French Stewart Hosts 44th L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards Tonight

French Stewart, TV star ("3rd Rock From the Sun") and local theatre mainstay ("Stoneface": "Voice Lessons") will host the 44th annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) Awards tonight, March 18 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St. downtown. Tickets for the show and opening reception, which will start at 6:30 pm, can be reserved by e-mailing crixawards2013@gmail.com. All seats are $30.

Stewart will preside over this year's theme "Theatre Everywhere," focusing on the wide geographical range within which LADCC members travel in the course of a year to see and celebrate the best of live performance. Top representatives of local institutions - including Michael Ritchie of CTG; Sheldon Epps of The Pasadena Playhouse; Barbara Beckley of The Colony Theatre; and Zombie Joe of Zombie Joe's Underground - will assist Circle members in presenting awards in 17 competitive categories as well as a host of special award plaques.

Entertainment, too, will come from all over the region. Almost two dozen performers from Orange County will reunite to perform "The Rumble" from the Chance Theatre's acclaimed and nominated revival of "West Side Story." The cast of "Justin Love," the smash musical that originated at Celebration Theatre - winner of this year's Margaret Harford Award for distinguished achievement - will appear alongside performers from "The Color Purple" (Cesili Williams); "The New Electric Ballroom" (Tim Cummings); and "Bad Apples" (Kate Morgan Chadwick, accompanied by the show's composer/lyricists Beth Thornley and Rob Cairns.)

Ryan Johnson, nominated for his score for "Stoneface" which starred Stewart as the legendary Buster Keaton, serves as musical director for the evening, which will be produced by Daily Variety and ArtsinLA.com critic Bob Verini. Production stage manager is Heatherlynn Gonzalez. Award-winning sound designer Cricket S. Myers lends her skills to the event, whose associate producer is Peter Finlayson of Footlights Publishing.

A cash bar with great food and a silent auction (cash and checks only, please) will occupy the 6:30-7:30 hour, until doors open and the annual celebration of great L.A. area theatre begins. For more information, check the website at ladramacriticscircle.com.