L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards led by 'Cloud 9,' 'The Boy From Oz'

By Jessica GeltStaff Writer

March 20, 2017 10:30 PM PT

The feminist classic “Cloud 9,” the musical comedy “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” singer-songwriter Peter Allen’s musical “The Boy From Oz” and a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the perils of cultural assimilation, “Disgraced,” won top honors Monday night from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Those four productions — from Antaeus Theatre Company, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Celebration Theatre and Mark Taper Forum, respectively — each won a plaque for best production.

“Cloud 9,” the Antaeus production of the Caryl Churchill play set in British Colonial Africa and 1970s London, led the pack, receiving a total of eight awards including featured performance (JD Cullum and Bo Foxworth), ensemble performance, direction (Casey Stangl), costumes (A. Jeffrey Schoenberg) and wigs, hair and makeup (Jessica Mills).

Two additional awards were handed out for ensemble performance: “Casa Valentina” (Pasadena Playhouse) and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum).

The critics circle consists of 21 people, including Times contributors Margaret Gray and David C. Nichols. The complete list of honorees:

Production

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre
“Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company
“Disgraced,” Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum
“The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre

McCulloh Award for Revival (plays written between 1920 and 1991)

“Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum

Lead performance

Andrew Bongiorno in “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre
Ginna Carter in “The Eccentricities of a Nightingale,” Pacific Resident Theatre
Hari Dhillon in “Disgraced,” Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum

Featured performance

JD Cullum in “Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company
Bo Foxworth in “Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company
Bess Motta in “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre

Ensemble performance

“Casa Valentina,” the Pasadena Playhouse
“Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum

Solo performance

Deborah Puette, “Captain of the Bible Quiz Team,” Rogue Machine Theatre

Direction

Michael A. Shepperd, “The Boy From Oz,” Celebration Theatre
Casey Stangl, “Cloud 9,” Antaeus Theatre Company
Darko Tresnjak, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre.

Writing