LA Theatre Bites Awards 2024 Award Winners! PART 2

Photos: Jeff Lorch

Best Actor – Daniel Dorr (Blackie) Baby Foot @ Rogue Machine Theatre

Baby Foot this year was a terrific option if you were looking for raw, visceral acting in an intimate space. Daniel Dorr played Blackie, a person with a heroin addiction, on his first day at a drug rehab in Portland, Oregon. While the piece is a three-hander, the play is primarily composed of the performances from Dorr and his co-star, Hope Lauren, who played Alexis. No matter how good of an actor or actress you are, it’s really difficult to make bad writing good. However, a great actor can take a good script to another level. Dorr’s vulnerability and ability to explore the darker, destructive side of the character without judgment is astounding. – Patrick Chavis

 

PC: Kailey Bosna

Best College Show– Ride the Cyclone @ CAL REP Cal State Long Beach

This was our first year covering college theatre in Los Angeles, and Ride the Cyclone at Cal State Long Beach is one of the shows that showed us what we’ve been missing! Wow, it was an excellent performance from this young cast of performers, and to date, it featured the best live performance of Karnak I’ve seen thus far from Ryusei Nakamura. The voice and the facial mannerisms from this young actor were out of bounds. – Patrick Chavis

PC: Jeff Lorch

Best Actress– Ashley Romans (Colleen) Kill Shelter @ Theatre of Note

Ashely Romans took the audience on an emotional ride with this show, featuring a relatable but conflicted character living in a grey area of life. Roman was able to humanize the character Colleen, showing us multiple sides to this person, and who can forget her gripping moments with the puppet dogs, chilling. – Patrick Chavis

Photo by Brian Hashimoto.

Best Immersive Theatre Show– Measure Still For Measure @ Boston Court Pasadena

Measure STILL For Measure, Written & Directed by Jessica Kubzanksy, was an innovative immersive show. Using Pasadena’s Boston Court facilities as a sort of backstage look into a show about to go up is a stroke of genius. Everything feels realistic and hauntingly true to life. Using this format to allow people to see different aspects of an abuse of power is striking. Anchored by a stellar performance from Bukola Ogunmola and an all-star production team, Measure Still For Measure is an immersive show that uses its styling to put the audience into the position of its lead. It’s easier conceptualized than executed, but they made it look easy. It was a remarkable achievement from start to finish. – Matthew Robinson

PC: Jeff Lorch

Best Ensemble– Potus @ Geffen Playhouse

POTUS might not be one of the best plays I’ve seen at the Geffen, but it’s close to the top for a good time. There was pure chaos on that stage, precisely what you wanted with a farce, and they would not let up until the curtain went down. It’s topical, a little nuts, and a whole lot of fun. – Patrick Chavis

Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Best Costumes– Susan Hilferty – Funny Girl @ Ahmanson

When you talk about Funny Girl, you need costumes that are as vibrant and unique as the title character, Fanny Brice. Hilferty’s costumes are period-appropriate and glamorous and old school Broadway in the best way. – Patrick Chavis 

PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Niedle

Best Set– Stephen Gifford – Jersey Boys @ LA Mirada Theatre

Set design is one of my favorite elements of theatre. So much creativity and artistry goes into it, and it fascinates me to no end. Stephen Giffords’s cityscape design for Jersey Boys at LA Mirada was not only expansive as a design must be to fill the large stage at LA Mirada Theatre but also incredibly functional and, most importantly, never static. A lot of sets can appear as a backdrop for the actors. Gifford created multiple spaces that appeared on and off the stage like magic—the magic of theatre. – Patrick Chavis

Photo Credit: Andrew Patino

Best Musical– Reefer Madness @ Reefer Madness

Musical theatre is often our first introduction to the theatre. Song is something we can understand from a very young age. Some of my earliest memories of the theatre were watching an old VHS tape of Peter Pan, the one with Mary Martin in 1954. At the time, I didn’t think of it as a musical even though everyone was singing. However, the music and the story of young kids fighting pirates and getting to do what they wanted without adults seemed like a good idea at the time. There is something amazing about how these musicals can stay with you forever.

There were some excellent musicals this year that really captured the needed energy musically and in performance; on the top of the heap was undoubtedly Reefer Madness at the Whitley. The brilliant idea to create a show and a whole new environment around the show is the thinking theatre in Los Angeles is screaming for. Not only did they create the environment, but they also brought the talent in a way I haven’t seen in a very long time. If this is where musical theatre is going, I’m very excited to see what’s coming next in LA. – Patrick Chavis

PC: Annie Lesser

Best Young Actress– Maya Knell (Chava) Mikvah Girls @ This Is A Front

Every year, I try to make it to at least five shows at the Hollywood Fringe (usually a lot more). It’s such an important event for the theatre community in Los Angeles. The fringe is an excellent opportunity in a city where it can be costly to put on and promote a show, and they do this every year for hundreds of out-of-town and local theatre creators.

Mikvah Girls was one of those smaller production gems that shined so bright this year. It’s a dramatic comedy about the burgeoning relationship of two Jewish friends as they converse about one of their idols, Bruce Springsteen, in a bathhouse.

Maya Knell played Chava, the older of the friends. She is 23, already married, and has children. Between the two friends, she played the more mature and outwardly put-together of the duo.

There is a love story in this show that goes beyond the page. That’s where the acting really sets in. It can be hard to gauge exactly how to get there, and that’s where good direction and acting come in. Knell not only expresses this love on the stage but also makes you wait for it. When it hits you, OMG! – Patrick Chavis

PC: Jeff Lorch

Best Young Actor– Jack Clevenger (Nolan) Kill Shelter @ Theatre of Note

Jack Clevenger was incredible as the character Nolan in Kill Shelter. The character is funny because he is young and naive. I took notice because Clevenger was able to show in his performance how conflicted Nolan was in trying to do the right thing from his perspective. It was a genuinely nuanced performance I couldn’t forget. – Patrick Chavis

Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Best Makeup– Tiffany Hall – Funny Girl @ Ahmanson

Tiffany Hall’s makeup was more than suitable for this production’s glamorous people and performances. It was classic Broadway with a little bit of pizazz. – Patrick Chavis

Best Featured Actor–  Hahn Cho (Tae) Pangs Spa @ Chalk Rep

A talented character actor performance from Hahn Cho. When I see an actor like this, it reminds me there are levels to this craft of acting. After this performance, I was convinced this was a much older man. To see later in interviews that he is not very old but so very different from the character, Cho must have a serious range. I’m excited to see what he covers next.  – Patrick Chavis

Best Director– Tracey A. Leigh – Two Stop @ EST/LA

This show took me by surprise. I was enamored by the concept and execution of this LA play, set in LA, about LA, and presented with such a unique visual concept. Inside the liquor store, the set looked so real you could buy stuff from the cash register before the show. The environment was so accurate you could see the security camera footage from your seat. The story was playful and full of stuff you recognize about LA but set during a period of LA history you might not remember. Leigh’s talented direction in tying these elements together could not have been more masterful. – Patrick Chavis

Best Featured Actress– Nicole DuPort (Crystal) Dido of Idaho @ The Echo Theater Company

You don’t have to be a critic with years of experience to know when you see a compelling performance; you can feel it in your bones. I sat down thinking, “Oh, Dido of Idaho, not a bad piece. I think I know where this is going.” Then Crystal’s character came onstage. It was such a switch, and I didn’t know what was going to happen, and it was exciting. It was the best performance in Los Angeles this year. – Patrick Chavis

Best Performer– Nicole DuPort (Crystal) Dido of Idaho @ The Echo Theater Company

You don’t have to be a critic with years of experience to know when you see a compelling performance; you can feel it in your bones. I sat down thinking, “Oh, Dido of Idaho, not a bad piece. I think I know where this is going.” Then Crystal’s character came on stage. It was such a switch, and I didn’t know what was going to happen, and it was exciting. It was the best performance in Los Angeles this year. – Patrick Chavis

 

Best Original Los Angeles Show – Kill Shelter @ Theatre of Note

The production of Kill Shelter brought something very special to LA Theatre. Yes, puppets have been used in countless productions, so this wasn’t anything new. What was new was how they incorporated them into this story and how it resonated with the audience. The play talks about animal kill shelters and the tough choices these places have to make almost every day, but it is also a metaphor for human abortion and the struggles the people who work in those fields encounter. The staging was intimate, well-conceived, and incredibly modern. – Patrick Chavis

Best Lighting – Xinyuan Li – Dido of Idaho @ The Echo Theatre Company

Dido of Idaho had nontraditional seating instead of looking straight forward at the stage. The chairs are placed around the stage in a circular pattern as the actors mostly acted in the middle of the stage and other times to the sides. While there were set pieces, the space was artsy and fragmented. This worked in the favor of Lighting Designer Xinyuan Li, while the set pieces created a limited sense of place. This was a piece about people, and Li’s lighting was able to focus, carefully section off each scene, and highlight these actors in moments of pain and joy. -Patrick Chavis

Best Sound Design – John Zalewski – Crevasse @ Son of Semele & The Victory Theatre Center

Crevasse was a fun show to watch and a fascinating insight into a time, place, and history that is rarely talked about. It showed that you can accomplish quite a lot on the stage with some ingenuity. Zalewski’s sounds helped fill in many gaps in this piece but also provided a palatable tension to the scenes that truly complemented the show. – Patrick Chavis

Best One-Person Show – Mermaid @ The Broadwater

This was a brave and modern piece of theatre from playwright and performer Italome Ohikhuare. Chronicling her trip back to Nigeria for a wedding becomes so much more. In a short time, It tackles many topics, including history, family, Black American culture, Nigerian culture, and mental health. But don’t be fooled by my frankness in the matter. The story is told mostly in a light-hearted, comical fashion, like a conversation with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. As much as we reach towards the future, stories like Mermaid remind us that we are always connected with the past. -Patrick Chavis

Best Actor in a Musical – Noah Rivera (Frankie Valli) Jersey Boys @ LA Mirada Theatre

Playing someone who already exists is incredibly challenging. Yes, it’s helpful to have a reference to work off of when acting out a part, but at the same time, there’s less flexibility about what you can do with that character. There’s a lot of scrutiny. People know what Frankie Valli looks like and what he sounded like back in the day. Being able to represent someone like that with an honest portrayal is exactly what Noah Rivera was able to do every night he stepped onto that stage at the LA Mirada Theatre. The moments when Rivera was acting were pure drama, but when the band started playing, and the group started singing, you would swear it was a concert. – Patrick Chavis

Best Actress in a Musical – Katerina McCrimmon (Fanny Brice) Funny Girl @ Ahmanson

A powerhouse performance from McCrimon, who embodied the character of Fanny Brice, and some with vocals that traveled through Ahmanson as if homing pigeons for the ears. – Patrick Chavis

Best Writing – Abby Rosebrock – Dido of Idaho @ Echo Theatre Company

“Dido of Idaho,” written by Abby Rosebrock, tells a weaving story that is often absurd, eccentric, unexpected, funny, and dark. And it is always captivating. From the jump, she brings you into the world of her characters and their tone with bravado and confidence that makes every development all the more satisfying. Produced by the Echo Theater Company and directed by Abigail Deser, “Dido of Idaho” comes alive thanks to its thought-provoking script that proves a comedy is just a Greek tragedy turned on its head. -Matthew Robinson

Best Live Band – Eric Kang – Hadestown @ Ahmanson Theatre

You might not always need live music, but when you don’t have it, you definitely notice. I think I said it best in my review, “the Band was tight, the Band was lovely, I can’t continue without mentioning Eric Kang, he was the conductor and played the piano, I don’t need a play, it was a pleasure watching him perform with the Band, the Band is a highlight of this production.” -Patrick Chavis.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical – Bryan Daniel Porter (Lecturer/Jack/Jesus) Reefer Madness @ Reefer Madness

It’s challenging to get one role right, but when you are Byran Daniel Porter, you have to handle three different roles a night, and he still nailed it.

He played the Lecturer, who, as you know, is critical to the musical as he narrates the tale. He also plays Jack, the main villain. He is so evil that he must have been written that way, and we can’t forget Jesus — heavenly! – Patrick Chavis

Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Nicole Parker (Mae Coleman) Reefer Madness @ Reefer Madness

In a performance worthy of a standing ovation, Nicole Parker sang a terrific rendition of “The Stuff.” She brought out the more emotional side of the musical through her character from this mostly silly and over-the-top production about her struggles with the devil’s lettuce. – Patrick Chavis

Best Choreography – Spencer Liff – Reefer Madness @ Reefer Madness

I think my review said it best: “The performers were inches away from our seats, and the dance choreography was incredible.” I completely agree with myself there. That is an accurate criticism, Patrick. Why thank you, Patrick? I think it is as well. How are things going with you regarding the theatre review? Quite well, but honestly, I need to get back to the review. Liff’s use of tap dancing and utilizing the entire space of the reefer den with such flair and style make this production unforgettable. – Patrick Chavis

Audience Award – Reefer Madness @ Reefer Madness

Musical theatre is often our first introduction to the theatre. Song is something we can understand from a very young age. Some of my earliest memories of the theatre were watching an old VHS tape of Peter Pan, the one with Mary Martin in 1954. At the time, I didn’t think of it as a musical even though everyone was singing. However, the music and the story of young kids fighting pirates and getting to do what they wanted without adults seemed like a good idea at the time. There is something amazing about how these musicals can stay with you forever.

There were some excellent musicals this year that really captured the needed energy musically and in performance; on the top of the heap was undoubtedly Reefer Madness at the Whitley. The brilliant idea to create a show and a whole new environment around the show is the thinking theatre in Los Angeles is screaming for. Not only did they create the environment, but they also brought the talent in a way I haven’t seen in a very long time. If this is where musical theatre is going, I’m very excited to see what’s coming next in LA. – Patrick Chavis

Best Show – Two Stop @ EST/LA

Two Stop at the Ensemble Studio Theatre LA had a little of everything. This is a show that took a lot of chances. They created a liquor store environment instead of just setting something up on stage. They took a chance at a multicultural story set during the riots, and all of these things they implemented wouldn’t have mattered if Suzen Baraka (Sunny) hadn’t brought the energy and tension when she walked on that stage. Suppose June Soo Ham hadn’t brought the older military vet charm and humor during tense moments. Or the captivating performance by Tristina Lee (GG) with her younger perspective and influence on the characters. But what I loved most about this story and play was how deeply LA of a play it is. It tells the story of something that happens in LA all the time; people from all walks of life come here, from other places, sometimes war-torn places, and we create families here that go beyond blood or cultural bonds. It is messy, but sometimes messy is good. – Patrick Chavis

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