The Ovation Awards, the Los Angeles' peer-voted theatre honors, have a new home in 2001. The 12th annual event will be one of the first galas held in the new Kodak Theatre at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. The 2001 Ovation Awards will be held Nov. 12.

The Kodak Theatre, designed by The Rocky Horror Show designer and architect David Rockwell, will hold up to 3,500 people for live performances with 18 opera boxes and three balcony levels. TrizecHahn Development Corporation is developing the theatre, which contains one of the largest stages in the country, a 120 feet wide by 75 feet deep space.

First established by the Theatre League Alliance of Southern California in 1989, the Ovation Awards are given in 26 categories, separated in all cases, except acting, directing, choreography and writing, into large and intimate theatre divisions. Two achievement awards, the Career Achievement Award and the James A. Doolittle Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Theatre, are also included in the event.

Tickets to the Ovation Awards are now available to Theatre League members only through the Theatre League website at http://www.theatrela.org.

* In 2000, the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities' revival of Dreamgirls and Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses (playing Off-Broadway this fall) won the most prizes at the Oct. 30 Ovation Awards. Dreamgirls netted best musical in a large theatre, best lead actress in a musical for Kecia Lewis (picked over Faith Prince and Lea DeLaria) and best featured actress and actor in a musical for Tonya L. Dixon and Billy Porter. Zimmerman took home best director for Metamorphoses, while the theatrical retelling of Ovid's ancient stories won best play in a large theatre (besting Pultizer Prize winner Wit and August Wilson's Jitney), best lighting design in a large theatre and best sound design in a large theatre.

The Deaf West Theatre production of Oliver!, a Los Angeles first for its blending of deaf and hearing actors in a musical, garnered best musical in an intimate theatre, while the company's revival of A Streetcar Named Desire won best play in an intimate theatre. Deaf West won a total of four awards during the night - three of which went to Oliver!, including best director of a musical.

Two actors who have received accolades in New York City for their roles were also given the nod in Los Angeles - Douglas Sills won an Ovation for his title turn in The Scarlet Pimpernel while Kathleen Chalfant won best actress in a play for Wit.

-- By Christine Ehren