And the award goes to... Yes, it's awards season, but it's not just film and TV actors getting the nods. Nominees for the 2015 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced today, giving a tip of the hat to theater companies—large and small—across the city.
Topping the list with the most amount of nominations is Ebony Repertory Theatre and Center Theatre Group with an impressive 14 each. Ebony Rep's production of The Gospel at Colonus took center stage, including nominations for best production of a musical (large theater), best musical ensemble and best lead actress in a musical. As for Center Theatre Group, the company's The Trip to Bountiful was nominated for best presented production, but the theater company was also nominated for a number of supporting awards including best costume design and lighting design.
The most interesting race, the coveted best season award, is a fight between La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Rubicon Theatre Company, The Theatre @ Boston Court, and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. All of the theaters had interesting productions—Wallis hosted Deaf West's "Spring Awakening" before it went to Broadway, where it's currently being staged—so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
The Ovation Awards were founded in 1989 by LA STAGE Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to growing the performing arts in the greater LA area, and they are the only peer-judged theater awards in LA. Productions that were eligible for this year's awards were produced between September 1, 2014 and August 30 of this year.
The winners will be announced during a ceremony at Ahmanson Theatre on November 9 at 7:30pm, which is open to the public.