Al Pacino, Andre Watts among National Medal of Arts winners

Actor Al Pacino, pianist Andre Watts, visual artists Will Barnet and Martin Puryear and art philanthropist Emily Rauh Pulitzer are among the winners of the 2011 National Medal of Arts, to be bestowed Monday by President Obama in a ceremony at the White House.

Also announced Friday were winners of the National Humanities Medal -- including classical music scholar Charles Rosen.

The ceremonies will be streamed live Monday at 10:45 a.m. (Pacific) on the White House website.

Pacino, famed for wide-ranging film and stage roles that include the sympathetic gay bank robber of “Dog Day Afternoon,” mob boss Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” trilogy, and Shakespeare’s Shylock and King Richard III, is being cited for his “signature intensity” and as “an enduring and iconic figure, who came of age in one of the most exciting decades of American cinema, the 1970s.”

Watts, who is not expected to attend the ceremony, according to the White House, is being recognized as “a perennial favorite with the most celebrated orchestras and conductors around the world,” his performances marked by “superb technique and passionate intensity.”

Barnet, a New York City painter and printmaker who turned 100 last year, was cited for “nuanced and graceful depictions of family and personal scenes” that are “meticulously constructed of flat planes that reveal a lifelong exploration of abstraction, expressionism and geometry.”

Los Angeles Drama Critics announce nominations for 2011 season

 

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has announced its nominations for the 2011 season, with productions of "A Raisin in the Sun," "Margo Veil," "Blackbird" and "Small Engine Repair" scoring multiple nods.

This year's award ceremony is scheduled to take place March 19 at A Noise Within in Pasadena. The L.A. Drama Critics Circle features 15 voting members for the most recent season, including two regular reviewers for The Times: F. Kathleen Foley and David C. Nichols.

The nine nominees for the season's best production are: "9 Circles," "Blackbird," "House of the Rising Son," "Jerry Springer: The Opera," "Margo Veil," "Re-Animator: The Musical," "Small Engine Repair," "The Cripple of Inishmaan" and "Way to Heaven."

The nominees for revival are: "A Raisin in the Sun," "Cabaret," "Kiss Me, Kate," "Peace in Our Time" and "The Crucible."

Among the special awards to be handed out are recognitions for David Wiener's new play "Extraordinary Chambers," which ran at the Geffen Playhouse; Rogue Machine, for excellence in a small to mid-size theater;  and the Odyssey Theatre, for sustained excellence.

The L.A. Drama Critics Circle typically hands out awards to more than one nominee in each category.

Here's the full list of the nominations...

'Book of Mormon': First a Tony, now Grammy nod, next a movie?

“The Book of Mormon” Broadway cast recording scored a Grammy nomination Wednesday night, joining “Anything Goes” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” in the musical theater category. “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and “Avenue Q” co-creator Robert Lopez have already won multiple Tony Awards for the show. Now they have a Grammy nod. Is an Oscar bid next? 

After all, fans are praying for a movie version of the musical about two mismatched Mormon missionaries assigned to spread the word in Uganda.

“If we get the Grammy, we’re going to proceed the next day with the movie,” Parker and Lopez joked together, moments after hearing news of their nomination.

While some blogs have reported rumors of a “Book of Mormon” movie, Parker insisted they “haven’t sat down and made an official plan.”

“When we were first writing this, we were going back and forth about whether to make it a movie or a Broadway thing,” Parker said, adding that Lopez persuaded them to go with a musical. Plus, Parker added, “we’d already done a movie.”

Grammys: Gustavo Dudamel in classical's West-leaning field

With the classical Grammy nominations, anything goes. There is more than ever to pick from, with thousands of releases coming from CDs, DVDS or downloads. But there are also fewer categories this year — most notably, the one for best classical recording is gone. For what it’s worth, this year brings a notable Grammy bias on the West Coast, but then this is where a great many of the Recording Academy voters are.

Two of the five recordings nominated Wednesday for best orchestral performance come from California — Gustavo Dudamel’s Los Angeles Philharmonic iTunes download of Brahms' Fourth Symphony, which ended his “Brahms Unbound” festival last season, and three Haydn Symphonies from Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque. The other three nominees are from overseas and are all of 20th century symphonies (by Martinu, Hans Werner Henze and York Bowen).

The only major New York ensemble to be recognized is the Metropolitan Opera, for its production of John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic,” even though a far finer DVD of the opera from Netherlands Opera was released a couple of years ago. Adams, of course, is the LA Phil’s creative chair and his opera was commissioned by San Francisco Opera.

Grammys: Jazz nominees mix fresh faces with familiar reliables

Realistically, an Esperanza Spalding-type surprise just doesn't happen every day. A year removed from jazz barging into the major categories with Spalding's rewarding best new artist win, Grammy voters opted for a return to normalcy with their jazz nominations announced Wednesday.

A longtime treasure on the L.A. jazz scene as an educator and composer, 93-year-old bandleader Gerald Wilson earned a nod in the large ensemble category for his lush album "Legacy," a recording that also featured arrangements by his son, guitarist Anthony Wilson. Going against the seven-time nominee will be Randy Brecker's recording with the Danish Radio Big Band, "The Jazz Ballad Songbook," Christian McBride's big band debut, "The Good Feeling," and Miguel Zenón's "Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook," an ambitious blending of jazz with the sound of Puerto Rico. Zenón joins Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra in the large ensemble category as artists who may have been honored in the Latin jazz category in previous years, but are now part of a narrower field since the Grammys' controversial decision to pare down its awards this summer.

Grammys: 'Book of Mormon,' 'Anything Goes' albums are nominees

 

"South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are competing against timeless composers Cole Porter and Frank Loesser for a 2012 Grammy Award. In the category of musical theater album, their new Broadway blockbuster "The Book of Mormon" was nominated Wednesday along with the albums for revivals of Porter's "Anything Goes" and Loesser's "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

The musical theater category honors the composers and lyricists for a show, as well as the producers and principal cast members.

"The Book of Mormon," released by Ghostlight Records, features songs by Stone, Parker and Robert Lopez. Cast members Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells also were included in the nomination. The hit comedy won nine Tony Awards this year, including the award for new musical.

Another big Tony winner this year, "Anything Goes" is a revival of Porter's 1934 musical, featuring Sutton Foster and Joel Grey. The album is released by Ghostlight. The production won three Tonys this year, including awards for Foster and for musical revival.

The album for "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," featuring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette, is released by Decca. Loesser's musical had its Broadway debut in 1961. The current revival won a Tony for Larroquette's performance.

The Grammys ceremony will take place Feb. 12 at Staples Center.

Last year's winner in the category was the album for "American Idiot," the musical featuring songs from the band Green Day.

RELATED:

Theater review: "The Book of Mormon" at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre

Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day win musical show Grammy for 'American Idiot' album

'West Side Story' wins Grammy for musical show album

-- David Ng

Photo credit: Ghostlight

Troubadour Theater Co. and Rogue Machine top Ovation Awards

This post has been corrected. Please see note at bottom for details.

Troubadour Theater Company and its artistic director, Matt Walker, triumphed at the annual Ovation Awards ceremony Monday at the Orpheum Theatre, winning five trophies for excellence during the 2010-11 season.

Four of them were for “A Wither’s Tale” (shown above) in which the comic troupe applied its Shakespeare play-meets-notable pop oeuvre formula to “A Winter’s Tale” and the Bill Withers songbook. The fifth was for best season -– an award Troubadour also won in 2008-09.

“A Wither’s Tale” generated trophies for best musical acting ensemble, for Beth Kennedy as featured musical actress, and for Walker as director and featured musical actor. Launched in 1995 –- five years after the Ovations themselves debuted –- Troubadour had won four previous awards. One of Walker’s past performances may have created some helpful karma: In the 2004 Ovation ceremony at the Orpheum, the festivities found him clad head to toe in a skin-tight white outfit, personifying the arms-outstretched trophy that winners receive.

Rogue Machine also had a big night, winning three awards for its psychological thriller, “Small Engine Repair”: best play at an intimate theater, best acting ensemble in a play, and best direction of a play (Andrew Block). 

Stefan Marks scored an impressive double victory, winning the best original playwriting and best lead actor awards for “Hello,” an offbeat love story staged at the Stella Adler Theatre.  Among the playwriting nominees was John Pollono, for “Small Engine Repair.”

Other best production awards went to Ebony Repertory Theatre’s “A Raisin in the Sun” (large theater play), Reprise Theatre Company’s “Kiss Me Kate” (large theater musical) and Chance Theater’s “Jerry Springer: the Opera” (intimate theater musical).

Julie Taymor eligible for Tony consideration for 'Spider-Man'

Julie Taymor, who was booted from the director's chair of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" before the show officially opened on Broadway, has received a show of support from the organizers of the Tony Awards.

On Thursday, the Tonys announced that Taymor -- and not her replacement -- is eligible for consideration in the best director for a musical category, despite the fact that she left the director's role.

Taymor served as the director of "Spider-Man" during its development and preview phases, working with the musical's composers, U-2's Bono and the Edge. But in March, producers removed her from the director's chair following negative reviews and numerous problems with the production. She was replaced by Philip William McKinley, who was brought in to retool the show for its June 14 opening and who now is credited as the musical's director.

Taymor retains the rather awkward credit of "original direction," in addition to being the co-book writer and mask designer for the show.

A spokeswoman for the Tonys confirmed that Taymor, not  McKinley, will be eligible for consideration for the best director in a musical category for "Spider-Man."

The Tonys are organized by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. "Spider-Man," which is playing at the Foxwoods Theatre, saw its opening day pushed back numerous times due to technical and creative problems.

RELATED:

'Spider-Man' redux: What did the critics (and Bill Clinton) think?

Theater review: 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' at Foxwoods Theatre

-- David Ng

Photo: Julie Taymor. Credit: Fred Prouser / Reuters

Monster Mash: Jazz musician Pete Rugolo dies; Alice Walton's DUI

Passing: Pete Rugolo, the jazz composer and arranger, has died at 95. (Los Angeles Times)

Busted: Alice Walton, the Wal-Mart heiress behind the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, was recently arrested for allegedly driving under the influence. (Fayetteville Flier)

More "Miz" news: Cameron MacIntosh confirmed that Anne Hathaway is joining the cast of his "Les Miserables" movie, along with Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. (Broadwayworld.com)

Climb every mountain: "The Sound of Music" is receiving a rare stage production in Salzburg, Austria. (Telegraph)

Resignation: Lou Spisto, the head of the Old Globe in San Diego, said he is stepping down in late December after nine years with the company. (Los Angeles Times)

Powerbrokers: Vienna's Jewish Museum has reopened with an exhibit dedicated to moguls in Hollywood. (Agence France-Presse)

Appreciation: Bianca Jagger has given artist Ai Weiwei an award for courage at a recent charity gala. (ArtInfo)

Community outreach: The Detroit Symphony is offering $20 discount tickets to city residents. (Michigan Radio)

Staying put: Britain has temporarily barred the export of an 18th-century Francesco Guardi painting that was recently sold at auction. (BBC News)

Appointment: New York's High Line has named a new public art director. (Wall Street Journal)

Blockbuster: Paris' Picasso museum has opened the biggest exhibition of works by the Spanish artist ever to take place in mainland China. (Agence France-Presse)

Also in the L.A. Times: Music critic Mark Swed reviews Jacaranda performing obscure Philip Glass choral work; a review of Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

-- David Ng

Photo: Pete Rugolo, standing, with Nat King Cole in an undated photo. Credit: Reuters

Cornerstone Theater member among Fox Foundation honorees

One of the founding members of L.A.'s Cornerstone Theater is being honored by the Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group as part of the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships. Peter Howard, who helped found Cornerstone and has performed in many of its productions, is receiving the "distinguished achievement" award from the foundation.

Howard will received a $25,000 award as part of the recognition. He is planning to travel to six former Cornerstone host communities to observe changes that have happened since the company's residency. In addition, he will write and perform in a piece that explores the changes in these communities.

Cornerstone is expected to receive $7,500 in support of the recognition. The company, which is based in the downtown L.A. arts district, produces socially and politically themed plays throughout the city.

The other recipient in the "distinguished" category is John Douglas Thompson of New York's Theatre for a New Audience.

In the foundation's "extraordinary potential" award category, the recipients include Sandra Delgado of Chicago's Goodman Theatre, Miriam Silverman of Washington's Shakespeare Theatre Company and Tony nominee Maria Dizzia of the Yale Repertory Theatre.

The "extraordinary" award comes with a $15,000 grant for each honoree.

RELATED:

L.A.'s Cornerstone Theatre among NEA playwrighting grant recipients

Theater review: '3 Truths' from Cornerstone Theater Company

A Manson accomplice speaks in Cornerstone Theater's 'For All Time'

-- David Ng

Photo: Peter Howard in a 2007 production of "Los Illegals" by the Cornerstone Theater. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times