BWW Blogs: GRIGWARE Picks His BEST in California Theatre for 2010

The Best in LA Theatre for 2010
(alphabetical listings)
(artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories)

Top Productions
Black Coffee - Theatre 40
The Clean House - Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Cousin Bette - The Antaeus Company
Fascinating Rhythms - Rubicon Theatre, Ventura
Four Places - Rogue Machine Theatre
Funny Girl - Music Circus, Sacramento
Hoboken to Hollywood - Edgemar Center for the Arts, Santa Monica
Opus - Fountain Theatre
South Pacific - Ahmanson
State of the Union - Interact Theatre Company
Sweeney Todd - Musical Theatre West (MTW)
The 39 Steps - Ahmanson

Most Promising New Musical
Robin and the 7 Hoods - The Old Globe, San Diego

Most Promising New Play
Elevator - Macha Theatre

Other Worthy Revivals
Merrily We Roll Along - Actors co-op
Miss Saigon - Moonlight Amphitheatre, Vista
Stage Door - Open Fist Theatre

Best Ensemble: Play (tie)
Four Places - Rogue Machine
The Glass Menagerie - Mark Taper Forum

Best Ensemble: Musical (tie)
Chess - Musical Theatre of Los Angeles @ The Met
Funny Girl - Music Circus, Sacramento

Best Lead Performances
Stephanie J. Block - They're Playing Our Song - Reprise Theatre Company
Anne G. Byrd - Four Places - Rogue Machine
Raul Esparza - Leap of Faith - Ahmanson
Beth Grant - Grace & Glorie - Colony Theatre
Hector Hank - The City - Group rep
Judith Ivey - The Glass Menagerie - Mark Taper Forum
Gary Lamb, Matthew J. Williamson - A Prayer For My Daughter - Crown City Theatre
Norman Large, Debbie Prutsman - Sweeney Todd - MTW
Vicki Lewis - Funny Girl - Music Circus, Sacramento
Megan McGinnis - Daddy Long Legs - The Broad, Santa Monica
Alice Ripley - Next to Normal - Ahmanson
Matt Walker - A Wither's Tale - Falcon Theatre
Alicia Wollerton - Cousin Bette - Antaeus

Best Featured Performances
Quincy Tyler Bernstine - Ruined - Geffen Playhouse
Patch Darragh - The Glass Menagerie - Mark Taper Forum
D. J. Harner - The Clean House - Odyssey
David Huynh - Mysterious Skin - East West Players
Marvin Kaplan - The Price - Theatre West
Erica Katzin - Elevator - Macha
Alix Korey - Funny Girl - Music Circus, Sacramento
Casey Kramer - Grapes and Nuts - Victory Theatre
Susan Leslie, Kristen McCullough - Yellow - Coast Playhouse
Michael Paternostro - Annie - MTW & Funny Girl - Music Circus, Sacramento
Keala Settle - South Pacific - Ahmanson
Jeanne Syquia - Siddhe - The Road
Derek Webster, Leith Burke - Neighbors - Matrix Theatre

Best Solo Show (tie)
A Conversation with Edith Head - Susan Claassen - El Portal Forum Theatre
Remembering the Ladies - Toni Morrell - El Portal Forum Theatre
Sweet Mama String Bean - ValLimar Jansen - Fremont Centre Theatre, Pasadena

Best Cabaret Artist: Male (tie)
David Campbell - Catalina Jazz Club
Blake McGiver Ewing - Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's
Lee Lessack - Chanteur - Gardenia

Best Cabaret Artist: Female (tie)
Callie Carson - Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's
Rosalyn Kind - Catalina Jazz Club
Natalie Toro - Inner Circle, Magic Castle

Most Unique Cabaret/Variety Show
All Hail the Queen! - Lesli Margherita - Level 3

Best Seasonal Shows (tie)
A Chicago Christmas Carol - Crown City Theatre
Comfort & Joy - GMCLA (Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles) - Alex Theatre

Star-Making Performances
Emily Bridges - Acting: The First Six Lessons - Theatre West &
Luca Ellis - Hoboken to Hollywood - Edgemar

Up and Coming Performers
Derek Klena - Happy Days the Musical; Cinderella - Cabrillo Music Theatre &
Janet Krupin - Bark! The Musical - CLOSBC, Redondo Beach; Bring It On (early 2011 - opening in Atlanta)

Renaissance Man of the Year
Lin-Manuel Miranda - composer, actor, singer, dancer - In the Heights

Best CDs
On Broadway - David Campbell
Winter Wonderettes

(photo credit: Stan Mazin: Don Grigware with Lin-Manuel Miranda)