'Saigon' gets four Ovation Awards

Cabrillo Music Theatre wins six trophies

By PHIL GALLO

Neil Patrick Harris hosted the Ovation Awards.

"Jekyll and Hyde" and "Singin’ in the Rain" guided the Cabrillo Music Theater to six Ovation Award wins Monday. The Ovations honor achievements in Southern California theater.

"Miss Saigon," produced by the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities, took home the most awards, four, including top musical in a large theater. "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Singin’ in the Rain" each won three, as did the Geffen Playhouse’s production of "The Quality of Life."

The Ovations categorize awards according to the size of theaters. "Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara," from the Sacred Fools Theater Company, won the trophy for musical in an intimate theater; "Avenue Q," which played Center Theater Group’s Ahmanson, was named top touring production.

The nod for play in a large theater went to "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe," from the Rubicon Theater Company; intimate theater award went to "The Quality of Life," which also drew the playwriting nod for Jane Anderson and lead actress for Laurie Metcalf.

John Bucchino and Daisy Prince won the book/lyrics/music for an original musical award for their "It’s Only Life."

The Ovation Awards, which honor members of the L.A. Stage Alliance, were handed out in a ceremony at the Harriet & Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State Los Angeles.

Thesp Neil Patrick Harris hosted the event.

And the winners are:

PLAYWRITING FOR AN ORIGINAL PLAY
Jane Anderson
"The Quality of Life"
Geffen Playhouse

BOOK/LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino;
Conceived by John Bucchino and Daisy Prince
"It's Only Life"
Rubicon Theatre Company

RAY STRICKLYN MEMORIAL AWARD FOR SOLO PERFORMANCE
Nilaja Sun
"No Child..."
Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Stan Chandler
David Engel
Larry Raben
Darcie Roberts
"The Andrews Brothers"
Musical Theatre West

DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Matt Shakman
"Secrets of the Trade"
Black Dahlia Theatre

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
NIck DeGruccio
"Jekyll & Hyde"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Larry Raben
"Singin' in the Rain"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY
Bradley Rapier
"City Kid - The Musical"
City Kid Productions, LLC

MUSICAL DIRECTION
Alby Potts
"Singin' in the Rain"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

TOURING PRODUCTION
Avenue Q
Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre

PLAY INTIMATE THEATRE
The Quality of Life
Geffen Playhouse

PLAY LARGE THEATRE
R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe
Rubicon Theatre Company

FRANKLIN R. LEVY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MUSICAL INTIMATE THEATRE
Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara
Sacred Fools Theatre Company

MUSICAL LARGE THEATRE
Miss Saigon
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

SET DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Desma Murphy
"And Neither Have I Wings To Fly"
Road Theatre Company

SET DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Thomas S. Giamario
"Bus Stop"
Rubicon Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Jeremy Pivnick
"Crime and Punishment"
Actors Co-op/Crossley Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Darrell Clark
"Miss Saigon"
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

LIGHTING DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Steven Young
"Jekyll & Hyde"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

SOUND DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Ken Rich
"The Common Air"
Elephant Stageworks

SOUND DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
John Feinstein
"Miss Saigon"
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

COSTUME DESIGN INTIMATE THEATRE
Scott A. Lane
"Pest Control - The Musical"
Open at the Top Productions

COSTUME DESIGN LARGE THEATRE
Paul Tazewell
"Ray Charles LIVE - A New Musical"
Pasadena Playhouse

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Joe Spano
as R. Buckminster Fuller
"R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe"
Rubicon Theatre Company

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
John Glover
as Martin Kerner
"Secrets of the Trade"
Black Dahlia Theatre

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Laurie Metcalf
as Jeannette
"The Quality of Life"
Geffen Playhouse

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Robert J. Townsend
as Jekyll/Hyde
"Jekyll & Hyde"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jennifer Paz as Kim
"Miss Saigon"
Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAYBarry Lynch as Candy
"Of Mice and Men"
Theatre Banshee

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAYJ. Nicole Brooks as Nina
"As Much As You Can"
Hendel Productions West

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICALRandy Rogel as Cosmo Brown
"Singin' in the Rain"
Cabrillo Music Theatre

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Gwen Stewart as Sylvia
"All Shook Up"
Musical Theatre West