The four local theater organizations of the Morongo Basin were nominated for a large share of the Desert Theatre League’s 2016-17 season “Desert Stars” awards, announced Tuesday. The Desert Theater League is made up of some 30 theatrical producing organizations in the hi- and low deserts. The Hi-Desert Cultural Center earned the lion’s share of nominations for local theaters with 35. Those nominations include professional, staged reading, and children’s theater categories, which the other three theaters do not all compete in. The Cultural Center’s kudos included 11 for “Godspell” and eight for the Youth Theater production of “Shrek Jr.” Theatre 29 showed well with 15 nominations, including eight for the production of “Mary Poppins.” The St. Joseph’s Players of Yucca Valley also had a great showing with 14 nominations, with “A Few Good Men” garnering 13. The Grove’s Theater in Morongo Valley received seven nods, five for “Exit Laughing.” With more of the awards, here’s managing editor Tami Roleff…
In addition to the nominations for outstanding live theater work, Jeanette Knight of the Hi-Desert Cultural Center was named the winner of the Michael Grossman Award for inspiration. Theatre 29’s President Gary Daigneault was awarded the Joan Woodbury Mitchell Award for advancing the theater arts, and Theatre 29’s director/costumer Kathryn Ferguson was given the Bill Kuhlman Award for contributions to theater not seen under the lights. The Desert Theatre League’s Desert Star Awards will be presented at a gala in Palm Desert on October 8. For more information, on the nominees, see http://deserttheatreleague.org/
LOCAL THEATERS HOLD THEIR OWN IN REGIONAL AWARD NOMINATIONS
