Deaf West Theatre
Deaf West Theatre is a non-profit arts organization based in Los Angeles, California, USA.[1] It is most well known for its Tony Award nominated productions of Big River and Spring Awakening.
Deaf West Theatre is led by Artistic Director, DJ Kurs.[2]
History[]
Established in 1991 by Founding Artistic Director, Ed Waterstreet,[3] Deaf West Theatre engages artists and audiences in unparalleled theater experiences inspired by Deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language. Committed to innovation, collaboration, and training, Deaf West Theatre is the artistic bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds.
Productions[]
Notable past productions include Our Town by Thornton Wilder in a co-production with Pasadena Playhouse;[4] Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo in a co-production with The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts;[5] Spring Awakening, which transferred from Inner-City Arts to The Wallis Annenberg and then to Broadway where it received three Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival;[6] American Buffalo, which was labeled a Los Angeles Times Critic's Choice;[7] Cyrano, a co-production with the Fountain Theatre which received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Production;[8] Big River which received two Tony Award nominations (including Best Revival),[9] Pippin, produced at the Mark Taper Forum in a co-production with Center Theatre Group;[10] Oliver! which received the Ovation Award for Best Musical,[11] and A Streetcar Named Desire which received the Ovation Award for Best Play.[12]
Awards & Nominations[]
Year | Award | Production | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Ovation Awards | The Solid Life of Sugar Water | Best Production of a Play
(Intimate Theatre) |
Deaf West | Nominated |
Scenic Design (Intimate Theatre) | Sean Fanning | Nominated | |||
2016 | Tony Awards | Spring Awakening | Best Revival of a Musical | Deaf West's Spring Awakening | Nominated |
Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Arden | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Ben Stanton | Nominated | |||
2015 | Ovation Awards | Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theater) | Deaf West | Won | |
Best Production of a Musical (Large Theater) | Deaf West / Wallis Annenberg | Won | |||
Acting Ensemble of a Musical | Cast of Spring Awakening | Won | |||
Director of a Musical | Michael Arden | Won | |||
Choreography | Spencer Lfif | Won | |||
Lighting Design (Large Theater) | Ben Stanton | Won | |||
Lead Actor in a Musical | Austin P. McKenzie | Nominated | |||
Lead Actress in a Musical | Sandra Mae Frank | Nominated | |||
Featured Actor in a Musical | Andy Mientus | Nominated | |||
Featured Actress in a Musical | Krysta Rodriguez | Nominated | |||
Music Direction | Jared Stein | Nominated | |||
Lighting Design (Intimate Theater) | Travis Hagenbuch | Nominated | |||
Scenic Design (Large Theater) | Dane Laffrey | Nominated | |||
Sound Design (Intimate Theater) | Phillip Allen | Nominated | |||
Video/Projection Design | Lucy Mackinnon | Nominated | |||
2012 | LA Drama Critics Circle Awards | Cyrano | Best Play | Deaf West | Won |
Best Actor | Troy Kotsur | Won | |||
2010 | LA Weekly Theater Awards | Children of a Lesser God | Leading Female Performance | Shoshannah Stern | Nominated |
Best Ensemble | Cast of Children of a Lesser God | Nominated | |||
2008 | BackStage West Garland Awards | Sleeping Beauty Wakes | Best Production | Sleeping Beauty Wakes | Nominated |
Choreography | Jeff Calhoun | Nominated | |||
Sound Design | Eric Snodgrass | Nominated | |||
2007 | Ovation Awards | Best World Premiere Musical | Sleeping Beauty Wakes | Won | |
Best Musical Direction | Brendan Milburn | Won | |||
2006 | The Helen Hayes Awards | Big River | Outstanding Musical Direction | Nick DeGregorio | Nominated |
Outstanding Director | Jeff Calhoun | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Lead Actor | Christopher B. Corrigan | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Lead Actor | Michael McElroy | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Lead Actor | Bill O'Brien | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Resident Musical | Big River | Nominated | |||
2005 | Ovation Awards | Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theater) | Deaf West | Won | |
Director of a Musical | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Choreography | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Musical Direction | Steven Landau | Won | |||
Scenic Design (Intimate Theater) | Ray Klausen | Won | |||
Lighting Design (Intimate Theater) | Michael Gilliam | Won | |||
Best Touring Production | Big River | Won | |||
Independent Reviewers of New England | Special Citation for Landmark Revival | Big River | Won | ||
Best Sound Design, Large Company | Peter Fitzgerald | Won | |||
Best Set Design, Large Company | Ray Klausen | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design, Large Company | Michael Gilliam | Nominated | |||
Best Actor Design, Large Company | Daniel Jenkins | Nominated | |||
Best Actor Design, Large Company | Michael McElroy | Nominated | |||
Denver Post Ovation Awards | Best Touring Production | Big River | Won | ||
Best Actor | Tyrone Giordano | Won | |||
Best Supporting Actor | David Aron Dumane | Won | |||
Best Actor | Daniel Jenkins | Nominated | |||
Best Supporting Actor | Kia Glover | Nominated | |||
LA Drama Critics Circle Awards | Best Production | Big River | Won | ||
SFBA Theatre Critics Circle | Best Musical (Touring) | Big River | Nominated | ||
2004 | Tony Awards | Honor for Excellence | Broadway cast of Big River | Won | |
Best Revival of a Musical | Big River | Nominated | |||
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Michael McElroy | Nominated | |||
Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Big River | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Michael McElroy | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Tyrone Giordano | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Jeff Calhoun | Nominated | |||
Drama League | Distinguished Production of a Revival | Big River | Nominated | ||
2002 | Ovation Awards | Best Production | Big River | Won | |
Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Choreographer | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Musical Director | Steven Landau | Won | |||
Best Set Design | Ray Klausen | Won | |||
Best Lighting Design | Michael Gilliam | Won | |||
Best Lead Actor | Bill O'Brien | Nominated | |||
Best Lead Actor | James Black | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actor | Troy Kotsur | Nominated | |||
Best Costume Design | David Zyla | Nominated | |||
Best Sound Design | Bill O'Brien | Nominated | |||
Valley Theatre League | Best Musical | Big River | Won | ||
Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Choreographer | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Musical Director | Steven Landau | Won | |||
Best Actor | Tyrone Giordano | Won | |||
Best Supporting Actor | Troy Kotsur | Won | |||
Best Actress | Melissa van der Schyff | Won | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Deanne Bray | Won | |||
True West | Best Revival Drama | True West | Nominated | ||
Best Actor | Troy Kotsur | Nominated | |||
Best Actor | Bill O'Brien | Nominated | |||
2001 | LA Weekly Theatre Awards | Big River | Best Director of a Musical | Jeff Calhoun | Won |
Best Musical | Big River | Nominated | |||
Best Musical Ensemble | Cast of Big River | Nominated | |||
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards | Best Production | Big River | Won | ||
Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Musical Director | Steven Landau | Won | |||
Best Set Design | Ray Klausen | Won | |||
Best Choreography | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Adaptation | Big River | Nominated | |||
Backstage West Garland Awards | Best Musical | Big River | Won | ||
Best Director of a Musical | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Musical Direction | Steven Landau | Won | |||
Best Actor | Bill O'Brien | Won | |||
Best Actor | Tyrone Giordano | Won | |||
Best Set Design | Ray Klausen | Won | |||
Entertainment Today Ticketholder Awards | Outstanding Production | Big River | Won | ||
Best New Discovery | Tyrone Giordano | Won | |||
Best Supporting Actor | Troy Kotsur | Nominated | |||
Best Supporting Actor | Lyle Kanouse | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Nominated | |||
Best Ensemble Cast | Cast of Big River | Nominated | |||
Robby Awards | Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Nominated | ||
Best Actor | Tyrone Giordano | Nominated | |||
Best Set Design | Ray Klausen | Nominated | |||
Road to Revolution | Best Drama | Road to Revolution | Nominated | ||
Best Actress | Phyllis Frelich | Nominated | |||
Best Actress | Deanne Bray | Nominated | |||
Best Playwright | Mark Medoff | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Mark Medoff | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design | Steven Wallace | Nominated | |||
Valley Theatre League | Best Actress | Phyllis Frelich | Won | ||
Best Stage Manager | Meredith Greenburg | Won | |||
2000 | Ovation Awards | Oliver! | Best Musical | Oliver! | Won |
Best Director | Jeff Calhoun | Won | |||
Best Choreographer | Brian-Paul Mendoza | Won | |||
Best Adaptation/Translation | Oliver! | Nominated | |||
Best Actor | George McDaniel | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actor | Harris Doran | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actor | Troy Kotsur | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actress | Antoinette Abbamonte | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actress | Carol Kline | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design | Michael Gilliam | Nominated | |||
A Streetcar Named Desire | Best Director | Deborah LaVine | Nominated | ||
Best Actress | Suanne Spoke | Nominated | |||
Best Set Design | Robert Steinberg | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design | Ken Booth | Nominated | |||
Best Sound Design | Bill O'Brien | Nominated | |||
Best Play | A Streetcar Named Desire | Won | |||
Best Adaptation/Translation | A Streetcar Named Desire | Won | |||
LA Weekly Theatre Awards | Best Actress | Suanne Spoke | Nominated | ||
Best Set Design | Robert Steinberg | Nominated | |||
Valley Theatre Leavue | Best Revival Drama | A Streetcar Named Desire | Won | ||
Best Actor in a Drama | Troy Kotsur | Won | |||
Best Actress in a Drama | Suanne Spoke | Won | |||
Best Director | Deborah LaVine | Won | |||
Best Set Design | Robert Steinberg | Won | |||
Oliver! | Best Musical | Oliver! | Won | ||
Best Director of a Musical | Jeff Calhoun | Won |
References[]
- ^ "Deaf West Theatre". Deaf West Theatre. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ^ "Deaf West artistic director David Kurs: Why deaf actors should be cast to play deaf characters". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Deaf West Theatre to Honor Retired Founding Artistic Director Ed Waterstreet, 2/9". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ^ "Deaf West's Our Town to Open New Season at Pasadena Playhouse". Playbill. 1 June 2017.
- ^ "The Wallis and Deaf West Theatre present EDWARD ALBEE'S AT HOME AT THE ZOO". The Wallis Annenberg.
- ^ "The Tony Award Nominations". www.tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ^ "Deaf West's AMERICAN BUFFALO To Play Columbus this Fall". Broadway World.
- ^ "New Deaf West and Fountain Theatre Coproduction of CYRANO Is Skillful and Impressive". LAist. 4 May 2020.
- ^ "Deaf West's Big River Shines on Broadway as Roundabout Revival Opens". Playbill. 24 July 2003.
- ^ "Deaf West presents 'Pippin'". Variety. 23 Jan 2009.
- ^ "OLIVER! Deaf West Theatre's First-Ever Musical". Playbill. 12 May 2000.
- ^ "Stella, Blanche and ASL". Los Angeles Times. 2 April 2000.
External links[]
- Theatres in California
- Deaf culture in the United States
- Deafness arts organizations
- Performing groups established in 1989
- Theatre companies in California
- 1989 establishments in California
- Disability organizations based in the United States
- Disability theatre