Don Grigware Picks the Best of Southern California Theatre for 2009

(Photo of Don Grigware with Tony Award Winner Jay Johnson by Paul Kreppel)

The Best in LA Theatre for 2009 brought to you by L.A.'s Don Grigware (alphabetical listings - artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories)

Top Productions

Anita Bryant Died For Your Sins - West Coast Ensemble

The Apple Tree - Crown City Theatre

August Osage County - Ahmanson Theatre

Cabaret - Met Theatre

Farragut North - Geffen Playhouse

F*cking Men - Celebration Theatre

Life Could Be a Dream - Hudson Mainstage

Meet Me in St. Louis - Musical Theatre West @ The Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, Long Beach

Parade - Mark Taper Forum

Voice Lessons - Zephyr Theatre

Most Promising New Musical

Bonnie & Clyde - La Jolla Playhouse

Most Promising New Play

Anita Bryant Died For Your Sins - West Coast Ensemble

Best Revival (tie)

The Light in the Piazza @ El Portal Secondstage

Pippin @ Mark Taper Forum

Best Ensemble: Play (3 cast split)

Anita Bryant Died For Your Sins
@ West Coast Ensemble

Carved in Stone @ Theatre Asylum

F*cking Men
@ Celebration
Theatre

Best Ensemble: Musical (tie)

Life Could Be a Dream
@ Hudson Mainstage Theatre

Parade
@ Mark Taper Forum

Best Lead Performance

Sam Anderson   The Bird and Mr. Banks @The Road Theatre Company

Eduardo Enrikez   Cabaret @ The Met Theatre

Stephanie Fredericks   The Apple Tree @ Crown City Theatre

Laurie Metcalf   Voice Lessons @ Zephyr Theatre

Megan Mullally   The Receptionist @ Odyssey Theatre

Laura Osnes/Stark Sands   Bonnie & Clyde @ La Jolla Playhouse

Estelle Parsons   August Osage County @ Ahmanson Theatre

Chris Pine   Farragut North @ Geffen Playhouse

Bill Pullman/Julia Stiles   Oleanna @ Mark Taper Forum

Leslie Uggams   Stormy Weather @ Pasadena Playhouse

Best Featured Performances 

Ray Abruzzo   Mauritius @ Pasadena Playhouse

Shannon Cochran   August Osage County @ Ahmanson Theatre

Rachel Dratch   Minsky's @ Ahmanson Theatre

Annalisa Erickson   Cabaret @ Met Theatre

Sam Harris   The First Wives Club @ Old Globe, San Diego

Dee Hoty, Nikki Crawford   Stormy Weather @ Pasadena Playhouse

David McBean   Twist @ Diversionary Theatre, San Diego

John McLaughlin   The Golden Gays @ Cavern Club, Casita del Campo, Silverlake

Julia Migenes   Man of La Mancha @ Reprise!, Freud Playhouse

Kimberly Van Luin   Wonder of the World @ Victory Theatre

Mare Winningham   Bonnie & Clyde La Jolla Playhouse

Best Solo Show

The Two & Only   Jay Johnson  @ The Colony Theatre

Best Cabaret Artist: Male

Alan Cumming
I Bought a Blue Car Today
@ Geffen Playhouse

Best Cabaret Artist: Female

Alexandra Billings
Everybody's Girl
@ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's

Best Seasonal Show (tie)

Wicked Summer Nights: Upright Cabaret
@ Ford Amphitheatre

Winter Wonderettes
@ Laguna Playhouse

Best CD

this place I know
Stephanie J. Block