The Last Straw Awards 2012

By Joe Straw

At the 2012 Ovation Awards in Los Angeles I ran into Bruce French, an old friend and wonderful actor, and told him that I had seen close to 60 productions this year.  (Now over 60 productions.) He asked about the quality of the productions and I mentioned the work in Los Angeles is exceptional and getting better.

And it is.

The thoughts of remembering shows like “Our Town” at The Broad, “In the Heights” at Casa 0101, and “Faith” at the Latino Theatre Company still sends shudders of delight down my spine.

This year the work was astonishing and while this list may seem voluminous it is only a small percentage of the actors, directors, and writers’ work I have observed this year.  And of course it is a small percentage of the shows produced throughout the Los Angeles region. 

My objective of the blog is to grasp the craft, make notes about what works and what could have been improved.  Theatre is a process, a craft, and a way of finding ways to make the words work.  It is about character, creativity, and objectives realized. It is this process that really fascinates me. 

So, turn off your televisions and find a show to go to and know these shows are not interrupted every five minutes by commercials.  

It’s been a very good year.  This year there is a new award.  It is called the “Ortiz”.  This award represents a grand achievement for diversity in a theatrical production.  It is something I worked for as the SAG Hollywood President of the EEOC and continues today through this blog.

The actors, writers and directors, have sacrificed a lot, for the sake of a working in this industry.  There is no competition involved here. This is just a list of actors, writers, and directors that have excelled at their craft. They are listed below and deserve your attention.

Our Town By Thornton Wilder at The Broad Theatre

David Cromer - Director

Helen Hunt – Stage Manager

New Jerusalem by David Ives at The Pico Playhouse

Mark Bramhall - Abraham van Valkenburgh

The Lonesome West by Martin McDonagh at The Ruskin Group Theatre Company

Mike Reilly – Director

Jason Paul Field - Coleman

Jonathon Bray - Valene

Conor Walshe – Father Welsh

American Night The Ballad of Juan Jose by Richard Montoya at The Kirk Douglas Theatre

Daisuke Tsuji – Various Roles

Orange Flower Water by Craig Wright at The Moth Theatre

John Markland - Director

Amanda Brooks - Cathy

Rochelle Greenwood - Cathy

California Dreamin’ by Jill Charlotte Thomas at The Met Theatre

Jill Charlotte Thomas – Writer  

Tyson Robert Turrou – Charles Manson

Rachel Kerbs – Petra
Ivy Kahn - Abigail Fodger

The Bewildered Herd by Cody Henderson at The Greenway Theatre

Cody Henderson – Writer

John Getz – Bingo

Lisa Richards - Helen

The Boomerang Effect by Matthew Leavitt at The Odyssey

Kat Bailess – Julie

The Closeness of the Horizon by Richard Martin at The Odyssey

David Starzyk – Stein

Ghosts by Herik Ibsen at The Edgemar Center of The Performing Arts

James Giordano – Jacob Engstrand

Paul Stroili – Pastor Manders

Bitchslap! by Darrin Hagen

C. Stephen Foster – Bette Davis

Michael Taylor Gray – Joan Crawford

Therese McLaughlin – Hedda Hopper

Re-Animator The Musical – Music & Lyrics by Mark Nutter book by Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Norris at The Hayworth Theatre

Graham Skipper – Herbert West

Jessie Merlin – Dr. Hill

George Wendt – Dean Halsey

A Child Left Behind by Alan Aymie at The Beverly Hills Playhouse

Alan Aymie – Himself

Mutually Assured Destruction by Peter Lefcourt at The Odyssey Theatre

Michael Caldwell – Various Roles

Birds of A Feather by Christina Hart at The Complex Theatre

Robert Burgos - Director

Christina Hart – Writer

Eddie Kehler – Joey

Trio Los Machos by Josefina Lopez at Casa 0101

Rocio Mendoza – Aurelia

Café Vida by Lisa Loomer at The Latino Theatre Company

Lisa Loomer – Writer

Page Leong – Various Roles

Elmina’s Kitchen by Kwame Kwei-Armah at The Lost Theatre

Gregg T. Daniel - Director

Kwame Kwei-Armah – Writer

Noel Arthur – Digger

Leon Morenzie - Bagee

The Circle by Somerset Maugham at Theatre 40
David Hunt Stafford - Lord Porteus
Rhonda Lord - Lady Kitty

Annie Junior – Book by Thomas Meehan, Music by Charles Strouse and Lyrics by Martin Charnin at The Grace Lutheran Church in Culver City

Grace Basom as Molly

Love Struck – by Odalys Nanin and co-written by Marie Barrientos

Odalys Nanin - Laura

Tricia Cruz - Rachel

The Paris Letter by Jon Robin Baitz at The Lonny Chapman Theatre

Alex Parker – Burt Sarris (Young)

Julia Silverman – Lillian Sonnenberg

Flipzoids by Ralph B. Peña at The Latino Theatre Company

Ralph B. Peña – Writer

Maxwel S. Corpuz - Redford

Beca Godinez - Aying

Vincent by Leonard Nimoy at The VS Theatre

John-Michel Richaud – Theo

The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris at The Blank Theatre

Michael Matthews - Director

Paolo Andino – Crumpet

Their Eyes Saw Rain by West Liang at The Company of Angels Theatre

Justin Huen - director

West Liang – Writer

West Liang – Terrance

Hamlet by William Shakespeare at The Broad Stage
Christopher Saul - Polonium
Dickson Tyrrell - Claudius

Empanada for a Dream by Juan Francisco Villa

Juan Francisco Villa - Himself

Cymbeline by William Shakespeare at The Broad Stage

Ben Steinfeld - Iachimo

Andy Grotelueschen – Cloten

In The Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda at Casa 0101 Theatre

Rigo Tejeda – Director

Michael Torrenueva - Usnavi

Vivian Lamolli - Daniela

Anna Lucasta by Philip Yordan - A Robey Theatre Company Production in association with The Latino Theatre Company

Ashlee Olivia – Anna Lucasta

Carl Crudup - Noah

Cydney Wayne Davis – Theresa Davis

Tanya Lane – Katie Lucasta

Ensemble:

(small venue)

Americano by John Markland at The Moth Theatre

John Markland - Stephen

Amanda Brooks - Kate

Wendy Haines – Dr. Leif

Patrick Scott Lewis - Nate

Pamela Guest - Barrista

(Mid-size venue)

Faith by Evelina Fernandez at The Latino Theatre Company

José Luis Valenzuela – director

Evelina Fernández – Writer

Esperanza America– Faith

Alexis de la Rocha – Charity

Olivia Delgado – Elena and Young Esperanza

Evelina Fernández – Lupe

Sal Lopez – Silvestre

Xavi Moreno – Charlie

Matias Ponce – Freddie

Geoffrey Rivas – Ricardo Flores

Lucy Rodriguez – Esperanza

(Large Venue)

Our Town by Thornton Wilder directed by David Cromer at The Broad Stage

And last, but not least.

The Ortiz award goes to In The Heights – Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda – Book by Aulara Alegría Hudes and directed by Rigo Tejeda presented by Teatro Nuevos Horizontes at Casa 0101 Theatre.

Thank you!