Pauline Adamek
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC), Southern California’s preeminent organization of professional theatre critics and journalists, is pleased to announce the Finalists for its 2025 Season Awards honoring significant achievements in each of the Circle’s season award categories.
This list of Season Award Finalists follows LADCC’s previously announced list of 2025 Special Achievement Award Honorees (see below).
During the 2025 theatre season, LADCC voting members attended 367 productions eligible for consideration in 17 award categories. From 561 initial member nominations, members voted to select the following 98 Finalists from 30 shows presented by 19 theatre companies from the greater Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties.
Award recipients will be revealed in an upcoming announcement in connection with a live Reception Event for the theatre community.
The LADCC Awards cycle will conclude with selection and announcement of season award recipients, followed by an Awards Reception event celebrating Recipients, Finalists, Special Honorees and the entire theatre community on April 13, 2026 at the William Turner Gallery at Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica.
2025 Season Award Finalists by Award Category:
Best Production
anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Bacon; Rogue Machine Theatre
Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players
Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Hello My Name is…; Moving Arts
Here There Are Blueberries; Tectonic Theatre Project at The Wallis
Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Old Friends; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Sleeping Giant; The Road Theatre Company
Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Suffs; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
McCulloh Revival (25+ Years)
Bat Boy: The Musical; Open Fist Theatre Company
Into the Woods; Wisteria Theater
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; A Noise Within
The Fantasticks; Ruskin Group Theatre
Direction
Guillermo Cienfuegos; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
John Perrin Flynn; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Casey Nicholaw; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Steven Robman; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Chay Yew; Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players
Lead Performance
Hugo Armstrong; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Lesley Fera; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Alexandra Hellquist; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Tavis Kordell; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Matt Loehr; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Kasey Mahaffey; One Man, Two Guv’nors; A Noise Within
Ann Noble; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Ben Raanan; Bat Boy: The Musical; Open Fist Theatre Company
Kacie Rogers; Furlough’s Paradise; Geffen Playhouse
DeWanda Wise; Furlough’s Paradise; Geffen Playhouse
Featured Performance
Kelsey Angel Baehrens; Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players
Ron Bottitta; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
JD Cullum; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Kaia Gerber; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Juliane Godfrey; The Wedding Singer; The Colony Theatre
Edward Juvier; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Kaylee Kaneshiro; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Tim Liu; Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players
Julia Manis; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Alex Morris; Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; A Noise Within
Solo Performance
Robert Bailey; In Some Dark Valley; Moving Arts
Julia Masli; ha ha ha ha ha ha ha; Pasadena Playhouse
Manuel Oliver; Guac; Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
Roxana Ortega; Am I Roxie?; Geffen Playhouse
Ensemble
anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Hello My Name is…; Moving Arts
Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Writing (Original)
Will Arbery; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Amy Dellagiarino; Hello My Name is…; Moving Arts
Lauren Gunderson; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Roger Q. Mason; Hide & Hide; Skylight Theatre
Writing (Adaptation)
John Anthony Loffredo; Frou-Frou: A Menagerie of Sorts; Boston Court Pasadena
Matthew Lopez & Amber Ruffin; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Score / Music & Lyrics
Imogen Heap; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Andrew T. Mackay; Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Shaina Taub; Suffs; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Music Direction
Mark Binns; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Annbrit duChateau; Old Friends; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Dani Lee Hutch; Suffs; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Jane Lui/Matthew MacNelly; Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players
Choreography
Michelle Elkin; The Wedding Singer; The Colony Theatre
Mayte Natalio; Suffs; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Casey Nicholaw; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Indira Tyler; One Man, Two Guv’nors; A Noise Within
Scarlet Wilderink; Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Set Design
Tim Hatley; Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Christine Jones; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Mark Mendelson; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Mark Mendelson; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Tesshi Nakagawa; The Night of the Iguana; Boston Court Pasadena
Stephanie Kerley Schwartz; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Lighting Design
Neil Austin; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Pablo Santiago; Furlough’s Paradise; Geffen Playhouse
Anna Watson; Paranormal Activity; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Dan Weingarten; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Dan Weingarten; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Costume Design
Gregg Barnes; Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Kate Bergh; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Angela Balogh Calin; One Man, Two Guv’nors; A Noise Within
Christine Cover Ferro; Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre
Nikiya Mathis (Hair and Wig); Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
Sound Design
Carolyn Downing; Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Gareth Fry; Paranormal Activity; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
David B. Marling; Sleeping Giant; The Road Theatre Company
Christopher Moscatiello; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Christopher Moscatiello; Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre
Visual Effects Design
Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes (Puppetry); Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Fritz Davis and Michelle Hanzelova Bierbauer; anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre
Chris Fisher and Jamie Harrison (Illusions); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Andrzej Goulding (Video Design); Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward (Projections); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre
Finalist Totals by Production
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing; Rogue Machine Theatre – 11 nominations
Some Like It Hot; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre – 11 nominations
anthropology; Rogue Machine Theatre – 10 nominations
Corktown ’39; Rogue Machine Theatre – 10 nominations
Life of Pi; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre – 8 nominations
Cambodian Rock Band; East West Players – 5 nominations
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre – 5 nominations
Suffs; Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre – 4 nominations
Furlough’s Paradise; Geffen Playhouse – 3 nominations
Hello My Name is…; Moving Arts – 3 nominations
One Man, Two Guv’nors; A Noise Within – 3 nominations
Bat Boy: The Musical; Open Fist Theatre Company – 2 nominations
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; A Noise Within – 2 nominations
Old Friends; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre – 2 nominations
Paranormal Activity; Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre – 2 nominations
Sleeping Giant; The Road Theatre Company – 2 nominations
The Wedding Singer; The Colony Theatre – 2 nominations
Am I Roxie?; Geffen Playhouse – 1 nomination
Bacon; Rogue Machine Theatre – 1 nomination
Frou-Frou: A Menagerie of Sorts; Boston Court Pasadena – 1 nomination
Guac; Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre – 1 nomination
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha; Pasadena Playhouse – 1 nomination
Here There Are Blueberries; Tectonic Theatre Project at The Wallis – 1 nomination
Hide & Hide; Skylight Theatre – 1 nomination
In Some Dark Valley; Moving Arts – 1 nomination
Into the Woods; Wisteria Theater – 1 nomination
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum – 1 nomination
Lear Redux; Odyssey Theatre Ensemble/The New American Theatre/Not Man Apart – 1 nomination
The Fantasticks; Ruskin Group Theatre – 1 nomination
The Night of the Iguana; Boston Court Pasadena – 1 nomination
Rogue Machine Theatre – 32 nominations
Broadway in Hollywood / Pantages Theatre – 20 nominations
Center Theatre Group – 14 nominations
A Noise Within – 5 nominations
East West Players – 5 nominations
Geffen Playhouse – 4 nominations
Moving Arts – 4 nominations
Boston Court Pasadena – 2 nominations
Open Fist Theatre Company – 2 nominations
The Colony Theatre – 2 nominations
The Road Theatre Company – 2 nominations
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble/The New American Theatre/Not Man Apart – 1 nomination
Pasadena Playhouse – 1 nomination
Ruskin Group Theatre – 1 nomination
Skylight Theatre – 1 nomination
Tectonic Theatre Project at The Wallis – 1 nomination
Wisteria Theater – 1 nomination
Congratulations to all the 2025 Award Finalists!
2025 Special Achievement Awards
The 2025 LADCC Special Award recipients are:
GORDON DAVIDSON AWARD for distinguished contributions to the Los Angeles Theatrical Community: Gary Grossman, founder and retiring Artistic Director of the Skylight Theatre, and
a defining force in Los Angeles small theater for over four decades. Championing world premieres and socially engaged work that larger institutions often avoided, he was one of the pioneers of the 99-seat theater movement that transformed the city’s theatrical landscape and fought to preserve it through challenges that threatened its survival.
MARGARET HARFORD AWARD for sustained excellence in theatre: Latino Theater Company, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, has been a home for bold contemporary work illuminating life in the Latina/o/x and other underrepresented communities while transforming the historic Los Angeles Theatre Center’s five-theater complex into one of our most vibrant performing arts centers. Commitment to excellence in authentic storytelling, community education, and its National Latinx Theater Initiative’s support of Latinx companies nationwide have made LTCo an essential cultural institution reflecting and serving the rich mosaic of Los Angeles.
POLLY WARFIELD AWARD for an outstanding 2025 season: Rogue Machine Theatre; the only company to receive the LADCC’s Polly Warfield Award four times, continues its tradition of fearless programming in its 17th season with a slate of six well-received productions including world premieres, West Coast premieres, and the return of the Playwright’s Roundtable Festival. Under the inaugural artistic leadership of Guillermo Cienfuegos, Rogue Machine remains a home where provocative work sparks both challenging intellectual exploration and profound emotional connection.
JOEL HIRSCHHORN AWARD for outstanding achievement in musical theatre: Musical Theatre Guild. Founded in 1995 by a dedicated group of professional musical theater artists who first gathered in living rooms to explore their shared passion, MTG has since revived nearly 150 forgotten, undiscovered, and otherwise-unseen musicals for Los Angeles audiences in their distinctive concert staging format. The company’s robust educational outreach programs bring the joy and history of musical theater to diverse youth throughout Southern California, cultivating the next generation of audiences for this uniquely American art form.
MILTON KATSELAS AWARD for career or special achievement in Direction: Gregg T. Daniel, Artistic Director of Lower Depth Theatre and one of L.A. theater’s most vital voices exploring the African American experience and a celebrated director of the works of August Wilson in particular. His extensive collaborations across a wide swath of prominent companies have established him as one of the region’s foremost champions and interpreters of new works and neglected classics by Black playwrights while mentoring a new generation of theater artists.
TED SCHMITT AWARD for the World Premiere of an outstanding new play: Two new play co-honorees captured the imaginations of LADCC members:
CORKTOWN ’39 by John Fazakerley (Rogue Machine Theatre)
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE END OF THE WORLD! by Keiko Green (South Coast Repertory)
TECHNICAL DESIGN AWARD: Joel Daavid, an acclaimed director and designer whose work has graced stages across Los Angeles for decades. As both resident designer and technical director for companies including the Fountain Theatre and A Noise Within, and with credits ranging from Theatre of NOTE to Pasadena Playhouse, Daavid’s inventive scenic and lighting designs have shaped the visual landscape of Los Angeles theater while mentoring countless artists in the craft of transforming intimate spaces into worlds that serve and enrich the story.
THEATER ANGEL AWARD: The Perenchio Foundation, for its extraordinary support of arts and culture throughout Los Angeles County. Since 2011, through multi-year operating grants, capital improvement funding, and emergency relief efforts, the foundation has helped countless theater institutions—from intimate storefront companies to major regional houses—survive the challenges of recent years, including the devastating impact of the pandemic and the 2025 fires. As a key partner in the LA Arts Recovery Fund, which distributed over $41 million to more than 100 arts organizations, and through its own grants prioritizing quality, accessibility, and permanence, the Perenchio Foundation has become an indispensable guardian of the region’s cultural ecosystem.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS: LADCC members also voted to honor the career achievements of two talented professionals who’ve had an enormous behind-the-scenes impact on the success of countless theater productions:
Victoria Hoffman: As resident casting director for Rogue Machine Theatre and a trusted collaborator with companies including A Noise Within, Boston Court, Skylight Theatre, and the AFI Conservatory, Hoffman has spent decades matching the right actors to the right roles, shaping the ensembles that bring L.A.’s most acclaimed productions to life.
Karyl Lynn Burns: As co-founder and Producing Artistic Director at Rubicon Theatre Company, since 1998 Burns has built Ventura’s intimate 185-seat venue into a nationally recognized home for theatre artists that has presented over 160 productions—including more than 20 world premieres—earning Regional Tony, Drama Desk, and Ovation Awards, and production transfers to New York, London, and Tokyo.
ABOUT LADCC:
Founded in 1969, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle is a nonprofit association of professional journalists dedicated to excellence in theatrical criticism and to the encouragement and support of theatre arts in Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties (“Greater Los Angeles”).
Current officers consist of President and Awards Chair Philip Brandes (Stage Raw, ArtsBeatLA), Vice President and Website/Social Media Chair Patrick Chavis (LA Theatre Bites, The Orange Curtain Review), Treasurer Hoyt Hilsman (Cultural Daily), Co-Secretaries Martίn Hernández (Stage Raw) and Anita W. Harris (LATheatrix.com).
The current 2025 membership of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle also includes: Katie Buenneke (Stage Raw, TheaterDigest.substack.com), Amanda Callas (BroadwayWorld, Discover Hollywood Magazine), Lovell Estell III (Stage Raw), F. Kathleen Foley (Stage Raw), Travis Michael Holder (TicketHoldersLA.com), Edward Hong (The Nerds of Color), Harker Jones (BroadwayWorld, Arts in LA), Deborah Klugman (Stage Raw), Dana Martin (Stage Raw), Myron Meisel (Stage Raw), Terry Morgan (ArtsBeatLA), Honorary Member Steven Leigh Morris (Stage Raw), Elaine Mura (Splash Magazines), Tracey Paleo (Gia On the Move, BroadwayWorld), Ed Rampell (People’s World), Melinda Schupmann (ShowMag.com, ArtsInLA.com), Jonas Schwartz-Owen (Theatermania, BroadwayWorld), Don Shirley (Angeles Stage on Substack), and Socks Whitmore (Stage Raw).
The members express thanks to the LADCC Theatre Awards sponsors: William Turner Gallery, Custom Awards and Engraving, Max Ash.
Terry Morgan
