Nominations Announced for 2017 Stage Raw Theatre Awards, Hosted by Vanessa & French Stewart

Stage Raw announces the nominations for its third annual awards show "A Wake and Sing!," coming Monday, May 15 to Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street, Downtown. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m.

These are hard, weird times in the USA. These are hard, weird times across L.A. theater.

There's been a death in the family. The Kid was murdered. We think the killer was the mob. You know what we're saying. The Kid didn't do no wrong. Just wanted to put on plays. Was murdered in cold blood, and blood don't run no colder than the blood that runs through the mob that killed the Kid.

The Kid was buried December 14. It was a quiet funeral. Out with a whimper. But now the time for quiet is over. Join everybody's favorite plaintiffs French Stewart and Vanessa Stewart for a shit-kicking, noisy raise-your-glasses, raise-your voices wake, otherwise known as the Third Annual Stage Raw Theater Awards, a musical celebration of the best of 99-seat theater in 2016, and the best of 99-seat theater since 1979, and what's possible for the future.

Music provided by No Static Trio + and other guests. All tickets $25, to RSVP, please visit www.eventbrite.com/e/stage-raw-theater-awards-2017-tickets-33416453512. Pre-show VIP buffet $100, RSVP www.eventbrite.com/e/stage-raw-theater-awards-2017-tickets-33416453512 to support Stage Raw!

THE STAGE RAW THEATER AWARDS are dedicated to honoring the swath of innovative works of theater in Los Angeles County, in venues of up-to-99-seats. These are works that for any number of reasons, can't or don't typically get produced in larger theaters. When they do, it's often because they've been incubated in the smaller theaters; that very incubation is the focus of Stage Raw and its theater awards.

These are harrowing times for artists in our culture. Despite the seeming freedoms of expression provided by social media, the live performing arts, which provide vital and often novel forms of expressing the beauty and discontent of our lives, are being increasingly marginalized and shuttered because they can't be monetized.

For thousands of years, the performing arts have generated works that have survived centuries because of their innate wisdom and relevance, works that have always depended on subsidy and patronage to be born. These works are created in Los Angeles County by artists who see theater as a calling as much as a profession, and these are the artists, and their now embattled system of creating the kind of art they love, that Stage Raw stands behind.

STAGE RAW is an evolving digital experiment, a virtual laboratory for what new arts journalism can be.

Its mission is not to restore a model from the past, but to fuse interactive, innovative means to bring new life into the medium. Of course, StageRaw.com reviews arts events, nudging audiences toward the best of them. However, we are currently in the process of also revitalizing our video and podcast features and documentaries on our most cherished arts institutions, and, with our Citizen Raw, engage people in their 20s and 30s for content, juxtaposed with contributions by seasoned journalists.

---

THE 2016 NOMINEES:

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY

Jen Albert, PUNCH AND JUDY (School of Night)

Ahmed Best, BLUEBERRY TOAST (Echo Theater Company)

Edgar Landa, THAT PRETTY PRETTY; OR, THE RAPE PLAY (Son of Semele Ensemble)

VIDEO/PROJECTION DESIGN

Lily Bartenstein, THE END TIMES (Skylight Theatre)

Matthew Hill, HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theatre)

Hana S. Kim, BLOOD (The Garage)

Dmitri Kmelnitsky & Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh, THE DIG (Los Angeles Theatre Center)

Nicholas Santiago, CHURCH AND STATE (Skylight Theatre)

Nicholas Santiago, OBAMAOLOGY (Skylight Theatre)

Chris Thume & Daniel Donado, NOSFERATU (Crown City Theatre)

SOUND DESIGN

John Farmanesh-Bocca & Adam Phalen, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

Jeff Gardner, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Tim Labor, THE DIG (Los Angeles Theatre Center)

Christopher Moscatiello, HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theatre)

Cricket Meyers, FOUR CHORDS AND A GUN (Bootleg Theatre)

John Nobori, THE GOLDEN DRAGON (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

John Zalewski, THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

John Zaleweski, THAT PRETTY PRETTY; OR, THE RAPE PLAY (Son of Semele Ensemble)

LIGHTING DESIGN

Leigh Allen, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Iain Court, THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

Jennifer Edwards, MY MAÑANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre) Bosco Flanagan, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

Donny Jackson, A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

Pat Kinevane, Jim Culleton, and Katelan Braymer, UNDERNEATH (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

Dan Weingarten, HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theatre)

Dan Weingarten, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

COSTUME DESIGN

Denise Blasor, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

Elizabeth A. Cox, POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Dona Granata, BLOOD (The Garage)

Michael Mullen, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

Stephanie Pegano & Clare Amos - THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

Leah Piehl, HEDDA GABLER (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Naila Aladdin Sanders, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

A. Jeffrey Schoenberg, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Noah Agruss, BARS AND MEASURES (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

Denis Clohessy, UNDERNEATH (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

Will Mahood, THE HAIRY APE (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble) Robert Oriol, Thomas Chan, David Bickford & Gray Palmer, OUR MANY GHOSTS (Animal Show)

CHOREOGRAPHY

Christopher M. Albrecht, URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

Sophie Bortolussi, THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

John Farmanesh-Bocca, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

Janet Roston, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)Lisaun Whittingham, NOSFERATU (Crown City Theatre)

MUSICAL DIRECTION

Noah Agruss, BARS AND MEASURES (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

Bryan Blaskie, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

Gregory Nabours, URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

SET DESIGN

Nina Caussa, THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness) Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, THE SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND! (Rogue Machine Theatre)

David Mauer, DUTCH MASTERS (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Keith Mitchell, HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theater)

Michael Navarro, MY MAÑANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre) Bruce Nozick, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Se Oh, BED (Echo Theater Company)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Maria Gobetti and Tom Ormeny

QUEEN OF THE ANGELS

Jerry Charlson

SOLO PERFORMANCE

Stacey Chaiken, THE DIG (Los Angeles Theatre Center)

Pat Kineane, UNDERNEATH (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

Michael Laskin, ALTMAN'S LAST STAND (Zephyr Theatre)

Deborah Puette, CAPTAIN OF THE BIBLE QUIZ TEAM (Rogue Machine Theatre)

TWO PERSON PERFORMANCE

Larry Bates and Danielle Truitt, THE MOUNTAINTOP (The Matrix Theatre)

Corey Dorris & Josh Zuckerman, DUTCH MASTERS (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Elizabeth Frances & Brian Tichell, DREAM CATCHER (The Fountain Theatre)

Emily Hinkler and Elizabeth Hinkler, MY SISTER (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

Emily James & Patrick Stafford, SMOKE (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Lindsay Plake & Alexa Yeames, RIGHT LEFT WITH HEELS (City Garage)

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

Ted Barton, URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

Andrew Bongiorno, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

Ashley Kane, URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

Michael Mittman, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre) Bess Motta, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

Jessica Pennington, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

SUPPORTING MALE PERFORMANCE

Tony Amendola, HEDDA GABLER (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Nick Ballard, A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

Josh Brener, FOUR CHORDS AND A GUN (Bootleg Theater)

Steve Hofvendahl, THE ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center)

Gildart Jackson, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

Rob Nagle, POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Peter Pasco, MY MAÑANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre)

Dash Pepin & Willem Long, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

MALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE

Troy Blendell, PHRAZZLED (Theatre of NOTE)

J.D. Cullum, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Albert Dayans, BLUEBERRY TOAST (Echo Theater Company)

Tony DeCarlo, PHRAZZLED (Theatre of NOTE)

Bo Foxworth, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Bruce Nozick, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Rodney To, ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Echo Theater Company)

LEADING MALE PERFORMANCE

Sam Anderson, JOHN IS A FATHER (The Road Theatre)

Bill Brochtrup, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Matthew Elkins, POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Burl Moseley, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Rob Nagle, CHURCH AND STATE (Skylight Theatre)

Matt Orduna, BARS AND MEASURES (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

Lawrence Stallings, MY MAÑANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre)

Jack Stehlin, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

FEMALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE

Tasha Ames, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Bonnie Bailey-Reed, SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Gina Garcia-Sharp, PHRAZZLED (Theatre of NOTE)

Rebecca Gray, ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Echo Theater Company)

Tara Karsian, ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Echo Theater Company)

Victoria Ortiz, SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Inger Tudor, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Jacqueline Wright, BLUEBERRY TOAST (Echo Theater Company)

SUPPORTING FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Kimberly Alexander, THE ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center) Miho Ando, BLOOD (The Garage)

Paula Christensen, COLONY COLLAPSE (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

Zehra Fazal, ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center)

Tracey Lockwood, CHURCH AND STATE (Skylight Theatre Company)

Abigail Marks, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Ann Noble, HEDDA GABLER (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Hannah Prichart, A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

LEADING FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Tara Battani, SUMMER AND SMOKE (Actors Co-op)

Kate Morgan Chadwick, BED (Echo Theater Company)

Connor Kelly-Eiding, DRY LAND (Echo Theater Company)

Lily Nicksay, A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

Jaimi Paige, HEDDA GABLER (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Jonica Patella, MEDEA (Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group)

Deborah Puette, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

Teagan Rose, DRY LAND (Echo Theater Company)

ADAPTATION

HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theatre)

NOSFERATU (Crown City Theatre)

TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

PLAYWRITING

Will Arbery, THE MONGOOSE (The Road Theatre)

Sheila Callaghan, BED (Echo Theater Company)

Gregg T. Daniel, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Aliza Goldstein, A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

Elizabeth Irwin, MY MANANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre) Phinneas Kiyomura, PHRAZZLED (Theatre of NOTE)

Erik Patterson, ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Echo Theater Company)

Jason Wells, THE ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

THE GOLDEN DRAGON (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

HANSEL AND GRETEL BLUEGRASS (24th Street Theatre)

MY MAÑANA COMES (The Fountain Theatre)

POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

RIGHT LEFT WITH HEELS (City Garage)

THE SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND! (Rogue Machine Theatre)

TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

COMEDY ENSEMBLE

BLUEBERRY TOAST (Echo Theater Company)

HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Rogue Machine Theatre)

PUNCH AND JUDY (School of Night)

THE SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND! (Rogue Machine Theatre)

ENSEMBLE

AMERYKA (Critical Mass Performance Group)

BLOOD (The Garage)

THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

THE ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center)

THE GOLDEN DRAGON (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

COMEDY DIRECTION

Gregg T. Daniel, HONKY (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Chris Fields, ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Echo Theater Company)

Kari Hayter, URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

Christopher Johnson, PUNCH AND JUDY (School of Night)

Dustin Wills, BLUEBERRY TOAST (Echo Theater Company)

DIRECTION

Robert Allan Ackerman, BLOOD (The Garage)

Alana Dietze, DRY LAND (Echo Theater Company)

John Farmanesh-Bocca, TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

John Perrin Flynn, POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

Nancy Keystone, AMERYKA (Critical Mass Performance Group)

Annie Saunders/Sophie Bortolussi, THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT (Wilderness)

Michael A. Shepperd, THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

Casey Stangl, CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

MUSICAL OF THE YEAR

THE BOY FROM OZ (Celebration Theatre)

URINETOWN (Coeurage Theatre Company)

REVIVAL OF THE YEAR

CLOUD 9 (Antaeus Theatre Company)

FOOL FOR LOVE (Los Angeles LGBT Center)

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR

AMERYKA (Critical Mass Performance Group)

BARS AND MEASURES (The Theatre @ Boston Court)

DRY LAND (Echo Theater Company)

ENGINE OF OUR RUIN (The Victory Theatre Center)

ONE OF THE NICE ONES (Rogue Machine Theatre)

POCATELLO (Rogue Machine Theatre)

A SINGULAR THEY (The Blank Theatre)

TEMPEST REDUX (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble & New American Theatre)

---

The STAGE RAW Celebration is Monday, May 15 at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street (VIP reception 6:30p.m.; doors Open at 6:30. Awards Program begins at 7:30pm), General Admission Tickets are $25, VIP Tickets $100, available at www.eventbrite.com/e/stage-raw-theater-awards-2017-tickets-33416453512 or visit stageraw.com.