Besides annual awards to productions and performers appearing in New York City, the prestigious Tony Awards also recognizes one regional theatre troupe each year. Since the Regional Theatre Award was first given out in 1976, eight California companies have won.
It started in Pittsburgh in 1965, migrating to San Francisco two years later. In 1979, A.C.T. won the Regional Theatre Award.
California's most recent award winner (1997).Performing on two stages and mounting an impressive selection of world, U.S. and regional premieres every season.
In the past 20 years, no less than nine plays (including
Jersey Boys,
I Am My Own Wife and
The Who's Tommy) have launched their way to Broadway from La Jolla Playhouse stages, with six of them winning Tony Awards and one garnering a Pulitzer Prize. They won their own Tony in 1993.
LA's premiere company won their Tony in 1977, but they haven't been sitting idle since then, performing in three venues, including their newest, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
They got their Tony in 1984 and their season includes both Shakespeare plays and other works, including many world premieres.
Yes, we know Oregon isn't in California, but it's so close to the border (and such an excellent company) that we just had to mention it. This repertory company performs far more than its name suggests. They got their Regional Tony in 1983.
The winners of the 1987 Tony for Regional Theatre didn't have much to say. They don't have a permanent home stage, but instead take their performances to the streets, often appearing in local parks for free.
South Coast Rep won their Tony in 1988 and nowadays, they perform in beautiful Segerstrom Hall, a technologically perfect, 507-seat theatre where no seat is more than 13 rows from the actors.
