L.A. Drama Critics Circle Announces 2007 Nominees

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced its 2007 nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theater on February 5. The 39th annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony will take place on March 17 at the El Portal Theatre, hosted by Jason Graae, who will receive the Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre, and Back Stage West critic Wenzel Jones.

The nominees are as follows:

Production
13, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum
dark play or stories for boys, Theatre@Boston Court
In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings, Elephant Theatre Company in association with VS. Theatre Company
The Quality of Life, Geffen Playhouse, Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater
Trying, Colony Theatre Company

Revival
The Hasty Heart, Pacific Resident Theatre Company
Tonight at 8:30, Parts 1 and 2, Antaeus Theatre Company at Deaf West Theatre
Waiting for Godot, A Noise Within

Direction
Jillian Armenante, Love Loves a Pornographer, Circle X at [Inside] the Ford
Dan Bonnell, Anatol, Pacific Resident Theatre
Jeff Calhoun, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Center Theatre Group, Kirk Douglas Theater
Nick DeGruccio, Zanna, Don't! , West Coast Ensemble at Lyric-Hyperion Theatre
Michael Michetti, dark play or stories for boys

Writing
Jason Robert Brown, 13
Joanna McClelland Glass, Trying
Jeff Goode, Love Loves a Pornographer
Stephen Adly Guirgis, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings
Carlos Murillo, dark play or stories for boys

Adaptation
Martin Crimp, The Misanthrope, Andak Stage Company at New Place Studio Theatre
Stephen Sachs, Miss Julie, Fountain Theatre
Matt Walker, Alice In One-Hit Wonderland, Troubadour Theatre Company at Falcon Theatre

Lead Performance
Dennis Boutsikaris, The Quality of Life
Danny Calvert, Zanna, Don't!
Gregory Itzin, Shipwrecked: An Entertainment, South Coast Repertory
Matt Letscher, Anatol, Pacific Resident Theatre
Alan Mandell, Trying
Rebecca Marcotte, Loyal Women, Theatre Banshee
Laurie Metcalf, The Quality of Life
Gabriel Olds, Tryst, Black Dahlia Theatre
Deborah Puette, Tryst
Rex Smith, The Pirates of Penzance, Musical Theatre West at Carpenter Performing Arts Center

Featured Performance
Deanne Bray, Sleeping Beauty Wakes
Stephen Cell, Small Tragedy, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Misty Cotton, A Little Night Music, South Coast Repertory
Adam Haas Hunter, dark play or stories for boys
Norman Large, The Pirates of Penzance
Shawn Lee, An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Furious Theatre Company at Pasadena Playhouse Carrie Hamilton Theatre
Kathleen Rose Perkins, Love Loves a Pornographer
JoBeth Williams, The Quality of Life

Ensemble Performance
13, Mark Taper Forum
Loyal Women, Theatre Banshee
Waiting for Godot, A Noise Within
Winter Wonderettes, El Portal Forum Theatre
Zanna, Don't!, West Coast Ensemble

Musical Direction
Brian Baker, Winter Wonderettes, El Portal Forum Theatre
John Glaudini, Altar Boyz, Musical Theatre West at Carpenter Performing Arts Center
David O, 13
Gerald Sternbach, On Your Toes, Reprise! Broadway's Best at UCLA Freud Playhouse

Musical Score
Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris, Zanna, Don't!
Jason Robert Brown, 13
Michael John LaChiusa, Little Fish, Blank Theatre Company at 2nd Stage Theatre

Choreography
Christine Lakin & Paul Nygro, Zanna, Don't!
Troy Magino, Altar Boyz
Lee Martino, On Your Toes
Janet Miller, Winter Wonderettes

Scenic Design
Joel Daavid, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings
Robert G. Smith, Bug, Lost Angels Theatre Company at Coast Playhouse
Gary Smoot, Love Love's A Pornographer

Lighting Design
Joel Daavid, In Arabia We'd All be Kings
Jeremy Pivnick, Calling Aphrodite, International City Theatre
Steven Young, Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, Theatre@Boston Court

Costume Design
Shon LeBlanc, The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore
Maggie Morgan, Sleeping Beauty Wakes
Paul Spadone, Love Loves a Pornographer

Sound Design
Lindsay Jones, Bug
Cricket Myers, dark play or stories for boys
Eric Snodgrass, Sleeping Beauty Wakes

Puppet Design
Rick Lyon, Avenue Q, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre

In addition to Graae's award, special awards will be given as follows:

The Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater by an individual, company or theater goes to Musical Theatre West. The Polly Warfield Award for an outstanding single season by a small to mid-sized theater goes to Theatre Banshee. The Ted Schmitt Award for outstanding world premiere play in Los Angeles goes to Jane Anderson for The Quality of Life. The Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design goes to Leigh Allen. A special award goes to Jon Maher for his long-term outstanding achievement as an ASL interpreter.