Ovation Awards nominations announced for 2010-11 season

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The nominations for the 2011 Ovation Awards were announced Monday night, with the Reprise Theatre Company receiving 17 nods, the most of any theater company. The Ovations are L.A.’s biggest theater award, recognizing excellence in stage productions around Southern California.

The most recent season featured 388 productions from 173 companies, according to the L.A. Stage Alliance, which organizes the Ovations. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 14 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A.

Reprise’s production of ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ received 14 nominations, the most of any show. The new musical ‘Venice’ at the Kirk Douglas Theatre has 11 nominations, while ‘A Wither’s Tale’ by the Troubador Theater Company, has 10 nods.

Among the notable acting and directing nominations are Raul Esparza in ‘Leap of Faith’ at the Ahmanson Theatre, Phylicia Rashad for directing ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ at the Ebony Repertory Theatre, Laurie Metcalf for ‘Voice Lessons’ at the Sacred Fools Theatre, and French Stewart, who received two nods for ‘Voice Lessons’ and ‘Watson’ at Sacred Fools.

Here is the full list of the 2011 Ovation nominations:

BEST SEASON
Celebration Theatre — Bash’d! A Gay Rap Opera; The Next Fairy Tale; Take Me Out
Fountain Theatre — Bakersfield Mist; A House Not Meant to Stand; The Train Driver
Reprise Theatre Company — Gigi; Kiss Me, Kate; They’re Playing Our Song
Theatre Banshee — The Crucible; The Field; The Walworth Farce; War
Troubadour Theater Company — The First Jo-el; Fleetwood Macbeth; A Wither’s Tale

BEST PLAY — INTIMATE THEATRE
EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT (The Echo Theater Company)
HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
NAZI HUNTER – SIMON WIESENTHAL (Theatre 40)
NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)

BEST PLAY — LARGE THEATRE
EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)
MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
SUPERIOR DONUTS (Geffen Playhouse)
WAITING FOR LEFTY (Theatre West)

BEST MUSICAL — INTIMATE THEATRE
BASH’D! A GAY RAP OPERA (Celebration Theatre)
HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD (Reasoner Associates LLC)
JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)
RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)

BEST MUSICAL — LARGE THEATRE
FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)

ACTING ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY
EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT (The Echo Theater Company)
GIRLS TALK (DEMAND Productions)
NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)
A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)

ACTING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL
HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)
KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)

CHOREOGRAPHY
Debbie Allen, TWIST — AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (Pasadena Playhouse)
Molly Alvarez, THE FIRST JO-EL (Troubadour Theater Company)
Cate Caplin, FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Jason Chong, KRUNK FU BATTLE BATTLE (East West Players)
Ameenah Kaplan, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Lee Martino, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Kelly Todd, JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)

MUSIC DIRECTION
Darryl Archibald, THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Eric Heinly, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
DJ Jedi, BASH’D! A GAY RAP OPERA (Celebration Theatre)
Paul Litteral, HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD (Reasoner Associates LLC)
Curtis Moore, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Michael Paternostro, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Mike Wilkins, JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)

BOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
David Goldsmith and Wendy Perelman, HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
William Norris, Stuart Gordon, and Dennis Paoli, RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)
Brian Pugach, THE NEXT FAIRY TALE (Celebration Theatre)

LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Gregory Nabours, THE TROUBLE WITH WORDS (Coeurage Theatre Company)
Mark Nutter, RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)
Eric Rosen and Matt Sax, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)

PLAYWRIGHTING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Tom Burmester, THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)
Donald Jolly, BONDED (Playwrights Arena)
Marja Lewis-Ryan, DYSNOMIA (The Lounge Theatre)
Stefan Marks, HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
John Pollono, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
Elliot Shoenman, AFTERMATH (Linda Toliver/Gary Guidinger)
David Wiener, EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)

DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Trevor Biship, JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theater)
Cate Caplin, FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Ameenah Kaplan, BASH’D! A GAY RAP OPERA (Celebration Theatre)
Michael Michetti, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Eric Rosen, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Matt Walker, THE FIRST JO-EL (Troubadour Theatre Company)
Matt Walker, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theatre Company)

DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Andrew Block, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
Stefan Marks, HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
Michael Matthews, TAKE ME OUT (Celebration Theatre)
Phylicia Rashad, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Jaime Robledo, WATSON: THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
Danika Sudik, THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)
Jenny Sullivan, NAZI HUNTER — SIMON WIESENTHAL (Theatre 40)

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Alaman Diadhiou, TWIST — AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (Pasadena Playhouse)
Luca Ellis, HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD (Reasoner Associates LLC)
Raul Esparza, LEAP OF FAITH (Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre)
Tom Hewitt, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
David Laffey, JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA (The Chance Theatre)
Jesse Merlin, RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)
Graham Skipper, RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL (Red Hen Productions and The Schramm Group LLC)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lindsey Alley, HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
Stephanie Block, THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG (Reprise Theatre Company)
Kim Huber, HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
Lesli Margherita, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Kelli Provart, CATS (Musical Theatre West)
Alet Taylor, HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)
Shannon Warne, HAVING IT ALL (DEMAND Productions)

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Obba Babatunde, A SOLDIER’S PLAY (Malibu Stage Company)
Jon Bernthal, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Rogue Machine)
Tom Dugan, NAZI HUNTER — SIMON WIESENTHAL (Theatre 40)
Joe Fria, WATSON — THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
Anthony J. Haney, MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Stefan Marks, HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
French Stewart, VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Susan Claassen, A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD (El Portal Theatre)
Alana Dietze. EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT (The Echo Theatre Company)
Diarra Kilpatrick, THE INTERLOPERS (Bootleg Theatre)
Sandy Martin, A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND (Fountain Theatre)
Laurie Metcalf, VOICE LESSONS (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
Beth Patrik, HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)
Constance Zimmer, GIRLS TALK (DEMAND Productions) FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Willem de Vries, FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Sean Hingston, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Morgan Rusler, THE FIRST JO-EL (Troubadour Theater Company)
Isaac Wade, GROUP: A MUSICAL (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)
Matt Walker, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Matt Walker, THE FIRST JO-EL (Troubadour Theater Company)
Jay Winnick, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Anya, FASCINATING RHYTHMS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Meg Gillentine, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Beth Kennedy, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Beth Kennedy, THE FIRST JO-EL (Troubadour Theater Company)
Katherine Malak, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Millicent Martin, GIGI (Reprise Theatre Company)
Victoria Platt, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)

FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Francois Chau, EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)
Henry Dittman, WATSON — THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
Edi Gathegi, SUPERIOR DONUTS (Geffen Playhouse)
Michael Pappas, THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble)
Darryl Stephens, THE INTERLOPERS (Bootleg Theatre)
French Stewart, WATSON — THE LAST GREAT TALE OF THE LEGENDARY SHERLOCK HOLMES (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
Greg Watanabe, EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Andrea Bendewald, GIRLS TALK (DEMAND Productions)
Meredith Bishop, AFTERMATH (Linda Toliver/Gary Guidinger)
Anne Gee Byrd, THE AUTUMN GARDEN (The Antaeus Company)
Deidrie Henry, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Vivian Kerr, THE CRUCIBLE (Theatre Banshee)
Nicole Paggi, GIRLS TALK (DEMAND Productions)
Daniele Watts, NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)

LIGHTING DESIGN — INTIMATE THEATRE
Ken Booth, A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND (Fountain Theatre)
Ken Booth, THE TRAIN DRIVER (Fountain Theatre)
Bosco Flanagan, AWAKE (Bootleg Theatre)
Christopher Kuhl, HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND (The Theatre @ Boston Court)
Matt Richter, SKELETON STORIES (Theatre of NOTE)
Matt Richter, SHOE STORY (Theatre of NOTE)
Mark Svastics, HELLO (Crooked Arrow Productions)

LIGHTING DESIGN — LARGE THEATRE
Howell Binkley, TWIST — AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (Pasadena Playhouse)
Elizabeth Harper, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Paulie Jenkins, MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIAS (The Colony Theatre Company)
Jeremy Pivnick, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Jared Sayeg, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
David Weiner, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Dan Weingarten, KRUNK FU BATTLE BATTLE (East West Players)

SCENIC DESIGN — INTIMATE THEATRE
Kurt Boetcher, HEAVIER THAN… (The Theatre @ Boston Court)
Tom Buderwitz, THE AUTUMN GARDEN (The Antaeus Company)
Joel Daavid, SKELETON STORIES (Theatre of NOTE)
Joel Daavid, THE VIOLET HOUR (Hollywood Food Chain Productions)
Jeff McLaughlin, BAKERSFIELD MIST (Fountain Theatre)
Jeff McLaughlin, THE TRAIN DRIVER (Fountain Theatre)
Jeff McLaughlin, A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND (Fountain Theatre)

SCENIC DESIGN — LARGE THEATRE
John Arnone, SUPERIOR DONUTS (Geffen Playhouse)
Tom Buderwitz, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Michael Ganio, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Stephen Gifford, THE CLEAN HOUSE (International City Theatre)
John Iacovelli, ON GOLDEN POND (The Colony Theatre Company)
Meghan Raham, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Todd Rosenthal, TWIST — AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (Pasadena Playhouse)

SOUND DESIGN — INTIMATE THEATRE
Peter Bayne, A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND (Fountain Theatre)
Alyssa Ishii, AWAKE (Bootleg Theater)
Bryan Maier, SHOE STORY (Theatre of NOTE)
David Marling, THE TRAIN DRIVER (Fountain Theatre)
Mark McClain Wilson, SKELETON STORIES (Theatre of NOTE)
John Zalewski, HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND (The Theatre @ Boston Court)
John Zalewski, MARGO VEIL (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

SOUND DESIGN — LARGE THEATRE
Philip Allen, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Bob Blackburn, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Jonathan Burke, THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Kenny Hobbs, MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Joshua Horvath, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Vincent Olivieri, EXTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS (Geffen Playhouse)
Richard Woodbury, SUPERIOR DONUTS (Geffen Playhouse)

COSTUME DESIGN — INTIMATE THEATRE
Naila Alladin-Sanders, NEIGHBORS (The Matrix Theatre Company)
Ann Closs-Farley, KEN ROHT’S 99 CENT ONLY SAME-O, AN ELECTRIC BALLAD (Bootleg Theater)
Ann Closs-Farley, THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO (Deaf West Theatre)
Tina Haatainen-Jones, THE AUTUMN GARDEN (The Antaeus Company)
Shon LeBlanc, THE VIOLET HOUR (Hollywood Food Chain Productions)
Tifanie McQueen, ENDGAME (Sacred Fools Theatre Company)
A. Jeffrey Schoenberg, THE MALCONTENT (The Antaeus Company)

COSTUME DESIGN — LARGE THEATRE
Christa Armendariz BEEHIVE — THE 1960’S GIRL GROUP MUSICAL (Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities)
Angela Calin, GREAT EXPECTATIONS (A Noise Within)
Ruth Carter, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Ebony Repertory Theatre)
Garry Lennon, KISS ME, KATE (Reprise Theatre Company)
Sharon McGunigle, A WITHER’S TALE (Troubadour Theater Company)
Meghan Raham, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)
Emilio Sosa, TWIST — AN AMERICAN MUSICAL (Pasadena Playhouse)

OVATION HONORS CATEGORIES
Composition for a Play: Brian Joseph, Lyle Lovett, Fred Sanders, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles)
Fight Choreography: Brian Danner, THE WALWORTH FARCE (Theatre Banshee)
Puppet Design: Kristopher Bicknell, Gwyneth ConawayBennison, and Miles Taber, D IS FOR DOG (Rogue Artists Ensemble)
Video Design: Jason Thompson, VENICE (Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre)

RELATED:

Geffen Playhouse, Fountain Theatre dominate 2009-10 Ovation Awards

Ovation Awards nominations announced for 2009-10 season

— David Ng

Corrected, Sept. 20, 1 pm: The name of actor Anthony J. Haney, nominated for an Ovation award for best actor in a play, was incorrectly listed as Tom Haney in an earlier version of this post.