29th Annual Ovation Awards Winners

The 29th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Monday, January 28, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown LA.

Thirty-six awards were bestowed upon 16 different Southern California theatre companies. Hollywood area winners include The Echo Theater Company, who won Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre), and Best Playwright for an Original Play, for Cry It Out [ read our review here], Celebration Theatre who won Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre) for Priscilla Queen of the Desert; and Actors Co-op, who won Best Direction of a Musical for Violet.

Full List of Winners:

• Best Season: A Noise Within
• Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre): Cry It Out (Echo Theatre Company) [read our review here]
• Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre): Ironbound (Geffen Playhouse)
• Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre): Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Celebration Theatre)
• Best Production of a  Musical (Large Theatre): Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Best Presented Production: Sell/Buy/Date (Geffen Playhouse)
• Acting Ensemble of a Play: Theater Movement Bazaar's Grail Project (Bootleg Theatre)
• Acting Ensemble of a Musical: Ain't Misbehavin' (La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts)
• Choreography: Tina Kronis - Theater Movement Bazaar's Grail Project (Bootleg Theatre)
• Music Direction: David O - Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Book for an Original Musical: David Henry Hwang - Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Lyrics/Composition for an Original Musical: David Henry Hwang & Jeanine Tesori - Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Playwright for an Original Play: Molly Metzler - Cry It Out (Echo Theatre Company)
• Direction of a Musical: Richard Israel - Violet (Actors Co-Op)
• Direction of a Play: Tina Kronis - Theater Movement Bazaar's Grail Project (Bootleg Theatre)
• Lead Actor in a Musical: Thomas Hobson as Andre - Ain't Misbehavin' (La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts)
• Lead Actress in a Musical: Alyse Louis as Zoe/Hillary -  Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Lead Actor in a Play: Peter Van Norden as Roote - The Hothouse (Antaeus Theatre Company)
• Lead Actress in a Play: Carolyn Hennesy as Maria Callas - Master Class (Garry Marshall Theatre)
• Featured Actor in a Musical: Jeff Skowron as Luther Billis - South Pacific (La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts)
• Featured Actress in a Musical: Beth Kennedy as Max the Dog, Winter Warlock, Octy - How the Princh Stole Christmas (Troubadour Theatre Company)
• Featured Actor in a Play: Harry Groener as Shpigelsky - Three Days in the Country (Antaeus Theatre Company)
• Featured Actress in a Play: Christine Sage as Ariel - The Tempest (The Porters of Hellsgate)
• Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre): Andrew Schmedake - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (After Hours Theatre Company)
• Lighting Design (Large Theatre): Ken Booth - Henry V (A Noise Within)
• Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre): Dillon Nelson & Keith Mitchel - Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin (Rogue Artists Ensemble {co-produced with East West Players})
• Scenic Design (Large Theatre): Rachel Myers - Skeleton Crew (Geffen Playhouse)
• Sound Design (Intimate Theatre): Gillian Moon & Stephen Swift - Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin (Rogue Artists Ensemble {co-produced with East West Players})
• Sound Design (Large Theatre): John Zalewski - Frederick (MainStreet Theatre Company)
• Costume Design (Intimate Theatre): Allison Dillard - Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Celebration Theatre)
• Costume Design (Large Theatre): Anita Yavich - Soft Power (Center Theatre Group)
• Video/Projection (Intimate Theatre): Matthew Hill - Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin (Rogue Artists Ensemble {co-produced with East West Players})
• Video/Projection (Large Theatre): Keith Skretch - Time Alone (Belle Reve Theatre Company
• Fight Direction: Ken Merckx - Henry V (A Noise Within)