LOS ANGELES -- Back Stage West's second annual Garland Awards will be held Mon. Jan. 25, 1999 at the Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave. in Westwood.
The actors' trade weekly will present prizes in the categories of production, performance, writing (including musical score), choreography, direction and design. The latter category has been broken into four sub- divisions: best lighting, set, costumes and sound. If the voting warrants it, prizes for musical direction and/or conducting, and for ensemble performance will also be awarded, according to Back Stage West's editor, Rob Kendt.
"At the moment we are also weighing a Special Award," said Kendt. "Last year, for example, we gave one to the Pacific Theatre Ensemble for its body of work over the years."
Nominations will come from the eighteen writers who review theatre for the paper. "They can nominate from any show they've seen in '98, even if they didn't review it for us," Kendt said. "Artists or companies not qualifying for a prize will be given honorable mention."
Kendt estimated that at least a dozen presenters drawn from the L.A. theatrical community will be on hand at the Geffen to award the prizes. It has not been decided whether a celebrity host will emcee the show or whether Kendt himself will handle the job, as he did last year. Call (323) 525-2356 for information or visit http.//www.backstage.com.
Back Stage West also announced the date for the fifth annual Actorfest Day -- Sat. April 17, 1999, at the Hilton Universal City & Towers in Universal City.
The actor's trade show will feature exhibits; public and private casting sessions; panel discussions by leading Hollywood actors, agents, directors and journalists. Special prizes will be given away as well.
For exhibitor, ticket and event information call (323) 525-2225.
Back Stage West is owned by BPI Communications, which publishes such other entertainment and media publications as The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and AdWeek.
Earlier in '98, Back Stage West (which is affiliated with New York's theatre weekly Back Stage) acquired its twenty-six year-old competitor Drama-Logue.
-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent
