Ginna Carter

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the recipients of its 48th annual awards for distinguished achievement in theatre tonight, Monday, March 20, at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle is proud to announce a new special award to be presented at its upcoming awards ceremony on March 20: The Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community. The award is sponsored by the Center Theatre Group, where Gordon Davidson served as the founding Artistic Director from 1967 to 2005, and will be presented this year to Pro99.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County theatre for the year 2016 (Dec. 1, 2015 - Nov. 30, 2016).

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

1948's Summer and Smoke was rewritten in the 60s by Tennessee Williams and what resulted was a more clearly structured/themed play with the same central characters entitled The Eccentricities of a Nightingale. Music teacher Miss Alma (Ginna Carter), daughter of an Episcopal minister Reverend Winemiller (Brad Greenquist), was passionately in love with her neighbor young Dr. John Buchanan (Andrew Dits) and when that love was unrequited rather than become a miserable spinster, she turned to  prostitution. Now in a rare and lovely production of the refined play at PRT, poetic spirit is alive and well in Miss Alma, the Spanish word for soul.

Today, Friday, Aug 5, Arts on Review welcomes actress Ginna Carter (Alma) and director Dana Jackson from the Pacific Resident Theatre production of Tennessee Williams' Eccentricities of a Nightingale, extended until September 25.

Centered around the same characters first introduced in his play SUMMER AND SMOKE, Williams now explores how despite their differences, John Buchanan (the almost too handsome Andrew Dits) and Alma Winemiller (Ginna Carter who totally embodies the quirky character who sings like a Southern nightingale), are still magnetically drawn to each other after he returns home to Glorius Hill, Mississippi, following his Summa Cum Laude graduation as a medical doctor from Johns Hopkins University. The preacher's daughter boldly seizes on a chance to follow her heart's inclinations in their small town where, too often, dreams die quickly. Tennessee Williams' subtly seductive play centers on the passionately complex and sometimes cruel relationships to which love becomes vulnerable, when we are strong enough to allow it.

 Pacific Resident Theatre (Marilyn Fox, Artistic Director) celebrates their 30th season by announcing the opening of THE ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE by Tennessee Williams. Dana Jackson (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and LA Weekly nomination - The Cherry Orchard) directs.

Members of the 'Pro99' movement of Actors' Equity Association have issued an open letter to AEA's newly elected president, Kate Shindle, in response to her victory and to her inaugural address as president of the national union for actors and stage managers. The open letter is signed by over 400 Equity members (listed below), including such notable names as Ed Asner, Francis Fisher, Sally Kirkland and Alfred Molina. The 'Pro99' movement formed in late 2014 in opposition to AEA's rollout of a new plan that will effectively force 'intimate theaters' in Los Angeles to pay Equity actors minimum wage, go 'non-union' or even close - despite an overwhelming vote against the plan by 66% of the Los Angeles membership on an advisory referendum. 'Pro99' members around the nation, who take their name from the current AEA '99 Seat Plan' that allows members to volunteer in smaller venues, oppose AEA's new promulgated plan. They are requesting that Equity leadership put a moratorium on the plan until local members' voices can be heard, and that the union work with its members to develop an alternative plan that will more realistically address the needs of the Los Angeles theater community.

Resonance Ensemble has announced the cast for their 10th anniversary season "Connecting Circuits" featuring two shows in rep, a classic play and new play with resonating themes. This season includes the classic 1920 play R.U.R. by Karel ?apek, adapted by Lee Eric Shackleford, directed by Valentina Fratti in rep with THE TRUTH QUOTIENT, by award-winning playwright Richard Manley, directed By Eric Parness. The season will run tonight, January 9 - February 2, 2013 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42 Street).

Resonance Ensemble has announced the cast for their 10th anniversary season "Connecting Circuits" featuring two shows in rep, a classic play and new play with resonating themes. This season includes the classic 1920 play R.U.R. by Karel ?apek, adapted by Lee Eric Shackleford, directed by Valentina Fratti in rep with THE TRUTH QUOTIENT, by award-winning playwright Richard Manley, directed By Eric Parness. The season will run from January 9 - February 2, 2013 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42 Street).

Resonance Ensemble announces its 10th anniversary season with "Connecting Circuits" featuring two shows in rep, a classic play and new play with resonating themes. This season includes the classic 1920 play R.U.R. by Karel Capek, adapted by Lee Eric Shackleford, directed by Valentina Fratti in rep with THE TRUTH QUOTIENT, by award-winning playwright Richard Manley, directed By Eric Parness. The season will run from January 9 - February 2, 2013 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42 Street).

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Opening Night is tonight, June 9 (8 p.m.).

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Performances begin tonight, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 24. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.).

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Performances begin Thursday, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 24. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.).

The June 21st (4pm) and June 22nd (8pm) performances of The Other Day, a world premiere drama benefitting the Hetrick-Martin Institute, will celebrate LGBT Pride with a free drink following these final performances.