Shows & Tickets
Geffen Playhouse Honored with Ovation Award for Best Production
Jane Anderson Wins for Playwriting of an Original Play and Laurie Metcalf Wins for Lead Actress
LOS ANGELES, November 18, 2008 — The Geffen Playhouse and its world premiere production, The Quality of Life, were honored with top awards at yesterday evening’s Ovation Awards in Los Angeles. The production garnered the Geffen Playhouse a big win for Best Play (Intimate Theater), as well as a writing award for playwright/director Jane Anderson and the Best Lead Actress for Laurie Metcalf (costar JoBeth Williams was nominated in the same category).
Labeled the "...highest-profile contest for local theatre..." by the Los Angeles Times, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theater awards in Los Angeles. Nearly 400 productions and more than 2,000 individual artists were eligible to compete for these honors on productions performed between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008.
Anderson’s play had six nominations going into the evening, including acting nods for Dennis Boutsikaris, JoBeth Williams and Laurie Metcalf as well as a directing and playwriting award for Anderson. The Quality of Life, which opened at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse in November of last year, was the first produced commission as part of the Geffen Playhouse’s ongoing initiative to develop and produce world premiere plays.
The Geffen Playhouse’s production of The Quality of Life is currently in the middle of a successful run at the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) in San Francisco, and has also piqued the interest of independent producers who are working to ensure the piece has a future on other stages.
ABOUT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert (Gil) Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Susan Barton and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information, please visit GeffenPlayhouse.com.
