Drama Critics Circle Favors South Coast Rep

“The Crucible” at South Coast Repertory, “Fences” at the Doolittle Theatre and “El Salvador” at the Gnu Theatre were awarded top honors by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle on Sunday. Each show garnered four awards, including one each for distinguished production, 1988.

South Coast Repertory led all Los Angeles and Orange County theaters with five awards. The Los Angeles Theatre Center and the Pasadena Playhouse tied with three awards each. International City Theatre’s “Distant Fires” and “South Central Rain,” presented by the Pacific Theatre Ensemble at the Tamarind Theatre, each received two. There were no other multiple winners.

Of the 30 awards given, 20 went to major theaters and 10 to smaller theaters of 99 seats or fewer.

Because the Drama Critics Circle does not give “bests” but rewards distinguished achievement, there can be multiple winners--or none--in any given category.

Following is a complete list of 1988 recipients:

Production: “The Crucible” (South Coast Repertory; David Emmes producing artistic director, Martin Benson, artistic director); “El Salvador” (Gnu Theatre; producer Diane Wade); “Fences,” (Doolittle Theatre; producer Carole Shorenstein Hays in association with Yale Repertory Theatre and by arrangement with James A. Doolittle).

Direction: Martin Benson (“The Crucible”); Victor Pappas (“South Central Rain,” Tamarind Theatre); Jeff Seymour (“El Salvador”).

Writing: Jules Feiffer (“Carnal Knowledge,” Pasadena Playhouse); Rafael Lima (“El Salvador”); August Wilson (“Fences”).

Leading performance: Danny Aiello, “Hurlyburly” (Westwood Playhouse); Kathy Bates (“Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,” Mark Taper Forum); James Earl Jones (“Fences”); James Morrison (“El Salvador”); Lynne Thigpen (“Fences”).

Featured performance: Kandis Chappell (“The Crucible”); Vincent J. Isaac (“Distant Fires,” International City Theatre); Scott Lincoln (“South Central Rain”); Deirdre O’Connell (“Stars in the Morning Sky,” Los Angeles Theatre Center).

Creation performance: Jude Narita (“Coming Into Passion/Song for a Sansei,” Fountain Theatre).

Ensemble performance: “Lies and Legends” (Pasadena Playhouse).

Scenic design: Don Llewellyn (“Distant Fires”); Deborah Raymond and Dorian Vernacchio (“Breaking the Silence,” Pasadena Playhouse).

Costume design: Andreane Neofitou (“Les Miserables,” Shubert Theatre); Shigeru Yaji (“The School for Scandal,” South Coast Repertory).

Lighting design: Margaret Anne Dunn (“Stone Wedding,” Los Angeles Theatre Center); David Hersey (“Les Miserables”); Tom Ruzika (“The Crucible”).

Original music: Claude-Michel Schoenberg (“Les Miserables”).

Margaret Harford Award: The Actors Gang.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Martin Magner.