French Stewart To Host LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards Ceremony 11/14

Television, film, and stage star French Stewart will host the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards Ceremony for the 2011 theatre season on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The curtain will rise at 7:30pm.

Along with being a multiple nominee himself this year for his performances in Voice Lessons and Watson - The Last Great Tale of the Legendary Sherlock Holmes (both at Sacred Fools Theatre), Stewart has appeared on LA stages for the past 25 years, in productions such as Zombie Attack and Pot Mom (Cast Theatre) and, more recently, Matthew Modine Saves The Alpacas at the Geffen Playhouse, among many others.

Said Stewart, "As a longtime LA theatre honk, I am truly thrilled to host the Ovation Awards. It's the best kind of family reunion." Said LA STAGE CEO Terence McFarland, "When I read French's article for LA STAGE Times (http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/08/la-small-theater-weird-little-pirate-ships/), I knew I had found the perfect host for this year's ceremony, with his longstanding love of and commitment to the community. When he arrived to our first meeting dressed identically to me, it didn't hurt, either. Kindred spirits, indeed!"

Well known for his work on the classic television series Third Rock From The Sun, Stewart has also appeared on Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Just Shoot Me, The Drew Cary Show, Newsradio, Bones, The Closer, CSI, Castle, Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, and Stargate Universe. His film credits include Stargate, Leaving Las Vegas, Inspector Gadget 2, The Flock, Surveillance, and cult favorite Love Stinks.

Awards will be given in 30 competitive categories, and the recipients of the 2011 Sherwood Award and four 2011 Ovation Honors will be acknowledged. The Ovation Awards are tabulated by Green Hasson Janks.

LA Stage Alliance CEO Terence McFarland will lead this year's production team as executive producer, with Dan Fresh (Greenway Arts Alliance) as producer. Associate producers are Jessica Hanna (Bootleg Theater) and Douglas Clayton (LA STAGE). The production design is by Ovation nominee Dan Weingarten, with projection design by Adam Fleming. Musical direction will be by the Ovation Award-winning David O, accompanied on stage by Ameenah Kaplan (Ovation nominee) and Dean Mora (past Ovation Award winner). The voices of the Ovations are Bernadette Sullivan and Robert Yacko. Adeena Welle serves as stage manager, and the Ovation statues will be presented by the USC MFA class of 2012.

LA Stage Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity, The Angell Foundation, Arts Council of Long Beach, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA), City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Pasadena, City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Goldstar, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Times, MusiCares/Grammy Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, SDC, The Shubert Foundation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The 2011 Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. The curtain goes up at 7:30pm. For information, to become a volunteer or a sponsor, and to purchase tickets, visit www.LASTAGEOvations.com.

Photo Credit: BWW-Staff