LADCC lauds '13,' 'Kings'

'Zanna' nabs three nods while trio wins two

By JULIO MARTINEZ

The Center Theater Group, Mark Taper Forum staging of the tween tuner "13" and the Elephant Theater Company's gritty "In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings," each garnered four awards, including production, at the 39th annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, held Monday at North Hollywood's El Portal Theater.

Stage and film performer Jason Graae hosted the event and was presented with the Joel Hirschhorn Award for achievement in musical theater.

The West Coast Ensemble tuner "Zanna, Don't!" nabbed three nods. Garnering two each were Pasadena-based The Theater @ Boston Court's "dark play or stories for boys," Pacific Resident Theater's "Anatol" and the Reprise! Broadway's Best revival of the Rodgers & Hart period tuner "On Your Toes." Joel Daavid was a double honoree for his production designs (sets and lighting) for "In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings."

In all, 19 legiters were honored, with 13 small-stage productions (99 seats or fewer) cited along with six large and medium house stagings.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle was founded in 1969. It is dedicated to excellence in theatrical criticism, and to the encouragement and improvement of theater in Greater Los Angeles.

PRODUCTION

``13,'' Center Theater Group, Mark Taper Forum

``In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings,'' Elephant Theater Company in association with VS. Theater Company

T.H. McCULLOH AWARD FOR REVIVAL

``The Hasty Heart,'' Pacific Resident Theater Company

DIRECTION

Dan Bonnell, ``Anatol,'' Pacific Resident Theater Company

Nick DeGruccio, ``Zanna, Don't!,'' West Coast Ensemble at Lyric-Hyperion Theater

Michael Michetti, ``dark play or stories for boys,'' Theater @ Boston Court

WRITING

Jeff Goode, ``Love Loves a Pornographer,'' Circle X Theater Company [Inside the Ford]

Stephen Adly Guirgis, ``In Arabia We'd All Be Kings''

ADAPTATION

Matt Walker, ``Alice In One-Hit Wonderland,'' Troubadour Theater Company at Falcon Theater

MUSICAL DIRECTION

David O, ``13''

Gerald Sternbach, ``On Your Toes,'' Reprise! Broadway's Best at UCLA Freud Playhouse

MUSICAL SCORE

Jason Robert Brown, ``13''

CHOREOGRAPHY

Lee Martino, ``On Your Toes''

Janet Miller, ``Winter Wonderettes,'' El Portal Theater

LEAD PERFORMANCE

Danny Calvert, ``Zanna, Don't!''

Matt Letscher, ``Anatol''

Alan Mandell, ``Trying,'' Colony Theater

Rebecca Marcotte, ``Loyal Women,'' Theater Banshee

Laurie Metcalf, ``The Quality of Life,'' Geffen Playhouse, Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater

Gabriel Olds, ``Tryst,'' Black Dahlia Theater

FEATURED PERFORMANCE

Misty Cotton, ``A Little Night Music,'' South Coast Repertory

Adam Haas Hunter, ``dark play or stories for boys''

Shawn Lee, ``An Impending Rupture of the Belly,'' Furious Theater Company at Pasadena Playhouse Carrie Hamilton Theater

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

``13,'' Center Theater Group, Mark Taper Forum

``Zanna, Don't!,'' West Coast Ensemble

SCENIC DESIGN

Joel Daavid, ``In Arabia We'd All Be Kings''

LIGHTING DESIGN

Joel Daavid, ``In Arabia We'd All be Kings''

COSTUME DESIGN

Shon LeBlanc, ``The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore,'' Fountain Theater

The 2007 special award recipients are as follows:

The Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater by an individual, company or theater: Musical Theater West

The Polly Warfield Award for an outstanding single season by a small to mid-sized theater (sponsored by the Nederlander Organization): Theater Banshee

The Ted Schmitt Award for outstanding world premiere play in Los Angeles (sponsored by Samuel French): Jane Anderson for ``The Quality of Life.''

The Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theater (sponsored by the LADCC): Jason Graae.

The Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design (sponsored by Angstrom Lighting): Leigh Allen

A Special Award went to Jon Maher for his long-term outstanding achievement as an ASL interpreter (sponsored by the LADCC).