The awards were hosted by three-time Tony nominee Kate Burton (The Elephant Man, Hedda Gabler) and Katie Lowes ("Scandal," Wake Me Up Before You Go Go).
Presenters included Max Adler, Hugo Armstrong, Alexandra Billings, Debby Boone, Danielle Brazell, Anne Gee Byrd, Deborah Craig, Dana Delany, Drew Droege, Lorna Duyn, Todrick Hall, Daniel Dae Kim, DJ Kurs, Matthew Lillard, Josefina Lopez, Justina Machado, Jenny O’Hara, Peter Paige, Nicole Parker, Freddy Rodriguez, Leon Rossum, Tessa Thompson and Greg Watanabe.
Thirty-five awards were bestowed upon 18 different Southern California theatre companies.
The Geffen Playhouse, Skylight Theatre Company and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts tied with four statues each; La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, The Echo Theater Company and The Theatre @ Boston Court tied with three awards each.
Best Season went to Fountain Theatre, and Outstanding Play (Large Theatre) went to The Country House at the Geffen Playhouse. The production also won Ensemble of a Play. The Recommendation, at IAMA Theatre Company, won Outstanding Play (Intimate Theatre). La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts' production of Floyd Collins won Outstanding Musical (Large Theatre), and the Actors Co-op's production of 110 In the Shade won Outstanding Musical (Intimate Theatre). Ensemble of a Musical went to Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. James Barbour won Lead Actor in a Musical for his performance in Les Misérables at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, and Nicole Parker won Lead Actress in a Musical for Funny Girl at 3-D Theatricals. Lead Actor in a Play went to Malcolm Barrett for The Recommendation at IAMA Theatre Company, and Lead Actress in a Play went to Deborah Strang for Come Back, Little Sheba at A Noise Within.
Leigh Wakeford won Featured Actor in a Musical for The Producers at 3-D Theatricals, and Tracy Lore won Featured Actress in a Musical for Young Frankenstein at Musical Theatre West. Featured Actor in a Play went to Hugo Armstrong for Backyard at the Echo Theater Company, and Featured Actress in a Play went to Rebecca Gray for Fireman at The Echo Theater Company.
Richard Israel won Director of a Musical for La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts' production of Floyd Collins, while Director of a Play went to Guillermo Cienfuegos for Henry V at Pacific Resident Theatre and Amanda McRaven for The Pliant Girls at Fugitive Kind Theater.
"This year marks 25 years of celebrating excellence in Los Angeles theatre," LA Stage Alliance CEO Terence McFarland said in a statement. "At the ceremony we acknowledged not only those in competitive categories, but all of the artists, craftspeople, technicians, volunteers, ushers, stage managers — all those who ensure that the magic happens on stages throughout the region. We welcomed the 2014 recipients into the Ovation family and look forward to celebrating at least 25 more years of achievement in performance, design, and production."
Voters for the Ovation Awards are Los Angeles theatre professionals who are chosen each year, through an application process, by the Ovation Rules Committee.
The San Gabriel Mission Playhouse is located at 320 S. Mission Drive in San Gabriel. A complete list of winners and more information can be found by visiting LAStageAlliance.com.
