Last Straw Awards - 2013 – Part I

By Joe Straw

Sometimes it is the actor’s countenance, their mien, their tenebrous selves that draws us into the conflicted souls of a character on stage.  All in one night where the work, the craft, the concentration seemed seamless, without words - dissimulating emotions that reach their objectives.

Art is not a contest – no need to be truculent with your thoughts of the best. These are just hard working actors who, on a particular given night, gave it their all, and I was there to witness the magic.

There are people watching, taking notes, and reporting back. 

To these actors: Thank you for a magnificent night of theatre.

The Rainmaker – The Rainbow Theater Company

Tana Frederick  

The Grapes of Wrath – A Noise Within

Deborah Strang  

Josh Clark

Voices - Griot Theatre of West Valley

Thomas Silcott

I’m Not Rappaport – West Coast Jewish Theatre

Jack Axelrod  

Carl Crudup

The Shawl – Rydemption Enterainment & Moth Theatre Company 

Ryan Surratt

Lili Bordan   

The North Plan – Elephant Theatre Company

Kerry Carney

Salvator Xuereb 

Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers – The Blank Theatre

Amy Lawhorn

Revelations – The Lillian Theatre

Lawrence Dillard  

Trouble in Chiozza – The City of West Hollywood Free Theater in the Park

Michael Matthys

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike – The Golden Theatre

Kristine Nielsen 

Julie White  

Lady Windermere’s Fan – Chalk Repertory Theatre

Amin El Gamal

Teri Reeves  

The Diary of Anne Frank – Wasatch Theatrical Ventures

Susan Priver

Selling Out – The Whitefire Theatre

Brian Dykstra

The End of It – End of LA & Scott Disharoon – The Matrix

Paul Coates 

Kelly Coffield Park  

The Laramie Project 10 Years Later – The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center

Dylan Seaton

Paul Witten 

Love’s Labour’s Lost – The Courage Theatre Company

Jonas Barraca 

William Reinbold

Patrick Wenk-Wolff 

LGBTQ – Casa 0101

Andres Rey Solorzano

Under The Glass – Chalk Repertory Theatre

Tony Amendola

Blaire Chandler 

Light Up The Sky – Theatre 40

Arthur Hanket  

the road weeps, the well runs dry – Latino Theatre Company

Elizabeth Frances  

Tamales De Puerco (Pork Tamales) – Casa 0101

Miriam Peniche

Dickie Hearts

Opening Night – Theatre 40

Hoyt Miller

Hungry Women – Casa 0101

Ronni Valentine

Jinxed – The Elephant Theatre Company

Amy French

Darryl Armbruster 


The Lion King - The Pantages 
Brown Lindiwe Mkhize 

Part II coming – Writers, Directors, Cast.