L.A. Critics love 'Gem of the Ocean'

Play nabs eight theater award nominations

By PHIL GALLO

'Gem of the Ocean'

The Fountain Theater's production of August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean" secured eight Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nominations to lead the pack for the 40th annual crix awards.

Garnering four each were the Elephant Theater Company's "Anything," "Sacred Fools' "Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara," the Hayworth's "Lovelace: A Rock Opera" and the Rogue Artists Ensemble's "The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch."

Up for top production are "Anything," "Troubadour Theater Company's "As U2 Like It," A Noise Within's "Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist," Havok's "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead," "Gem of the Ocean," Theatricum Botanicum's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara."

The 40th annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony will take place March 16 at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. Awards will be given in 19 categories along with five special awards to honor Los Angeles and Orange County theater of 2008.

.The Ted Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play will be awarded to EM Lewis for "Song of Extinction." The Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theater will be awarded to Sacred Fools Theater Company.

The Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design will be awarded to Lisa D. Katz. The Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater will be awarded to the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company. The Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre will be awarded to Nick DeGruccio.

Production

"Anything," Elephant Theatre Company at the Lillian Theatre

"As U2 Like It," Troubadour Theater Company at the Falcon Theatre

"Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, "A Noise Within

"Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead," Havok Theatre Company at the Hudson Backstage Theatre

"Gem of the Ocean," Fountain Theatre

"Long Day's Journey Into Night," Theatricum Botanicum

"Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara," Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

McCulloh Award for Revival (shows written between 1920 and 1980)

Fata Morgana, Pacific Resident Theatre

Of Mice and Men, Theatre Banshee

The Time of Your Life, Pacific Resident Theatre

Direction

Jeremy Aldridge, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

  Ben Bradley, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Heidi Helen Davis, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Theatricum Botanicum

David Fofi, Anything, Elephant Theatre Company at the Lillian Theatre

Ken Sawyer, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

Writing

Athol Fugard, Victory, the Fountain Theatre

Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill, The Common Air, SoulArt and Elephant C.A.F.E at Theatre Asylum

Tim McNeil, Anything, Elephant Theatre Company at the Lillian Theatre

Writing (Adaptation)

Neil Bartlett, Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, A Noise Within

Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, Crime and Punishment, Actors Co-op

Sean T. Cawelti with Miles Taber and the Rogues, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater

Music Direction

Andy Einhorn and David Loud, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Dennis Kaye, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Michael Paternostro, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at Bootleg Theatre

Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Christine Lakin, As U2 Like It, Troubadour Theater Company at the Falcon Theatre

Lee Martino, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at Bootleg Theatre

Lee Martino, All Shook Up, Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Center

Musical Score

Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Dolly Parton, 9 to 5: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Anna Waronker and Charlotte Caffey, additional lyrics by Jeffery Leonard Bowman, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

Lead Performance

Chad Borden, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at Bootleg Theatre

Sean Branney, Of Mice and Men, Theatre Banshee

Jake Broder, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Sacred Fools Theater Company at Sacred Fools and at the Matrix Theatre

Joe Egender, He Asked for It, Theatre of NOTE

Ellen Geer, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Theatricum Botanicum

John Glover, Secrets of the Trade, the Black Dahlia Theatre

Louis Jacobs, Anything, Elephant Theatre Company at the Lillian Theatre

Judy Kaye, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Katrina Lenk, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

Libby West, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, International City Theatre

Featured Performance

JD Cullum, Don Juan, A Noise Within

Beth Kennedy, As U2 Like It, Troubadour Theater Company at the Falcon Theatre

Sharon Lawrence, Orson's Shadow, Pasadena Playhouse

Irene Roseen, Fata Morgana, Pacific Resident Theatre

Joseph Ruskin, The Last Seder, Ensemble Studio Theatre--LA and the Greenway Arts Alliance at the Greenway Court Theatre

Jimmy Swan, Lovelace: A Rock Opera, Hayworth Theatre

Adolphus Ward, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Ensemble Performance

Assassins, West Coast Ensemble at The El Centro Theatre

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Havok Theatre Company at the Hudson Backstage Theatre

Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

The Kentucky Cycle Part II, California Repertory Company at The Armory

Stupid Kids, Celebration Theatre

Set Design

Danny Cistone, On An Average Day, VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Theatre Lab

Joel Daavid, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater

Laura Fine Hawkes, Snake in the Grass, Salem K Theatre Company at The Matrix Theatre

Lighting Design

Christian Epps, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Derrick McDaniel, On An Average Day, VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Theatre Lab

Steven Young, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company at the Bootleg Theatre

Steven Young, Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story, Havok Theatre Company at the Hudson Backstage Theatre

Costume Design

Audrey Eisner, Fata Morgana, Pacific Resident Theatre

Sharon McGunigle, Alice in One-Hit Wonderland 2: Through the Looking Glass, Troubadour Theater Company at the Falcon Theatre

Nailia Aladdin Sanders, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Shigeru Yaji, An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, South Coast Repertory

Sound Design

David B. Marling, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Ken Rich, The Common Air, SoulArt and Elephant C.A.F.E at Theatre Asylum

Eric Snodgrass, Snake in the Grass, Salem K Theatre Company at The Matrix Theatre

Solo Performance

Alex Lyras, The Common Air, SoulArt and Elephant C.A.F.E at Theatre Asylum

Nilaja Sun, No Child..., Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

CGI/Video

Marc Rosenthal, Gem of the Ocean, Fountain Theatre

Brian White, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater

Puppet and Mask Design

Joyce Hutter and Patrick Rubio, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch, Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater

Fight Choreography

Ned Mochel, On An Average Day, VS. Theatre Company at the Elephant Theatre Lab