Arts & Theater

Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle 2023 Awards Nominees Announced

The Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle (LADCC) is proud to announce its 2023 awards nominees for Theatrical Excellence.

This year, because of extenuating COVID concerns, instead of a live event, the Circle awards recipients will once again be announced online – but in a brand-new format.

The LADCC is thrilled to introduce a “first” for its awards ceremony.  We invite you to join us for an online streaming presentation of the awards on Monday, April 8, 2024, at 8 pm (Pacific), when winners in each category will be announced during a LIVE simulcast on both Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ladramacritics/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ladramacritics).

Viewing is FREE to everyone for the online stream and audiences everywhere will be able to follow along by smartphone, computer, or other web-connected devices that can access the social media channels.  *An account with at least one of the channels, Facebook or Instagram, may be required.

The Circle also invites nominees to share (starting today) photos, short videos, speeches, and other celebratory comments, before, during, and after the awards presentation, by tagging our Instagram and/or Facebook accounts: @LADramaCritics. The LADCC will share them on our channels.

This year’s stream is being produced by LADCC Awards Chair Tracey Paleo and in collaboration with the LADCC President Jonas Schwartz-Owen and LADCC Website and Social Media Co-Chairs, Patrick Chavis and Socks Whitmore.

Also, the LADCC is pleased to announce that for the first time in its 54-year history, that the Circle has awarded more than 90 nominations to the collective theatrical categories.

More information will be forthcoming about the stream via social media.  For now, please follow our accounts for updates and other news as we celebrate the Los Angeles theater community.

We will also be hosting a dedicated 2023 Awards page this year on the LADCC website (https://ladramacriticscircle.com/). The page will include a list of our Sponsors and the 2023 LADCC Awards Show program, which will also be available for download on the day of the Awards stream.  Sponsor and Donor information will also be available on the page.

We thank our two Special Awards Sponsors: The Black List  (https://blcklst.com/and Kinetic Lighting (https://kineticlighting.com/), as well as our generous Sponsors and Donors of this year’s streaming awards presentation: Linda Toliver and Gary GuidingerLos Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative (LAFPI) (https://lafpi.com/);  Matt Kamimura Video, Editing & Photography (https://mattkamimura.com/); Benjamin South at Public Transit (https://www.publictransitla.com/)Storycrafting (http://www.storycrafting.biz/index.html); Sandra Kuker PR (https://www.sandrakukerpr.com/); Cruise Guys Beverly Hills  (https://www.cruiseguysbh.com/); and the LADCC’s official publicist, David Elzer at DEMAND PR.

*Circle members gathered this year for the first time since the COVID-19 quarantine to vote in person at The Broadwater Second Stage Theater (https://www.thebroadwaterla.com/) courtesy of Padraic Duffy, Bruno Oliver, and Rebecca Schoenberg.

The LADCC has named the following Special Award Honorees:

The POLLY WARFIELD AWARD for Best Season by a Small to Midsized Theater is given to Rogue Machine: John Perrin Flynn (Producing Artistic Director), Guillermo Cienfuegos (Artistic Director), Elina de Santos (Co-Artistic Director), and Justin Okin (Producing Director).

The GORDON DAVIDSON AWARD for Distinguished Contributions to the Los Angeles Theatrical Community is presented to Joseph Stern.

The JOEL HIRSCHHORN AWARD for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre is presented to Pasadena Playhouse for The Sondheim Celebration.

The MILTON KATSELAS AWARD for Career or Special Achievement in Direction is presented to Michael Michetti.

The KINETIC LIGHTING AWARD for distinguished achievement in theatrical design goes to Pablo Santiago who will receive a cash prize from Kinetic Lighting (https://kineticlighting.com/).

The TED SCHMITT AWARD for the World Premiere of an Outstanding New Play is awarded to Ashley Rose Wellman for Kill Shelter (Theatre of Note). Ms. Wellman will also receive a cash prize from our Schmitt Award sponsor, The Black List  (https://blcklst.com/).

The MARGARET HARFORD AWARD for Excellence in Theatre is given to Echo Theatre Company, Chris Fields, Founding Artistic Director.

Congratulations to all the Special Awards Winners!

Nominations by Award Category

PRODUCTION

A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Appropriate; South Coast Repertory

Blood at the Root; Open Fist Theatre Company

For The Love of a Glove; Center For Inquiry West

Heroes of the Fourth Turning; Rogue Machine

Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE

Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

MCCULLOH AWARD FOR BEST REVIVAL

A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse

A View from the Bridge; Ruskin Group Theatre

Into The Woods; Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson

Twilight: Los Angeles 1992; Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum

DIRECTION

David Lee; A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse

Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Michael A. Shepperd; Blood at the Root; Open Fist Theatre Company

Shaina Rosenthal; Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE

Guillermo Cienfuegos; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

WRITING-ORIGINAL

Charlie Oh; Coleman ’72; South Coast Repertory

Bernardo Cubria; Crabs in a Bucket; Echo Theater Company

Julien Nitzberg; For The Love of a Glove; Center for Inquiry West

Dominique Morisseau; Pipeline; Harold Clurman Theater

Rosie Narasaki; Unrivaled; Playwrights’ Arena and Boston Court Pasadena.

WRITING-ADAPTATION

Aaron Posner; Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Tina Fey; Mean Girls; Hollywood Pantages Theatre

Octavio Solis; Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

MUSIC DIRECTION

Alby Potts; A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse

Michelle Do; Come Get Maggie; Rogue Machine

Jan Roper; Starmites; Open Fist Theatre Company

Myrna Conn; The Lonely Few; Geffen Playhouse

CHOREOGRAPHY

Casey Nicholaw; Mean Girls; Hollywood Pantages Theatre

Joyce Guy; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Marissa Herrera; Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

Jeremy Lucas; The Wild Party; Jaxx Theatricals

MUSIC & LYRICS

Susan Justin (music/Lyrics) & Diane Frolov (Lyrics); Come Get Maggie; Rogue Machine

Michael Shaw Fisher; Exorcistic: The Rock Musical; Orgasmico Theatre Company

Jeff Richmond & Nell Benjamin; Mean Girls; Hollywood Pantages Theatre

David R. Molina & Octavio Solis; Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

LEAD PERFORMANCE

Merle Dandridge; A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse

Kasey Mahaffy; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Ray Abruzzo; A View from the Bridge; Ruskin Group Theatre

Edwin Lee Gibson; Fetch Clay, Make Man; Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas

Eric B. Anthony; For the Love of a Glove; Center For Inquiry West

Stephanie J Block; Into the Woods; Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson

Ashley Romans; Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE

Nadia Marina; Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE

Joshua Bitton; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Nate Memba; Pipeline; Harold Clurman Theater

Camille Ariana Spirlin; SHE; Antaeus Theatre Company

Faline England; The Realistic Joneses; Rubicon Theatre Company & Laguna Playhouse

Chris Butler; The Tempest: An Immersive Experience; The Shakespeare Center LA & After Hours Theatre Company

FEATURED PERFORMANCE

Aurora Leonard; A View from the Bridge; Ruskin Group Theatre

Casey Smith; Do You Feel Anger?; Circle X Theatre Company

Tasha Ames; Do You Feel Anger?; Circle X Theatre Company

Gavin Creel; Into the Woods; Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson

Erin Pineda; Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Olivia Castanho; Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Lorenz Arnell; SHE; Antaeus Theatre Company

Frederick Stuart; The Book of Will; A Noise Within

ENSEMBLE

Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Radical or, are you gonna miss me?; IAMA Theatre Company

Ride the Cyclone; Chance Theater

SCENIC DESIGN

Frederica Nascimento; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Evan Bartoletti; Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Angela Balogh Calin; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Efren Delgadillo, Jr.; Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

Alexander Dodge; The Engagement Party; Geffen Playhouse

Leah Ramillano; The Tempest: An Immersive Experience; The Shakespeare Center LA and After Hours Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN

Ken Booth; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Ken Booth; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Carol Doehring; Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company

Dan Weingarten; The Tempest: An Immersive Experience; The Shakespeare Center LA and After Hours Theatre Company

COSTUME DESIGN

Kate Bergh; A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse

Angela Balogh Calin; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

Lou Cranch; Crabs in a Bucket; Echo Theater Company

Lena Sands; Menstruation: A Period Piece; Big Little Theater Company & Los Angeles LGBT Center

Christine Cover Ferro; Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within

Bradley Allen Lock; Ride the Cyclone; Chance Theater

SOUND DESIGN

Robert Oriol; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within

David R. Molina; Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory

Austin Quan & Cricket Myers; The Tempest: An Immersive Experience; The Shakespeare Center LA and After Hours Theatre Company

Alyssa Ishii; Unrivaled; Playwrights’ Arena and Boston Court Pasadena.

SOLO PERFORMANCE

Daniel K. Isaac; Every Brilliant Thing; Geffen Playhouse

Kristina Wong; Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord; Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas & East West Players

PROJECTION / ANIMATION DESIGN

Adam Jesse Burns; Garden of Alla: The Alla Nazimova Story; Theatre West

Scott Peterman; Starmites; Open Fist Theatre Company

Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh; Tacos La Brooklyn; Latino Theater Company & East West Players

Yee Eun Nam; The Mountaintop; Geffen Playhouse

Yee Eun Nam; Twilight: Los Angeles 1992; Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum

PUPPET DESIGN

James Ortiz; Into the Woods; Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson

Emory Royston; Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE

Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) Info:

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle current officers consist of President Jonas Schwartz-Owen (TheaterMania, BroadwayWorld), Vice President Dana Martin (Stage Raw), Treasurer Hoyt Hilsman (Cultural Daily), Co-Secretaries Martίn Hernández (Stage Raw) and Philip Brandes (Stage Raw, LA Times, Santa Barbara Independent), Website/Social Media Co-Chairs Socks Whitmore (Stage Raw) and Patrick Chavis (LA Theatre Bites, The Orange Curtain Review) and Awards Chair Tracey Paleo (Gia On The Move, BroadwayWorld).

The current 2024 membership of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (in alphabetical order): Lara J. Altunian (Stage Raw, L.A. Dance Chronicle), Philip Brandes (Stage Raw, LA Times, Santa Barbara Independent), Katie Buenneke (Stage Raw, TheaterDigest.substack.com), Patrick Chavis (LA Theatre Bites, The Orange Curtain Review), F. Kathleen Foley (Stage Raw),  Anita W. Harris (LATheatrix.com), Martίn Hernández (Stage Raw), Hoyt Hilsman (Cultural Daily), Travis Michael Holder (TicketHoldersLA.com), Deborah Klugman (Stage Raw), Harker Jones (BroadwayWorld/LA), Dana Martin (Stage Raw), Myron Meisel (Stage Raw), Terry Morgan (Stage Raw, ArtsBeatLA.com), Honorary Member Steven Leigh Morris (Stage Raw), Tracey Paleo (GiaOnTheMove.com/ BroadwayWorld/LA), Melinda Schupmann (ShowMag.com, ArtsInLA.com), Jonas Schwartz-Owen (Theatermania, BroadwayWorld/LA), Don Shirley (Angeles Stage on Substack), and Socks Whitmore (Stage Raw).

Citation Totals by Production

A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Noise Within; 7 nominations

Life Sucks; Interact Theatre Company; 7 nominations

Much Ado About Nothing; A Noise Within; 7 nominations

Quixote Nuevo; South Coast Repertory; 6 nominations

A Little Night Music; Pasadena Playhouse; 5 nominations

Kill Shelter; Theatre of NOTE; 5 nominations

Into The Woods; Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson; 4 nominations

The Tempest: An Immersive Experience; The Shakespeare Center LA and After Hours Theatre Company; 4 nominations

A View from the Bridge; Ruskin Group Theatre; 3 nominations

For The Love of a Glove; Center For Inquiry West; 3 nominations

Mean Girls; Hollywood Pantages Theatre; 3 nominations

Blood at the Root; Open Fist Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Come Get Maggie; Rogue Machine; 2 nominations

Crabs in a Bucket; Echo Theater Company; 2 nominations

Do You Feel Anger?; Circle X Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Pipeline; Harold Clurman Theater; 2 nominations

Ride the Cyclone; Chance Theater; 2 nominations

SHE; Antaeus Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Starmites; Open Fist Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Twilight: Los Angeles 1992; Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum; 2 nominations

Unrivaled; Playwrights’ Arena and Boston Court; 2 nominations

Appropriate; South Coast Repertory; 1 nomination

Coleman ’72; South Coast Repertory; 1 nomination

Every Brilliant Thing; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination

Exorcistic: The Rock Musical; Orgasmico Theatre Company; 1 nomination

Fetch Clay, Make Man; Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas; 1 nomination

Garden of Alla: The Alla Nazimova Story; Theatre West; 1 nomination

Heroes of the Fourth Turning; Rogue Machine; 1 nomination

Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord; Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas

  & East West Players; 1 nomination

Menstruation: A Period Piece; Big Little Theater Company

  & Los Angeles LGBT Center; 1 nomination

Radical or, are you gonna miss me?; IAMA Theatre Company; 1 nomination

Tacos La Brooklyn; Latino Theater Company & East West Players; 1 nomination

The Book of Will; A Noise Within; 1 nomination

The Engagement Party; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination

The Lonely Few; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination

The Mountaintop; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination

The Realistic Joneses; Rubicon Theatre Company & Laguna Playhouse; 1 nomination

The Wild Party; Jaxx Theatricals; 1 nomination

Citation Totals by Company

A Noise Within; 15 nominations

Center Theatre Group; 8 nominations

South Coast Repertory; 8 nominations

Interact Theatre Company; 7 nominations

Pasadena Playhouse; 5 nominations

Theatre of NOTE; 5 nominations

Geffen Playhouse; 4 nominations

Open Fist Theatre Company; 4 nominations

Shakespeare LA; 4 nominations

Center For Inquiry West; 3 nominations

Hollywood Pantages Theatre; 3 nominations

Rogue Machine; 3 nominations

Ruskin Group Theatre; 3 nominations

Antaeus Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Chance Theater; 2 nominations

Circle X Theatre Company; 2 nominations

Echo Theater Company; 2 nominations

Harold Clurman Theater; 2 nominations

Playwrights’ Arena and Boston Court Pasadena.; 2 nominations

Rubicon Theatre Company & Laguna Playhouse; 1 nomination

Big Little Theater Company & Los Angeles LGBT Center; 1 nomination

IAMA Theatre Company; 1 nomination

Jaxx Theatricals; 1 nomination

Latino Theater Company & East West Players; 1 nomination

Orgasmico Theatre Company; 1 nomination

Theatre West; 1 nomination




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