LA Theatre Bites Award 2025:
Don Shirley
Link to award message: https://latheatrebites.com/la-theatre-bite-award-2025-don-shirley/
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Cheyenne Jackson (Georges) La Cage aux Folles @ Pasadena Playhouse
Max Chernin (Leo Frank) Parade @ Ahmanson
Caden Brauch (Marty McFly) Back to the Future @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Will Riddle (Buddy Holly) The Buddy Holly Story @ Musical Theatre West
Carter Haugen (The Baker) Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
BEST ACTOR
Hugo Armstrong (Basil) Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre
Landon Moss (Boy Willie) The Piano Lesson @ Long Beach Playhouse
Alex Barlas (John Worthing) Importance of Being Earnest @ Antaeus Theatre Company
Erin Galloway (Matthew) Private Eyes @ Theatre Palisades
Nick Samson (Conrad) Stupid Fucking Bird @ Blue Pen Theatre Company
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lauren McGunigale (Rita Hanson) Groundhog Day (musical) @ Landmark Theatre Company LB
Zane Berube (Lorraine Baines) Back to the Future @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Kathryn Bruner (Elle Woods) Legally Blonde @ La Mirada Theatre
Hadiyyah Noelle Smith (The Witch) Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
Talia Suskauer (Lucille Frank) Parade @ Ahmanson
BEST YOUNG ACTOR
Brogan Hall (Lloyd/Prof Anderson) Blue Stockings @ USC School of Dramatic Arts
Aiden McGuinness (Lewis) Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
Cedric Joe (Tiny) Kill Move Paradise @ Odyssey Theatre
Charlie Stover (Jackson Hoffman) It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! @ Hudson Theatre
Neo Barnes (Albert) Goldfish @ Noisy Nest
BEST COLLEGE SHOW
Urinetown: The Musical @ Cal Rep
The Wolves @ Cal State Northridge
Blue Stockings @ USC School of Dramatic Arts
Something Rotten @ USC Musical Theatre
Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
BEST YOUNG ACTRESS
Victoria Martin (Penelope Pennywise) Urinetown @ Cal Rep
Dana Sandoval (Alice) Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
Paige Simunovich (Jane Jr.) Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre
Bridgett Mistrot (May) Fool for Love @ Heart of Heart Theatre Company
Jillian Lee Garner (Lucy) Goldfish @ Noisy Nest
BEST IMMERSIVE SHOW
Dark Library Paris 1925 @ After Hours Theatre Company
BEST MUSICAL
It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! @ Hudson Theatre
La Cage aux Folles @ Pasadena Playhouse
Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
Back to the Future @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Groundhog Day (musical) @ Landmark Theatre Company LB
BEST FEATURED ACTOR
Jay Lee (Algernon Moncrieff) Importance of Being Earnest @ Antaeus Theatre Company
Ben Pettis (Lymon) The Piano Lesson @ Long Beach Playhouse
Peter Schiavelli (Doyle Trigorin) Stupid Fucking Bird @ Theatre Extempore
Josey Montana McCoy (Alfie) One Man, Two Guvnors @ A Noise Within
Matthew Adiao – A Man/Me/Then Jim @ The Sherry Theater
BEST ACTRESS
Kimi Walker (Wiletta Mayer) Trouble in Mind @ Actors Co-op Theater Company
Meg Cashel (Hunna) Three Exorcisms @ The Broadwater
Blanca Isabella (Marisela) Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Amanda Perez (Nina) Stupid Fucking Bird @ Blue Pen Theatre Company
Kacie Rogers (Mina) Furlough’s Paradise @ Geffen Playhouse
BEST WRITING
John Lavelle – Sinner’s Laundry Wolf & Snake Collective and Season 10 Stage
Will Arbery – Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre
Rosie Glen-Lambert & Hailey McAfee – and her Children @ The Attic Collective
Roger Q. Mason – Hide & Hide @ Skylight Theatre Company
A.K. Payne – Furlough’s Paradise @ Geffen Playhouse
BEST LIVE BAND
Curtis Heard – Groundhog Day (musical) @ Landmark Theatre Company LB
Darryl Archibald – La Cage aux Folles @ Pasadena Playhouse
Michael Orland – Nic & Desi Broadway to Hollywood @ Catalina Jazz Club
Ryan O’Connell – Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story @ Musical Theatre West
Rod Bagheri – One Man, Two Guvnors @ A Noise Within
BEST ENSEMBLE
Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Stupid Fucking Bird @ Blue Pen Theatre Company
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre Company
Dark Library Paris 1925 @ After Hours Theatre Company
Noises Off @ Geffen Playhouse
BEST COSTUMES
Julie Keen – Importance of Being Earnest @ Antaeus Theatre Company
Sonia Giansiracusa – Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
David Reynoso – La Cage aux Folles @ Pasadena Playhouse
Syrie James – Jane Austen in 89 minutes @ Theatre Forty
Myletta Nora – Sleeping Giant @ The Road Theatre Company
BEST SET
François-Pierre Couture – Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Todd Rosenthal – Noises Off @ Geffen Playhouse
Frederica Nascimento – One Man, Two Guvnors @ A Noise Within
Sarah Keilman – Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
David Offner – The Wolves @ Cal State Northridge
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS
Jazzmybe Silva (#13) – The Wolves @ Cal State Northridge
Bethany Koulias (Emma Arkadina) Stupid Fucking Bird @ Theatre Extempore
Amanda Godoy (Celia) As You Like It @ Shakespeare by the Sea
Alessandra Manon (Cecily Cardew) Importance of Being Earnest @ Antaeus Theatre Company
Hailey McAfee (Nicole) Three Exorcisms @ The Broadwater
BEST DIRECTOR
Gregg T. Daniel – Kill Move Paradise @ Odyssey Theatre
Fidel Gomez – Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Guillermo Cienfuegos – Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre Company
Rovin Jay – The Piano Lesson @ Long Beach Playhouse
Jessica Hanna – Hide & Hide @ Skylight Theatre
BEST ORIGINAL LOS ANGELES SHOW
and her Children @ The Attic Collective
Dark Library Paris 1925 @ After Hours Theatre Company
Hide & Hide @ Skylight Theatre Company
The Unraveling @ Ghost Road Company
It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! @ Hudson Theatre
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Robert Revell – Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Nik Doner – Time Machine @ The Broadwater
Amelia Anello – Hide & Hide @ Skylight Theatre
Matari2000 – Tragedy Giftshop @ The Garage Theatre Long Beach
Ian Sutherland – Stupid Fucking Bird @ Theatre Extempore
BEST STRAIGHT PLAY
Noises Off @ Geffen Playhouse
The Piano Lesson @ Long Beach Playhouse
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre Company
Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Importance of Being Earnest @ Antaeus Theatre Company
BEST ONE-PERSON SHOW
Feast @ Leonix Movement Theatre
Beth wants the D @ The Broadwater
Near Sex for Work @ Hudson Theatre
and her Children @ The Attic Collective
BEST MAKEUP
Alberto “Albee” Alvarado (Wig and Hair Design) La Cage aux Folles @ Pasadena Playhouse
Ivan Hernandez & Ella McDonald – Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
Haley Ruby (Wigs) Noises Off @ Geffen Playhouse
Taylor Renee Castle (Wig Master) Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Chris Bailey – Back to the Future @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Maxx Reed – It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! @ Hudson Theatre
Emily DePauw – Dark Library Paris 1925 @ After Hours Theatre Company
Dana Solimando – Legally Blonde @ La Mirada Theatre
Indira Tyler – One Man, Two Guvnors @ A Noise Within
BEST LIGHTING
Xinyuan Li – Just Like Us @ Latino Theatre Company
Pablo Santiago – Furlough’s Paradise @ Geffen Playhouse
François-Pierre Couture – Alice in Slasherland @ Cal Rep
Brandon Baruch – Hide & Hide @ Skylight Theatre
Dan Weingarten – Evanston Salt Costs Climbing @ Rogue Machine Theatre Company
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Cartreze Tucker (Goldie Wilson, Marvin Berry) Back to the Future @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Enrique Duenas (Mr. Torres) It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! @ Hudson Theatre
Ramone Nelson (Jim Conley) Parade @ Ahmanson
Christopher Thume (Mysterious Man/Stepmother) Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Amanda Webb (Nancy Taylor) Groundhog Day (musical) @ Landmark Theatre Company LB
Grace Simmons (Margot) Legally Blonde @ La Mirada Theatre
Janaya Mahealani Jones (Marlena) Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story @ Musical Theatre West
Kiera Morris (Lucinda/Rapunzel) Into the Woods @ The Wisteria Theatre Company
AUDIENCE AWARD
Tragedy Giftshop @ The Garage Theatre Long Beach
The Piano Lesson @ Long Beach Playhouse
Three Exorcisms @ The Broadwater
44: The Obama Musical @ Kirk Douglas Theatre
Harvey @ Whittier Community Theatre