Announcing: French Stewart Will Host 2011 Ovation Awards Ceremony on Monday 11/14

FRENCH STEWART SET TO HOST
LA STAGE ALLIANCE OVATION AWARDS CEREMONY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2011
AT ORPHEUM THEATRE IN DOWNTOWN LA

Television, film, and stage star French Stewart will host the LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards Ceremony for the 2011 theatre season on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The curtain will rise at 7:30pm.

Along with being a multiple nominee himself this year for his performances in Voice Lessons and Watson – The Last Great Tale of the Legendary Sherlock Holmes (both at Sacred Fools Theatre), Stewart has appeared on LA stages for the past 25 years, in productions such as Zombie Attack and Pot Mom (Cast Theatre) and, more recently, Matthew Modine Saves The Alpacas at the Geffen Playhouse, among many others.

Said Stewart, “As a longtime LA theatre honk, I am truly thrilled to host the Ovation Awards. It’s the best kind of family reunion.” Said LA STAGE CEO Terence McFarland, “When I read French’s article for LA STAGE Times (http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/08/la-small-theater-weird-little-pirate-ships/), I knew I had found the perfect host for this year’s ceremony, with his longstanding love of and commitment to the community. When he arrived to our first meeting dressed identically to me, it didn’t hurt, either. Kindred spirits, indeed!”

Well known for his work on the classic television series Third Rock From The Sun, Stewart has also appeared on Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Just Shoot Me, The Drew Cary Show, Newsradio, Bones, The Closer, CSI, Castle, Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, and Stargate Universe. His film credits include Stargate, Leaving Las Vegas, Inspector Gadget 2, The Flock, Surveillance, and cult favorite Love Stinks.

Awards will be given in 30 competitive categories, and the recipients of the 2011 Sherwood Award and four 2011 Ovation Honors will be acknowledged. The Ovation Awards are tabulated by Green Hasson Janks.

LA STAGE Alliance CEO Terence McFarland will lead this year’s production team as executive producer, with Dan Fresh (Greenway Arts Alliance) as producer. Associate producers are Jessica Hanna (Bootleg Theater) and Douglas Clayton (LA STAGE). The production design is by Ovation nominee Dan Weingarten, with projection design by Adam Fleming. Musical direction will be by the Ovation Award-winning David O, accompanied on stage by Ameenah Kaplan (Ovation nominee) and Dean Mora (past Ovation Award winner). The voices of the Ovations are Bernadette Sullivan and Robert Yacko. Adeena Welle serves as stage manager, and the Ovation statues will be presented by the USC MFA class of 2012.

LA STAGE Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity, The Angell Foundation, Arts Council of Long Beach, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA), City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Pasadena, City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Goldstar, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Times, MusiCares/Grammy Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, SDC, The Shubert Foundation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The 2011 Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. The curtain goes up at 7:30pm. For information, to become a volunteer or a sponsor, and to purchase tickets, visit www.LASTAGEOvations.com.

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10-17-11

2011 Ovation Award Nominees Announced

2011 OVATION AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

REPRISE THEATRE COMPANY LEADS WITH 17,
TROUBADOUR THEATER COMPANY RECEIVES 16,
CENTER THEATRE GROUP GETS 12,
DEMAND PRODUCTIONS GARNERS 11

Nominees for the 2011 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 19 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. The nominations were revealed by 2010 Ovation Award winners Brendan Hunt, Bruce French, Alan Mandell, David St. Louis, Beth Grant, and Anna Khaja, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

The Reprise Theatre Company received the most nominations (17), followed by the Troubadour Theater Company (16), Center Theatre Group (12) and Demand Productions (11). The Reprise Theatre Company garnered nominations for Kiss Me, Kate (14), Gigi (1), They’re Playing Our Song (1), and Best Season. The Troubies’ nominations are for A Withers Tale (10), and The First Jo-el (5), as well as Best Season (which also included Fleetwood Macbeth). The CTG nominations are for Venice at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (11), and Leap of Faith at the Ahmanson (1). Demand Productions’ nominations are for Having It All (7) and Girls Talk (4).

The other three Best Season nominations were received by Celebration Theatre (Bash’d! A Gay Rap Opera, The Next Fairy Tale, Take Me Out), the Fountain Theatre (Bakersfield Mist, A House Not Meant to Stand, The Train Driver), and Theatre Banshee (The Crucible, The Field, The Walworth Farce, War).

Ovation Honors, which recognize outstanding achievement in areas that are not among the standard list of nomination categories, have been awarded to The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (Composition for a Play, Much Ado About Nothing), Theatre Banshee (Fight Choreography, The Walworth Farce) Rogue Artists Ensemble (Puppet Design, D is for Dog), and Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre (Video Design, Venice).

Founded in 1989, the LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theater awards in Los Angeles. For the 2010-2011 voting season, there are a grand total of 196 nominations for 65 productions, presented by 44 companies. There were 388 total productions registered from 173 companies. Of those productions registered, 97 were Ovation Recommended, identified during their runs as scoring in the top quarter of all productions in the Overall Production categories.  PLEASE SEE COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINATIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS RELEASE.

Voters are Los Angeles theater professionals who are chosen each season by the Ovation Awards Rules Committee (through an application process). The list of nominees is determined by a tabulation of scores conducted by the entertainment accounting firm Green Hasson Janks.

LA STAGE Alliance, empowering artists and engaging audiences since 1975, is dedicated to building awareness, appreciation and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles through community building, collaborative marketing/audience development, professional development to strengthen the sector, and advocacy. Providing access to the performing arts for patrons and access to information and resources for organizations has been the mission of LA STAGE for over 35 years. LA STAGE connects artists and arts administrators from over 500 groups annually in a six county region with opportunities to engage, inspire, educate and entertain nearly three million households in our community. LA STAGE engenders a stronger, more networked, creative Los Angeles.

LA STAGE Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity, The Angell Foundation, Arts Council for Long Beach, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA), City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Pasadena, City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Goldstar, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Times, MusiCares/Grammy Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, SDC, The Shubert Foundation. and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The 2011 Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. The curtain will rise at 7:30pm. For more information, visit www.LASTAGEOvations.com.

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09-19-11

Click here for the complete list of 2011 Ovation Nominees.

Announcing: 2011 Ovation Award Nominations Will Be Announced Monday, Sept. 19

2011 OVATION AWARD NOMINEES
TO BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
AT THE FALCON THEATRE IN BURBANK

AWARDS CEREMONY SET FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14
AT THE ORPHEUM THEATRE IN DOWNTOWN LA

The announcement of the 2011 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award nominees has been set for Monday, September 19 at 7:00 pm. The event will be hosted by the Falcon Theatre, which is located at 4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank.

This year’s Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles.

On September 19, recipients of 2010 Ovation Awards for acting will announce the names of this year’s nominees. Scheduled to participate as presenters are Brendan Hunt (Lead Actor/Musical, Savin’ Up for Saturday Night), Bruce French (Lead Actor/Play, The Browning Version), Alan Mandell (Lead Actor/Play, No Man’s Land), David St. Louis (Featured Actor/Musical, Parade), Beth Grant (Lead Actress/Play, Grace & Glorie), and Anna Khaja (Lead Actress/Play, Shaheed – The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto). These winners from last year will be joined by Terence McFarland, Chief Executive Officer of LA Stage Alliance.

The nominee announcement event is free and open to the public. A light reception will be included, and RSVP is required. To RSVP, visit www.LASTAGEOvations.com.

The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. Voters are Los Angeles theatre professionals who are chosen each year, through an application process, by the Ovation Awards Rules Committee. The list of nominees is determined by a tabulation of scores conducted by Green Hasson Janks.

Tickets and additional information about the Ovation Awards Ceremony on November 14 will be available at www.LASTAGEOvations.com beginning September 19.

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08-31-11