LOS ANGELES -- The theatre awards rivalry in this city is heating up.

The Drama-Logue Awards have already been announced and will be passed out Jan. 19 at 7 PM at the Pasadena Playhouse, but the area's oldest-established theatrical trade paper is being one-upped by its competitor, Back Stage West, which presents its first annual Garland Awards at the Coronet Theatre Jan. 19.

These two ceremonies follow the Theatre L.A.'s Ovation awards and the NAACP awards but precede the awards given by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and the L.A. Weekly.

The upstart Back Stage West and Drama-Logue have been engaged in a circulation battle. This year Drama-Logue presented 914 awards, which were announced in the paper's Jan. 1-7 issue. Back Stage West, in contrast, will hand out only 110 awards.

Still to come are the personal "Robby Awards" bestowed by critic Rob Stevens, who also happens to be president of the L.A. Drama Critics Circle. The Valley Theatre League also will give the Artistic Director Achievement Awards, known as ADAs. -- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent