Drama Critics Warm Up to ‘Ragtime,’ Freeze Out ‘Rent’

“Ragtime” received nine nominations--more than any other show--while “Rent” was bypassed entirely in the running for the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s annual awards made public today.

By ignoring “Rent,” the group dramatically departed from the views of its New York colleagues, who gave Jonathan Larson’s musical the 1996 New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Obie awards.

The runners-up in LADCC nominations totals were the Mark Taper Forum production of “Arcadia” and A Noise Within’s staging of “The Winter’s Tale,” which each received seven nods.

“Three Days of Rain,” written by Richard Greenberg and produced by South Coast Repertory, won the annual Ted Schmitt Award for best play to premiere in the area, marking the third year in a row that the prize went to a play from South Coast. “Three Days of Rain” also received five regular nominations, as did Pacific Resident Theatre’s “The Quick-Change Room” and Interact Theatre’s revival of “Juno and the Paycock.”

Among producers, Center Theatre Group snagged 10 nominations, edging out the nine received by Livent for “Ragtime.” Three of CTG’s nominations were for an imported ballet, Adventures in Motion Pictures’ “Swan Lake” at the Ahmanson Theatre; five other presenters who helped bring the British dance company to L.A. also were cited in the show’s nomination for outstanding production. This is the first ballet ever considered for LADCC awards, but a spokeswoman said the group felt that “Swan Lake” had “a theatrical quality” and noted that it was presented in a venue normally used for theater instead of dance.

Leading the smaller companies was Pacific Resident Theatre with eight nominations and singular productions with seven.

But smaller theaters didn’t do as well as last year, when all five nominees for outstanding production were staged in theaters with fewer than 100 seats. This year, only one of six nominees for the top prize, “Juno and the Paycock,” was from the smaller arena. Larger theaters garnered a total of 36 nods, compared to 24 for shows in smaller venues.

According to LADCC rules, half of the 60 nominees will win; there may be more than one winner--or none--in any category.

The group broke a long-standing tradition by awarding this year’s Margaret Harford Award for sustained achievement to an individual, director Ron Link, instead of a theater company.

Another change is in the venue for the ceremony. Instead of the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, where the awards have been presented since 1990, the March 16 event will be at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with John Raitt as guest of honor. The event is open to the public. The nominees:

* Production: “Arcadia,” Mark Taper Forum; “Juno and the Paycock,” Interact Theatre; “Ragtime,” produced by Livent (U.S.). Inc. at the Shubert Theatre; “Swan Lake,” Ahmanson Theatre; “Three Days of Rain,” South Coast Repertory; “The Winter’s Tale,” A Noise Within

* Direction: Seth Barrish, “Old Wicked Songs”; Yury Belov, “He Who Gets Slapped”; Dan Kern, “Juno and the Paycock”; Art Manke, “The Winter’s Tale”

* Writing: Richard Greenberg, “Three Days of Rain”; Jon Marans, “Old Wicked Songs”; Tom Stoppard, “Arcadia”

* Musical Score: Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, “Ragtime”

* Lead Performance: Nancy Boykin, “Juno and the Paycock”; Gar Campbell, “The Quick-Change Room”; Nancy Linehan Charles, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”; Patricia Clarkson, “Three Days of Rain”; Adam Cooper, “Swan Lake”; Pat Destro, “Steaming”; Faye Dunaway, “Master Class”; Michael David Edwards, “He Who Gets Slapped”; Marilyn Fox, “The Quick-Change Room”; Dan Kern, “The Winter’s Tale”; Brian Stokes Mitchell, “Ragtime”; Priscilla Pointer, “Fighting Over Beverley”; Hal Robinson, “Old Wicked Songs”; Michael Rothhaar, “Ardele”; John Slattery, “Three Days of Rain”; Robert Symonds, “Fighting Over Beverley”; Douglas Weston, “Arcadia”

* Featured Performance: Lisa Barnes, “The Quick-Change Room”; Angela Bettis, “Arcadia”; Christina Carlisi, “Juno and the Paycock”; Jenna Cole, “The Winter’s Tale”; Mitchell Edmonds, “The Winter’s Tale”; Gail Godown, “He Who Gets Slapped”

* Scenic Design: Christopher Barreca, “Three Days of Rain”; Angela Balogh Calin, “The Winter’s Tale”; Tim Farmer and Mark Henderson, “Fighting Over Beverley”; David Jenkins, “Arcadia”; Bradley Kaye, “Juno and the Paycock”; Eugene Lee, “Ragtime”; Victoria Profitt, “The Quick-Change Room”; Scott Storey, “Steaming”

* Lighting Design: Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Ragtime”; Frank McKown, “He Who Gets Slapped”; Kevin Rigdon, “Arcadia”; Ray Thompson, “Steaming”

* Costume Design: Audrey Eisner, “Ardele,” Audrey Eisner, “The Quick-Change Room”; Marianne Elliott, “Arcadia”; Kevin King, “The Winter’s Tale”; Santo Loquasto, “Ragtime”

* Sound Design: Jonathan Deans, “Ragtime”; Red Ramona, “Old Wicked Songs”

* Musical Direction: Darryl W. Archibald, “Company”; David Holcenberg, “Ragtime”

* Choreography: Matthew Bourne, “Swan Lake”; Graciela Daniele, “Ragtime”

Special awards:

* Ted Schmitt Award: Richard Greenberg, “Three Days of Rain”

* Margaret Harford Award: Ron Link

* Angstrom Lighting Award: Tom Ruzika

* Natalie Schafer Award: Jodi Carlisle

* Bob Z Award: Cliff Faulkner

* Special Award: Bilingual Foundation of the Arts