Photo Flash: Inside The 30th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards

The 30th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Monday, January 13, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown LA.

Thirty-six awards were bestowed upon 13 different Southern California theatre companies. The most honored companies and productions of the year were Geffen Playhouse (A Christmas Carol, Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole); Fountain Theatre (Cost of Living, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play); Sophina Brown (Two Trains Running); Pasadena Playhouse (Ragtime); La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts (Singin' in the Rain); Skylight Theatre (Bronco Billy - The Musical); Center Theatre Group (Dana H.); and Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (Witness Uganda). Fountain Theatre received the Best Season Award (Cost of Living, Daniel's Husband, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play).

Ovation Honors, which recognizes outstanding achievement in areas that are not among the standard list of nomination categories, were awarded to Romero Moseley (Music Composition for a Play, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play at Fountain Theatre, and Dillon Nelson & Erin Walley (Puppet Design, Argonautika, A Noise Within).

Additionally, Center Theatre Group presented the 2019 Richard E. Sherwood Award for innovative and adventurous artists to writer, comedian, and performance artist Mat Diafos Sweeney. This award is endowed by the Sherwood family and is accompanied by $10,000 to further Sweeney's artistic work.

The ceremony was directed by Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx with musical direction by Dolf Ramos and choreography by Angela Todaro. Scenic advisor was Sarah Krainin, lighting design was by Tom Ontiveros, sound design was by Cricket Myers, and projection design was by Jason H. Thompson. Production stage manager was Cate Cundiff. Assistant stage managers were Brooke Baldwin and Courtney Rhodes. Producers were Marco Gomez, Max Oken, and Michaela Bulkley.

For more information, visit www.ovationawards.com.