ELATE Announces Season Ticket Holder Award Winners

A moving, yet humorous one-person, autobiographical show about a woman dealing with Brittle Bone Disease and a rollicking quartet of lively and entertaining one-act plays proved to be the big winners Saturday Evening August 13th during the 2015 / 2016 ELATE SEASON TICKET HOLDER AWARDS held at the lovely and charming Bratcher House in Northridge.

The Season Ticket Holders and Theatre Board of THE EMMAUNUEL LUTHERAN ACTORS THEATRE ENSEMBLE, which since 1984 has consistently presented plays and musicals onstage at THE LAUREL HALL SCHOOL, THE LECTURE ROOM OF THE EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, and most recently, THE LINCOLN STEGMAN THEATRE, all in North Hollywood, Ca., announced the winners in six different categories at The Annual Elate Reunion Party and Awards Presentation, outdoors, under the stars, with actors, actresses, directors, producers, musical performers and all-around theatre lovers and supporters ( in mostly casual attire ) seated on patio furniture alongside The Bratcher House Pool. This year's group of nominated Best Shows included: "THE HOTHOUSE" by Harold Pinter, produced by Joe Fiske; "THE NORDIC PRINCESS BREAKS THE ICE" by Marty McCambridge, produced by Anita George and Joseph Bell; and "JUST 4 FUN" ( 4 One-Act Plays including "IMPROMPTU" by Tad Mosel, "SONNY DEREE'S LIFE FLASHES BEFORE HIS EYES" by Bill Bozzone, "RIDE SHARE" by Stanley Brown and "5 DAYS IN THE CARTER COUNTY JAIL" by Jeff Zimmer ), produced by Wendy Hirschman.

The theme of the gathering was "Mexican Fiesta," as was reflected in the cuisine of the fine dinner served before the main event, as well as in some of the comedic remarks made by Elate Awards Show Host Joseph Bell during the ceremony. However, a more apt depiction of the proceedings might be "THE BROWN PAPER BAG THEATRE AWARDS," as each and every trophy award presented to the winners emerged from a group oF Brown paper bags neatly placed on a bench in the performance area. A highly humorous moment occurred late in the proceedings when the long-time Elate member assigned to monitor and guard the awards, peeked into one of the bags, when she thought no one was looking, to discover the winner before the awardee was announced! Musical entertainment in-between the award presentations was provided by the group GIRL CRUSH, veteran singer, musican, and Elate Theatre Board Member Jeff Thorsen, and Marty McCambridge ( a very nice rendition of Gershwin's "Summertime" ) among others. And while a young male child of one of the attendees ( in proper scuba gear ) happily and quietly swam the length of The Bratcher House Pool, the modest, yet enthusiastic gathering of theatre folk cheered the winners!

Though attendance to the affair was more than respectable, not all of the nominated theatre performers, directors and producers were present at the ceremony. This became apparent when Lucy Krubiner, announced in a tie as winner of The Elate Season Ticket Holder Award for Best Supporting Actress for her fine performance as Lora in Tad Mosel's "IMPROMPTU" failed to grace the stage to collect her award. However, Lucy's mother, and fellow Best Supporting Actress Nominee for her strong performance as Winnifred in "IMPROMPTU," Casey Krubiner, was present, and gave a lovely speech, accepting the award on behalf of her daughter, and thanking all concerned with Lucy's victory. Other notable nominees present at the 2015 / 2016 Elate Season Ticket Holder Awards Ceremony included: Dr. Micheal McCambridge ( nominated as Elate Best Director for his staging of "THE NORDIC PRINCESS BREAKS THE ICE," and along with Lincoln Stegman, co-founded Elate back in 1984 ); Debbie Lowe ( a previous Elate Best Actress Award Winner for "THE SUPPORTING CAST" and who was nominated again this year as Elate Best Actress for her fine work as Jolene in "5 DAYS IN THE CARTER COUNTY JAIL" ); and Elate newcomer Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( a previous Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award Winner as Outstanding Actor In A Principal Role for his performance in Athol Fugard's "MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS", and who captured an Elate Best Actor Award nomination for his performance as the debonair, but aging, leading man, Ernest in Tad Mosel's "IMPROMPTU" ). Written in 1948, Tad Mosel's "IMPROMPTU" has become one of the most frequently produced and performed one-acts in the American Theatre.

The biggest winners at Saturday Evening's ceremony were Marty McCambridge's " THE NORDIC PRINCESS BREAKS THE ICE" ( which captured the BEST SHOW Award for Producers Anita George and Joseph Bell as well as BEST ACTRESS for McCambridge ) and the 4 One-Acts of "JUST 4 FUN", which captured one significant acting award for each work on the bill - including the surprise of two ties! - as well as the prize for BEST DIRECTOR, shared by Jeff Zimmer and Stanley Brown. The Complete List of Winners of The 2015 / 2016 ELATE SEASON TICKET HOLDER AWARDS include:

BEST SHOW: "The Nordic Princess Breaks The Ice" - Produced by Anita George and Joseph Bell.

BEST DIRECTOR: Jeff Zimmer and Stanley Brown for "Just 4 Fun".

BEST ACTOR: ( A TIE! ) Stanley Brown as Bill in "Ride Share" as part of "Just 4 Fun "; Tom Reilly as Sonny in "Sonny DeRee's Life Flashes Before His Eyes" as part of "Just 4 Fun."

BEST ACTRESS: Marty McCambridge as Herself in "The Nordic Princess Breaks The Ice."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jeff Zimmer as Mick in "Sonny DeRee's Life Flashes Before His Eyes" as part of "Just 4 Fun".

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: ( A TIE! ) Lucy Krubiner as Lora in "Impromptu" as part of "Just 4 Fun"; Gerrie Wilkowski as Millie in "5 Days In The Carter County Jail" as part of "Just 4 Fun."

Plans are currently underway to finalize the upcoming 2016 / 2017 Elate Season of Shows at The Lincoln Stegman Theatre in North Hollywood. Elate is a theatre group that is open to all in The Greater Los Angeles area arts community. Interested performers, directors and producers may submit their resume materials and proposals directly to the theatre by sending them to : ELATE, The Lincoln Stegman Theatre, 6020 Radford Ave., North Hollywood, Ca. 91606.

Theatregoers interested in becoming Elate Season Ticket Holders, eligible to vote on future awards presentations, may obtain information by visiting the ELATE FACEBOOK PAGE or calling the ELATE THEATRE HOTLINE: ( 818 ) 509-0882.

Elate is a ministry of The Emmanuel Lutheran Church.