Grigware Picks The Eddon Awards 2011: The Best in LA Theatre

The Best in LA Theatre for 2011                   
(alphabetical listings)
(artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) 

(this post will be on the main page of my website in January 2012!)

TOP PRODUCTIONS

Bakersfield Mist - Fountain Theatre

Cabaret - Reprise Theatre Co

Caught - Zephyr Theatre

The Cripple of Inishman - Kirk Douglas Theatre

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea- Crown City Theatre

Entertaining Mr. Sloane - The Actors Company

Falsettos - Third Street Theatre

Fela - Ahmanson Theatre

God of Carnage - Ahmanson Theatre

Hairspray - MTW (Musical Theatre West)

Having It All - NoHo Arts Center

I Never Sang For My Father - The New American Theatre

Peace in Our Time - Antaeus Company

Pursued by Happiness - Road Theatre Company

Year Zero - Colony Theatre

MOST PROMISING NEW MUSICAL 

My Fairytale - PCPA Theatrefest, Solvang

MOST PROMISING NEW PLAY

The Color of Rose - Theatre 40

BEST ENSEMBLE CASTS: PLAY 
The Cripple of Inishman - Kirk Douglas Theatre
Entertaining Mr. Sloane - The Actors Company
God of Carnage - Ahmanson Theatre
Poor Behavior - Mark Taper Forum
Peace in Our Time - Antaeus Company

BEST ENSEMBLE CASTS: MUSICAL 
Falsettos - Third Street Theatre
Hairspray - MTW
Having It All - NoHo Arts Center
I'm Just Wild About Harry - Crown City Theatre

having it all

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCES

Sam Anderson/Corryn Cummins - Blackbird @ Rogue Machine

Philip Baker Hall/Anne Gee Byrd - I Never Sang For My Father  @ The New American Theatre

Judith Chapman - Vivien @ Rogue Machine

Gary Cole/Edi Gathegi - Superior Donuts @ Geffen 
Playhouse
Emrhys Cooper/Olivia d'Abo - Entertaining Mr. Sloane @ The Actors Company

Alaman Diadhiou - Twist @ Pasadena Playhouse
Rebekah Dunn - Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant @ Secret Rose Theatre

Jane Fonda - 33 Variations @ Ahmanson Theatre
Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage @ Ahmanson Theatre

Juliet Landau/Matthew J. Williamson- Danny and the Deep Blue Sea @ Crown City Theatre

Hal Linden - On Golden Pond @ Colony Theatre

Lesli Margherita/Tom Hewitt - Kiss Me Kate @ Reprise Theatre Company

Sandy Martin - A House Not Meant To Stand @ Fountain Theatre

Tadhg Murphy - The Cripple of Inishman @ Kirk Douglas Theatre

Sahr Ngaujah - Fela @ Ahmanson Theatre

Jenny O'Hara/Nick Ullett - Bakersfield Mist @ Fountain Theatre

Lisa O'Hare/Bryce Ryness - Cabaret @ Reprise Theatre Company

Annie Potts - AfterMath @ Matrix Theatre

Jenny Powers - A Dangerous Beauty @ Pasadena Playhouse

Deborah Puette - Caught @ Zephyr Theatre

Ignacio Serricchio/Curt Bonnem - Kowalski @ Two Roads Theatre

Gwen Van Dam - The Trip to Bountiful @ Group rep

gwen van dam in trip to bountiful

BEST FEATURED PERFORMANCES

Meredith Bishop/Daniel Taylor - AfterMath @ Matrix Theatre
Larry Cedar/Sybyl Walker - Travels with My Aunt @ Colony Theatre
Bert Emmett - Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant @ Secret Rose Theatre
Coby Getzug - Spring Awakening @ Pantages Theatre
Mary Gordon-Murray - Cabaret @ Reprise Theatre Company
Sasha Higgins - Kowalski @ Two Roads Theatre
Richard Jenik/Amanda Kaschak - Caught @ Zephyr Theatre
Carl Johnson - Wonderlust @ Theatre of Note
Danielle Kennedy - Day Drinkers @ Odyssey Theatre
Alice Lunsford - Hollywood Arms @ Kentwood Players
Virginia Newcomb/Lisa Richards - A House Not Meant To Stand @ Fountain Theatre
Kelli Provart/Jenna Koker-Jones - The Wedding Singer @ MTW
Bryce Ryness/Megan McGinnis - A Dangerous Beauty @ Pasadena Playhouse
Tom Sloan/Dee Ann Newkirk - I Never Sang For My Father @ The New American Theatre
Erik Stein/Sam Zeller - My Fairytale @ PCPA Theatrefest, Solvang
Amy Tolsky - Spider's Web @ Theatre 40 & I Love Lucy @ Greenway Court Theatre
Carole Ita White - The Prisoner of Second Avenue @ El Portal Mainstage
Adam Wylie - The Robber Bridegroom @ ICT (International City Theatre), Long Beach
Gina Yates - The Trip to Bountiful @ Group rep

w amy tolsky

UNFORGETTABLE COMEDY DUO PERFORMANCES

Jason Alexander and Gina Hecht in The Prisoner of Second Avenue @ El Portal Mainstage

Geoff Elliott and Deborah Strang in The Chairs @ A Noise Within, Glendale

Joseph Fuqua and Jamie Torcellini in The Mystery of Irma Vep @ Rubicon Theatre, Ventura

Paul C. Vogt and Kevin Blake in Laurel and Hardy @ Falcon Theatre

BEST SOLO SHOW: MALE

John Leguizamo - Ghetto Klown - The Montalban


BEST SOLO SHOWS: FEMALE 
Spider Saloff - The Roar of the Butterfly @ Celebration Theatre
Jennifer Leigh Warren - Diamonds Are Forever: The Songs of Dame Shirley Bassey @ The Renberg Theatre

w chicago's hot spider saloff

BEST CABARET ARTISTS: MALE 
Steven Brinberg - Simply Barbra @ M Bar
Jason Graae - Perfect Hermany @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's
Peter Mac - Becoming Judy @ The Gardenia

BEST CABARET ARTISTS: FEMALE 
Ann Hampton Callaway @ Catalina Jazz Club
Dangerous Curves ( Lisa Smith, Karen Michaels, Margaret Menzies) @ Sterling's
Maxine Lapiduss @ Sterling's
Freda Payne @ Catalina Jazz Club

MOST UNIQUE CABARET/VARIETY SHOW
Melodyland - Melody Hollis @ Sterling's

melody hollis

photo: daniel g. lam

BEST SEASONAL SHOWS
A Christmas WestSide Story - The Troubadour Theatre Co @ The Falcon Theatre


The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever @ Avery Schreiber Theatre


Mrs. Scrooge The Musical @ Highways, Santa Monica


SPECTACLE
Iris  - Cirque du Soleil's unique show for Hollywood @ Kodak Theatre


SPECIAL NOD TO A THEATRE
Glendale Centre Theatre for
1776
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers

STAR-MAKING PERFORMERS
Emrhys Cooper
Juliet Landau
Peter Mac

w emrhys cooper

BEST CDs
from Kritzerland:
Perfect Hermany
Melodyland
The People in the Picture
&
from Rhino:
Seasons Greetings
A Jersey Boys Christmas

Thea Gill Offers Body and Soul @ Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's

Beth Kennedy Did Not Cut Her Hair for the Little Brother

matt walker confirms it!

Original Turkey Lurkey Gals Perform at Kritzerland

Photo credit: Daniel G. Lam

Dangerous Curves Turn Super Thrillingly