Tenth Annual Eddon Awards

The Best of LA Theatre for 2019

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2019 which I did not cover. This list is based solely on what I saw and reviewed.

Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed./  Artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories. /  No set, costume, technical awards. I leave those to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out./  Don't take these choices too seriously. After all, it's just one man's opinions. /   I have trimmed down categories to include a smaller number of winners  in each. /  All those mentioned in every category are not nominees - they are winners. 

BEST PRODUCTIONS IN A LARGE SPACE

Titanic the Musical - Candlelight Pavilion

Ragtime the Musical - Pasadena Playhouse

The Spitfire Grill - Garry Marshall Theatre

Lady Day - Garry Marshall Theatre

Bodyguard The Musical - Candlelight Pavilion

Skintight - Geffen Playhouse

The Music Man - 5 Star Theatricals

Swan Lake - Ahmanson Theatre

Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn - MTW (Musical Theatre West), Long Beach

Dames at Sea - Sierra Madre Playhouse

BEST PRODUCTIONS  IN AN INTIMATE SPACE

Otherwise Engaged - Upstairs at the Group Rep

Avenue Q - The Group Rep

For the Loyal - Sixty-Six Theater Co. at Marilyn Monroe Theatre

In Trousers -  The Lounge, Hollywood

Laundry & Bourbon/Lone Star - The Group Rep

                                                                               

           BEST ENSEMBLE CASTS 

The Music Man - 5 Star Theatricals

For the Loyal - Sixty-Six Theater Co, Marilyn Monroe Theatre

Ragtime the Musical - Pasadena Playhouse

Frozen - Hollywood Pantages

The Spitfire Grill - Garry Marshall Theatre

Loose Knit - The Group Rep

Avenue Q - The Group Rep

The Play That Goes Wrong - Ahmanson Theatre

Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn - MTW, Long Beach

In Trousers - The Lounge    

The Man Who Came to Dinner - The Group Rep

Swan Lake - Ahmanson

BEST DIRECTORS IN AN INTIMATE SPACE

Paul Rush - For the Loyal - Sixty-Six Theater Co

Barbara Brownell - Laundry and Bourbon/Lone Star  - The Group Rep

Bruce Kimmel - The Man Who Came to Dinner - The Group Rep

Linda Alznauer - Otherwise Engaged - Upstairs at  The Group Rep

Patrick Burke - Avenue Q - The Group Rep

L. Flint Esquerra - Loose Knit - The Group Rep

Joshua Finkel - Dames at Sea - Sierra Madre Playhouse

(Jeffrey Scott Parsons - choreographer)

BEST DIRECTORS IN A LARGE SPACE

Larry Raben - The Music Man - 5 Star Theatricals

(Peggy Hickey - choreographer)

Matthew Bourne - Swan Lake - Ahmanson Theatre

David Lee - Ragtime the Musical - Pasadena Playhouse

Dimitri Toscas - The Spitfire Grill -  Garry Marshall Theatre

John LaLonde - Bodyguard The Musical - Candlelight Pavilion

Ellen Geer - The Skin of Our Teeth - Theatricum Botanicum

Daniel Aukin - Skintight - Geffen Playhouse

Danny Pelzig - Irving Berlin's Holday Inn  - MTW, Long Beach

BEST CABARET/CONCERTS IN AN INTIMATE SPACE

An Unpredictable Evening with Susan Edwards Martin - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troup - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

An Evening with Jane Monheit - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Gina D'Acciaro - Famous Adjacent - Rockwell Table and Stage

Lisa Donahey's Big Birthday Bash - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

D. Scott Eads - Shake the House - Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal

Adam Jacobs Behind the Curtain - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Sandy Bainum - Forever Blondward - Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal

An Evening with Sylvia Brooks - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Janelle Lynn Randall: I Wanna Be Evil the Eartha Kitt Story - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

BEST CABARET/CONCERTS IN A LARGE SPACE

An Evening with Derek Klena - El Portal Mainstage

An Evening with Rita Moreno - The Broad Stage

Terron Brooks - The Soul of Broadway - The Montalban Theatre

SPECIAL EVENTS

A Classic Broadway Mother's Day - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Kritzerland's 99th Performance - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's 

BEST SOLO SHOW

John Leguizamo - Latin History for Morons - Ahmanson Theatre

MEMORABLE HOLIDAY CONCERTS

GMCLA Holiday Spectacular - Alex Theatre, Glendale

Susan Edwards Martin's Holiday Extravaganza - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Ilene Graf and Ben Lanzarone - Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's

Levi Kreis Home for the Holidays - LGBT Center, Hollywood

Scott Dreier and Kurtis Simmons - The Merry Little Christmas Show - Colony Theatre

D. Scott Eads Christmas In the Key of Bing - Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCES

Kristin Towers-Rowles/Savannah Shoenecker - Laundry and Bourbon - The Group Rep

Nick Paonessa//R. J. DeBard - Lone Star - The Group Rep

Betty Buckley/Lewis J. Stadlen - Hello Dolly! - Hollywood Pantages

Michael Mullen - The Importance of Being Earnest - Crown City Theatre

Shannon Warne, Marc Ginsburg - Ragtime the Musical - Pasadena Playhouse

Larry Einsenberg, Jackson Kendall - Tuesdays with Morrie - Sierra Madre Playhouse

Adrienne Visnic - Be a Good Little Widow - Odyssey Theatre

Deidrie Henry- Lady Day - Garry Marshall Theatre

Dianne Wiest - Happy Days - Mark Taper Forum

Michael Robb - Otherwise Engaged - Upstairs at the Group Rep

Daebreon Poiema - Bodyguard the Musical - Candlelight Pavilion

Willow Geer - The Skin of Our Teeth - Theatricum Botanicum

Idina Menzel, Harry Groener - Skintight - Geffen Playhouse

Adam Pascal, Katharine McDonough - The Music Man - 5 Star Theatricals

Hilty Bowen - For the Loyal - Sixty-Six Theatre Co

Lila Coogan - Anastasia - Hollywood Pantages

BEST FEATURED PERFORMANCES

Doug Haverty - Otherwise Engaged - Upstairs at the Group Rep

Todd Andrew Ball - Lone Star - Group Rep

Valerie Perri - Ragtime the Musical - Pasadena Playhouse

Abdul Hamid Royal - Lady Day - Garry Marshall Theatre

Deanna Anthony - Bodyguard the Musical - Candlelight Pavilion

Will Holbrook/Earnestine Phillips - The Skin of Our Teeth - Theatricum Botanicum

Joy Franz/Tari Kelly - Anastasia - Hollywood Pantages

Sandy Bainum - Be a Good Little Widow - Odyssey Theatre

Will Brittain/Eli Gelb - Skintight - Geffen Playhouse

BEST NEW PLAY

Nancy F****ing Reagan - Daniel Hurewitz

BEST CDs

Little Women Soundtrack 2019 - Alexandre Desplat

Levi Kreis - Home for the Holidays

Jason Antone - Inside My Heart

Sylvia Brooks - The Arrangement

Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troup

Tiffany Bailey - Jazz with Pop

BEST BOOK

(fifth printing in 2020)

All Fall Down The Brandon deWilde Story - Patrisha McLean