Theatre Palisades Celebrates 2009/10 Season

By Sue Pascoe, Staff Writer

2010-07-29
The hottest place in Pacific Palisades on a cool Sunday evening was at the annual Theatre Palisades Awards Show, celebrating the 2009/10 season. Libations, good food, entertainment and TP awards were all part of the festivities held at Pierson Playhouse on Haverford Avenue.

  Directors, producers, actors and actresses and production people from 'Smokey Joe's Caf',' 'Chapter 2,' 'Proof,' 'The Nerd' and 'Things We Do For Life' waited to hear if their names would be called for a coveted clear-plastic TP statue. Theatre Palisades members vote for the winners.

  After a leisurely dinner under the oak trees on Founders Island, featuring prime rib and a mixed salad with caramelized walnuts, TP members, actors and guests went inside to enjoy the awards show, written and directed by Ryan Cooper, a 2003 graduate of the USC film school, and writer/producer Laura Stella.

  Starting with the opening song 'I Want To Be Loved By You,' the TP production sparkled. The Satin Dollz, a professional troupe of six talented ladies who sing and dance in a style reminiscent of the golden age of stage and movie musicals, nailed the opening song.

  'We knew about this group from clubs around town,' Cooper said afterwards. 'I'm really honored they took up the challenge,' to perform at Pierson Playhouse.

  Dressed in a tux, emcee Doug Green introduced the past season's four plays and a musical with a clever song parody. He then introduced Miss Theatre Palisades, Alexandra Wright-Banks, dressed in formal wear, who handed out the individual TPs.

  Shirley Churgin, who was in charge of sealing the winners' names in an envelope until they were announced, did such a good job that presenters had trouble opening them. When Martha Hunter and Rich Little presented technical awards, Hunter ad-libbed, 'Shirley, I'll help you with these envelopes next year.'

  Winning for technical merit were Sherman Wayne for lighting and set design for 'Proof,' Joanne Reich for graphic design for 'Chapter 2,' Stephanie Sakamoto for sound design for 'Proof,' and Ann Major for costume design for 'Smokey Joe's Cafe.'

  Gail Wirth was also thanked for her help in locating fellow Palisadian Major when the community theater desperately needed a designer.

  Audience members enjoyed a sneak preview of the Theatre Palisades Youth production of 'The Wind and the Willows,' which begins Friday at Pierson Playhouse. Katie Reinhold and Gigi and Reilly Pressman, who have outstanding voices, performed 'The Grey and Chilly Days of Fall.' The show, written by TP member Diane Grant, is based on the book by Kenneth Grahame, and will have its premiere here. Grant was also acknowledged during the show for volunteering 22 years in the Theatre Palisades box office.

  Green joked that the competition among actors was fierce and that winning a TP award could make or break a career. He noted that Amy Adams (who was nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actress for the movie 'Junebug' in 2005) won a TP award for 'Crimes of the Heart' in 2000. However, he was told that she actually lost.

  Undeterred, Green announced the sole candidate for the Cameo Award, Dylan LaRocque in the 'The Nerd.'

  'Wow! This is really a surprise,' LaRocque quipped in his acceptance speech. 'It was a fun show, even though I was in the closet most of the time.'

  The winning supporting actor, Timothy Sands, and supporting actress, Carly Reeves, performed in 'Proof.' Featured actor was Dan Adams in 'Chapter 2,' and featured actress was Kristen Hansen in 'Things We Do For Love.'

  A dance routine by the Dolly Dimples (5- to 9-year-old girls) and the Paper Dollz (10- to 13-year-old girls) about the need to eat spinach'or not'had the audience oohing, aahing and laughing at these adorably cute performers.

  Amy Coles and Jacob Nixon, the winners for lead actress and lead actor, respectively, both starred in 'Smokey Joe's Caf' (and can be seen in the current Morgan-Wixson production of 'A Chorus Line').

  'It was a joy to work here,' Nixon said, 'and I look forward to being able to grace this stage again.'

  Coles added, 'Thanks to the ensemble cast and the chance to bring [Jerry] Leiber and [Mike] Stoller's songs to life.' She then sang 'Don Juan' from that revue, accompanied by Brian Murphy on piano.

  Two non-theater awards are given to outstanding TP members and volunteers, who go above and beyond. Longtime Palisadian Arnold Hofer received the Lelah Pierson Award, and Rick Little was awarded the Cristofer Cariello Award.

  In addition, Julia Whitcombe gave a brief tribute to George Lissandrello, an active member of this community theater, who passed away in June. 'George kept things moving, and we're going to miss him,' she said. 'We already do.'

  Previewing the Theatre Palisades production of Stephen Sondheim's musical revue 'Putting It Together' in November, Gabriel Oliva, Allison Poccia, Aaron Matijasic. Trevor Davis and Katie Coleman performed a number.

  The evening's final awards went to the creative forces behind 'Smokey Joe's Caffirst to Lewis Hauser and Victoria Miller for best direction, and then to Martha Hunter and Shirley Churgin for best production.

  Speaking about her responsibility as a producer, Churgin joked, 'We fed them a lot.' And Hunter added, 'It really did come together. I loved working with the cast and Shirley.'