The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Reveals 2024 Season Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has revealed its 2024 Season Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees for theatrical excellence. 

For 2024, the Special Award Honorees include a range of artists, companies, and contributors who have demonstrated excellence in their fields.

The Road Theatre Company, under the leadership of Founder and Artistic Director Taylor Gilbert and Artistic Director Sam Anderson, receives the Polly Warfield Award for an outstanding season. John Perrin Flynn, co-founder and former Artistic Director of Rogue Machine Theatre, is recognized with the Gordon Davidson Award for his distinguished contributions to the Los Angeles theatrical community.

For outstanding achievement in musical theatre, East West Players earns the Joel Hirschhorn Award. Since its founding in 1965, the company has provided a platform for Asian American theatre artists to showcase their talent beyond the limitations of traditional casting. Stephen Sachs, co-founder and former Artistic Director of The Fountain Theatre, is honored with the Milton Katselas Award for his career and special achievements in direction.

The Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theatre goes to Marilyn Fox, who has served as Artistic Director of Pacific Resident Theatre since 1995. Tom Jacobson is recognized with the Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of his new play Crevasse, produced by The Victory Theatre Center & Son of Semele. John Zalewski, a sound designer and composer receives the Technical Design Award. Finally, the LADCC Community Impact Award is presented to the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

2024 AWARD CATEGORY FINALISTS

In 2024, LADCC voting members attended 116 productions eligible for consideration in 17 award categories. From 473 initial member nominations, members voted the following 85 Finalists from 21 shows presented by 17 companies from the greater Los Angeles theatre community.
 
Award recipients will be revealed in an upcoming announcement in connection with a live Reception Event for the theatre community.
 
Finalists by Award Category 
 

BEST PRODUCTION

A Strange Loop;  Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) 
Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse 
Company; Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele 
Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company 
Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall  
Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley 
 

McCULLOH AWARD FOR BEST REVIVAL

Company; Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall  
Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley 
The Piano Lesson; A Noise Within 
 

DIRECTION

Abigail Deser; Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company
Marianne Elliott; Company; Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Matthew McCray; Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Sideeq Heard and Saheem Ali; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Spencer Liff; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley

LEAD PERFORMANCE 

Ron Bottitta; Fatherland; Fountain Theatre
Darcy Rose Byrnes; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Alana Dietz; Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company
Patrick Keleher; Fatherland; Fountain Theatre
Leo Marks; Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Katerina McCrimmon; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
Ann Noble; Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Anthony Norman; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Marcel Spears; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Michael Sturgis; Clarkston; Echo Theater Company
 

FEATURED PERFORMANCE 

Nikki Crawford; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Thomas Dekker; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Nicole DuPort; Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company
Izaiah Montaque Harris; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
Melissa Manchester; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
John-Andrew Morrison; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
Ann Noble; The Skin of Our Teeth; A Noise Within
Eileen T’Kaye; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
Nicole Parker; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Bryan Daniel Porter; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
 

SOLO PERFORMANCE 

Kate Berlant; Kate; Pasadena Playhouse
Alex Edelman; Alex Edelman’s Just for Us; Center Theatre Group (Mark Taper Forum)
Helder Guimarães; The Hope Theory; Geffen Playhouse
Sara Porkalob; Dragon Lady; Geffen Playhouse
 

ENSEMBLE 

Reefer Madness; Independently produced @ The Whitley
A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)
Arrowhead; IAMA Theatre Company
Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Pacific Overtures; East West Players
 

WRITING — ORIGINAL

Samuel D. Hunter; Clarkston; Echo Theater Company
Michael R. Jackson; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)
Catya McMullen; Arrowhead; IAMA Theatre Company
Abby Rosebrock; Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company
 

WRITING — ADAPTATION 

David Lindsay-Abaire; Kimberly Akimbo; Hollywood Pantages Theatre
James Ijames; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
 

MUSIC & LYRICS 

Jeff Gardner; The Piano Lesson; A Noise Within
Michael R. Jackson; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) 
Mel Mercier; Waiting for Godot; Geffen Playhouse
Jeanine Tesori/David Lindsay-Abaire; Kimberly Akimbo; Hollywood Pantages Theatre
 

ORCHESTRATION & MUSIC DIRECTION 

Elaine Davidson (Music Direction); Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall 
David Lamoureux (Music Direction); Reefer Madness; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Marc Macalintal (Music Direction); Pacific Overtures; East West Players
Chris Walker (Orchestration); Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
 

CHOREOGRAPHY 

Spencer Liff/Maxx Reed; Reefer Madness; Independently Produced @ the Whitley
Raja Feather Kelly; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)
Ellenore Scott/Ayodele Casel; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall
Yuka Takara/Nakamura Gankyō; Pacific Overtures; East West Players
 

LIGHTING DESIGN 

Kevin Adams; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall 
Bradley King; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Azra King-Abadi; Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Matt Richter; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
 

SCENIC DESIGN 

Katrina Coulorides; Mercury; Road Theatre Company
Maruti Evans; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
Arnulfo Maldonado; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)
Lee Savage; Clue; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)

COSTUME DESIGN 

Montana Levi Blanco; A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre)
Susan Helferty; Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall 
Pinwheel Pinwheel; Reefer Madness; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Naomi Yoshida; Pacific Overtures; East West Players
 

SOUND DESIGN 

Charles Glaudini/David Lamoureux; Reefer Madness: The Musical; Independently produced @ The Whitley
Christopher Moscatiello; Monsters of the American Cinema; Rogue Machine Theatre
Robert Oriol; The Skin of Our Teeth; A Noise Within
Mikaal Sulaiman; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
 

VISUAL EFFECTS DESIGN 

Nicholas Santiago; Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele
Skylar Fox; Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse
 

Citation Totals by Production 

Reefer Madness: The Musical; The Whitley; 14 nominations
Funny Girl; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre) and Segerstrom Hall; 11 nominations
Fat Ham; Geffen Playhouse; 10 nominations
A Strange Loop; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre); 8 nominations
Crevasse; Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele; 7 nominations
Dido of Idaho; Echo Theater Company; 5 nominations
Pacific Overtures; East West Players; 4 nominations
Company; Hollywood Pantages Theatre; 3 nominations
Arrowhead; IAMA Theatre Company; 2 nominations
Clarkston; Echo Theater Company; 2 nominations
Fatherland; The Fountain Theatre; 2 nominations
Kimberly Akimbo; Hollywood Pantages Theatre; 2 nominations
The Piano Lesson; A Noise Within; 2 nominations
The Skin of Our Teeth; A Noise Within; 2 nominations
Alex Edelman’s Just for Us; Center Theatre Group (Mark Taper Forum); 1 nomination
Clue; Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre); 1 nomination
Dragon Lady; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination
Kate; Pasadena Playhouse; 1 nomination
Mercury; The Road Theatre Company; 1 nomination
Monsters of the American Cinema; Rogue Machine Theatre; 1 nomination
The Hope Theory; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination
Waiting for Godot; Geffen Playhouse; 1 nomination

Citation Totals by Presenting Companies
Center Theatre Group; 21 nominations
The Whitley; 14 nominations
Geffen Playhouse; 13 nominations
Segerstrom Hall; 11 nominations
Echo Theater Company; 7 nominations
Victory Theatre Center and Son of Semele; 7 nominations
Hollywood Pantages Theatre; 5 nominations
A Noise Within; 4 nominations
East West Players; 4 nominations
The Fountain Theatre; 2 nominations
IAMA Theatre Company; 2 nominations
Pasadena Playhouse; 1 nomination
The Road Theatre Company; 1 nomination
Rogue Machine Theatre; 1 nomination
 
Congratulations to all the 2024 Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees!
 
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