Moore (m), up the week without a paddle, Celebration Theatre and The Space
Jon Hartmere Jr. (l) & Damon Intrabartolo (m), bare
Lead Performance
Kirk Baily, Additional Particulars
Kathleen Chalfant, Wit, Geffen Playhouse
Leland Crooke, Taking Sides
Alice Dodd, In Flagrante Gothicto
David Dukes, Waiting for Godot, Matrix Theatre
Leslie Fera, Lady Chatterley's Lover
Travis Michael Holder, Nasty Little Secrets, Theatre/Theater
Gregory Itzin, Waiting for Godot
Troy M. Kotsur, A Streetcar Named Desire
Suanne Spoke, A Streetcar Named Desire
Deborah Strang, The Skin of Our Teeth, A Noise Within
Featured Performance
Eydie Alyson, Once in a Lifetime, West Coast Ensemble
Anastasia Basil, In Flagrante Gothicto
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jitney, Mark Taper Forum
Jill Hill, The Skin of Our Teeth
Leslie Jordan, Southern Baptist Sissies, Zephyr Theatre
Keili Lefkovitz, bare
Molly Schaffer, Tonight at 8:30
Ann Walker, Southern Baptist Sissies
Amy Warner, Lady Chatterley's Lover
Scenic Design
David Gallo, Jitney
Daniel Ostling, Metamorphoses
Neil Patel, Dinner with Friends, Geffen Playhouse
Gary Smoot, In Flagrante Gothicto
Robert Steinberg, A Streetcar Named Desire
Lighting Design
T.J. Gerckens, Metamorphoses
Donald Holder, The Lion King, at Pantages Theatre
Jennifer Tipton, James Joyce's The Dead
Dan Weingarten, In Flagrante Gothicto
Costume Design
Maro Parian & Sofi Khachmanyan, The Master and Margarita
Julie Taymor, The Lion King (Costume Design)
Julie Taymor & Michael Curry, The Lion King (Mask & Puppet Design)
Michael Ward, The Lion King (Hair & Makeup Design)
Sound Design
Bruce Ellman, Fully Committed, at Coronet Theatre
Andre Pluess & Ben Sussman, Metamorphoses
Casey Stone, bare
Choreography
Cate Caplin, Godspell, Actors Co-op
Garth Fagan, The Lion King
Onalee Hunter, bare
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle was founded in 1969. Members of the L.A.D.C.C. include: Dave DePino (Nitelife/After Dark); F. Kathleen Foley (Los Angeles Times); Shirle Gottlieb (Press Telegram); Steve Hendrickson (Antelope Valley Press); Martín Hernández (LA Weekly); Hoyt Hilsman (Back Stage West, Los Angeles Magazine); Wenzel Jones (Back Stage West, KPCC Theater Talk); T.S. Kerrigan (Nitelife/After Dark, The American Reporter); Dany Margolies (Back Stage West, Nitelife/After Dark); Julio Martinez (Daily Variety, Daily News); T.H. McCulloh (Los Angeles Times, Showmag.com); Jana J. Monji (Los Angeles Times); Terry Morgan (LA Weekly); Tom Provenzano (LA Weekly); Terri Roberts (Back Stage West, Daily Variety); Richard Scaffidi (Back Stage West); Melinda Schupmann (Showmag.com); Les Spindle (Back Stage West, Frontiers); Rob Stevens (Showmag.com); Debbi Swanson (Showmag.com, Theatermania.com); Gene Warech (Random Lengths, Laguna Coastline News); Polly Warfield (Back Stage West); and Neal Weaver (LA Weekly).
Tickets to the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard. For reservations, call (323) 656-9407.
— By Christine Ehren
