Long Beach’s International City Theatre, competing against the top theaters in downtown Los Angeles, recently received the most nominations for the 36th annual Robby Awards — including Best Drama, Best Comedy and Best Musical.
The theater community in Southern California is still recovering from the pandemic, and apparently the theater critics’ world is as well. The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, typically the lead group for the area, has a blank page under the heading “2022 Awards.”
The Robby Awards, returning live this year, are put together by critic Rob Stevens. The winners will be announced during a live show format at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd., in Los Angeles.
“International City Theatre doesn’t focus on awards, but we do focus on producing quality work so we are grateful when our work is recognized,” caryn desai, ICT’s artistic director and producer, said in an email. “When we are being compared to other theatres like the Ahmanson, the Pantages and the Geffen, which are much larger with greater resources and who do great work and we receive the most nominations, it is especially rewarding.”
ICT’s production of “Marry Me A Little,” a revue of Stephen Sondheim songs put together as a relationship story, is in the running for Best Musical, along with nominations for Best Director (Kari Hayter), Best Actor (Nick Tubbs), Best Actress (Katy Tang) and Best Musical Direction (Diane King Vann).
ICT has two shots at the Nan Martin Award for Best Drama, with nominations for “A Doll’s House, Part 2” and “Valley Song.” Directors of the same two plays — Trevor Biship-Gillespie and caryn desai, respectively — are nominated for Best Director. Nominations for Best Actress in a Drama went to Jennifer Shelton in “A Doll’s House, Part 2” and Belle Guillory in “Valley Song.”
Michael A Shepperd is in the running for Best Actor in a Drama for “Valley Song” and Scott Roberts is nominated in the supporting actor category for “A Doll’s House, Part 2.” ICT has two Best Supporting Actress nominees from “A Doll’s House, Part 2: — Nicolette Ellis and Eileen T’Kaye.
“The Legend of Georgia McBride,” a comedy about a drag performer, collected six nominations, including Best Comedy. Director Jamie Torcellini is up for Best Director of a Comedy and Taubert Nadalini is nominated as Best Actor. Both Donzell Lewis and Jeff Sumner are in the Best Supporting Actor category and Kimberly DeShazo is up for Best Costume Design.
Playwright Athol Fugard is nominated for Best Playwriting for his “Valley Song” script. JR Noman Luker is nominated for Best Scenic Design for “Marry Me A Little” and Donna Ruzika has a nomination for Best Lighting Design for the same play.
“This recent announcement inspires and motivates us to keep pushing forward to do good work whether on mainstage or through one of our six education programs,” desai said. “ICT is pleased to be part of a robust, caring theatre community that understands and values this most human art form.”