2008 Ovation Award Winners Announced

The winners of the 2008 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Awards were announced November 17 in a ceremony hosted by stage and screen veteran Neil Patrick Harris at LA’s Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Broadway alums John Glover The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Laurie Metcalf November and Gwen Stewart Rent, among others, were all honored for their performances in various West Coast productions.

The annual Ovations, which honor achievements in California theater, classify awards according to the size of eligible theaters.

The Civic Light Opera’s production of Miss Saigon, a heavy favorite to clean up with 11 nominations, took home four awards total, including Best Musical in a Large Theater. Close behind were Cabrillo Musical Theatre’s productions of Jekyll & Hyde and Singin’ in the Rain, which received three awards each, and the Geffen Playhouse’s production of The Quality of Life. The 2008 Ovation Award winners are:

PLAYWRITING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Jane Anderson
The Quality of Life
Geffen Playhouse

BOOK/LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino;
Conceived by John Bucchino and Daisy Prince
It's Only Life
Rubicon Theatre Company

RAY STRICKLYN MEMORIAL AWARD FOR SOLO PERFORMANCE
Nilaja Sun
No Child...
Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Stan Chandler
David Engel
Larry Raben
Darcie Roberts
The Andrews Brothers
Musical Theatre West

DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Matt Shakman
Secrets of the Trade
Black Dahlia Theatre

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Nick DeGruccio
Jekyll & Hyde
Cabrillo Music Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY
Bradley Rapier
City Kid - The Musical
City Kid Productions, LLC

MUSICAL DIRECTION
Alby Potts
Singin' in the Rain
Cabrillo Music Theatre

TOURING PRODUCTION
Avenue Q
Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre

PLAY, INTIMATE THEATRE
The Quality of Life
Geffen Playhouse

PLAY, LARGE THEATRE
R. Buckminster Fuller: The History and Mystery of the Universe
Rubicon Theatre Company

FRANKLIN R. LEVY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MUSICAL, INTIMATE THEATRE
Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara
Sacred Fools Theatre Company

MUSICAL, LARGE THEATRE
Miss Saigon
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

SET DESIGN, INTIMATE THEATRE
Desma Murphy
And Neither Have I Wings To Fly
Road Theatre Company

SET DESIGN, LARGE THEATRE
Thomas S. Giamario
Bus Stop
Rubicon Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN, INTIMATE THEATRE
Jeremy Pivnick
Crime and Punishment
Actors Co-op/Crossley Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN, LARGE THEATRE
Darrell Clark
Miss Saigon
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

LIGHTING DESIGN, LARGE THEATRE
Steven Young
Jekyll & Hyde
Cabrillo Music Theatre

SOUND DESIGN, INTIMATE THEATRE
Ken Rich
The Common Air
Elephant Stageworks

SOUND DESIGN, LARGE THEATRE
John Feinstein
Miss Saigon
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

COSTUME DESIGN, INTIMATE THEATRE
Scott A. Lane
Pest Control - The Musical
Open at the Top Productions

COSTUME DESIGN, LARGE THEATRE
Paul Tazewell
Ray Charles LIVE - A New Musical
Pasadena Playhouse

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Joe Spano
R. Buckminster Fuller: The History and Mystery of the Universe
Rubicon Theatre Company

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
John Glover
Secrets of the Trade
Black Dahlia Theatre

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Laurie Metcalf
The Quality of Life
Geffen Playhouse

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Robert J. Townsend
Jekyll & Hyde
Cabrillo Music Theatre

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jennifer Paz
Miss Saigon
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Barry Lynch
Of Mice and Men
Theatre Banshee

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
J. Nicole Brooks
As Much As You Can
Hendel Productions West

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Randy Rogel
Singin' in the Rain
Cabrillo Music Theatre

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Gwen Stewart
All Shook Up
Musical Theatre West