Winners for the 2023 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards were revealed April 6, with the group continuing to forgo an in-person ceremony. The honors recognize the best in Los Angeles-area theatre.
Among this year's winners were Bryan Cranston, who took Lead Performance for his work in Power of Sail at Geffen Playhouse, along with Nija Okoro for her work in Blues for an Alabama Sky at Center Theater Group/Mark Taper Forum; Matthew López in the Writing category for The Inheritance at Geffen Playhouse, sharing the category win with Jessica Goldberg for her Babe at Echo Theater Company; Anaïs Mitchell, winning Musical Score for Hadestown at Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theatre; and Sonya Tayeh and David Neumann for their choreography for Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Hadestown, respectively.
As previously announced, the group also named special award honorees. Dave Harris' Tambo & Bones and Christine Quintana's Clean/Espejos won The Ted Schmitt Award for the World Premiere of an Outstanding New Play, which includes a cash prize. The Margaret Harford Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatre goes to Center Theatre Group, and the Milton Katselas Award for Career or Special Achievement in Direction, which also includes a cash prize, is being given to Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. The Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community is going to SB1116 California Coalition, led by Martha Demson (Open Fist Theatre Company), Beatrice Casagran (Ophelia’s Jump Productions), Vanessa Stewart (writer, producer, actor), Emmanuel Deleage (Casa 0101), Teri Ball (Center Stage Theater), and Leo Marks (actor, activist) for their work on the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, which passed last year.
See below for the complete list of winners.
Production
On the Other Hand, We’re Happy, Rogue Machine
The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse
The Lehman Trilogy, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Uncle Vanya, Pasadena Playhouse
McCulloh Award for Revival
Animal Farm, A Noise Within
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Geffen Playhouse
Lead Performance
Bryan Cranston, Power of Sail, Geffen Playhouse
Nija Okoro, Blues for an Alabama Sky, CTG/Mark Taper Forum
Featured Performance
Bill Brochtrup, The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse
Samantha Klein, If I Forget, The Fountain Theatre
Ensemble Performance
Animal Farm, A Noise Within
Solo Performance
Ben Moroski, Dog, Hollywood Fringe Festival
Writing
Jessica Goldberg, Babe, Echo Theater Company
Matthew López, The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse
Writing Adaptation
Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad, City Garage
Ben Power, The Lehman Trilogy, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Musical Score
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Music Direction
Rod Bagheri, Animal Farm, A Noise Within
Nathan Koci, Hadestown, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Marc Macalintal, Assassins, East West Players
Choreography
David Neumann, Hadestown, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre
Direction
Mike Donahue, The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse
Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Set Design
Ann Beyersdorfer, Afterglow, Midnight Theatricals/Hudson Theatre
Es Devlin, The Lehman Trilogy, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Rachel Myers, Power of Sail, Geffen Playhouse
Lighting Design
Ken Booth, Animal Farm, A Noise Within
Ken Booth, Metamorphoses, A Noise Within
Bradley King, Hadestown, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Costume Design
Angela Balogh Calin, Animal Farm, A Noise Within
Sound Design
John Nobori, Sanctuary City, Pasadena Playhouse
Robert Oriol, Metamorphoses, A Noise Within
Kate Wecker, Animal Farm, A Noise Within
CGI/Video
Luke Halls, The Lehman Trilogy, CTG/Ahmanson Theatre
Specialty
Wig & Make-up, Tony Valdés, Animal Farm, A Noise Within