Zombie Joe's Underground will host the 35th annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards on April 7 at Exchange LA. The awards honor what the paper's committee of critics have deemed the best work performed in theaters of 99 seats or less in the 2013 calendar year.

This year's Queen of the Angels Award, honoring contributions to the theater community, goes to Deborah Behrens, editor of L.A. Stage Times, which recently suspended publication. The Career Achievement nod goes to sound designer John Zalewski, who has been one of the region's premiere sound designers for decades.
]
Presale tickets are now on sale for $30. General Admission tickets can be purchased on the awards homepage using the presale code LAWBLOG.

If you have been nominated for an award, you and one guest are eligible for discounted tickets. To take advantage of this special offer, please email rsvp@laweekly.com and we will send you a personalized discount link and code. The email subject line should be THEATER AWARDS RSVP. In the body include your full name, the production you're associated with, and the award you have been nominated for. 

On April 7, doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30. This year's theme is gothic-macabre, true to the Zombie Joe's Underground spirit: “The Death of Art . . . And Its Resurrection.” Please come attired as your favorite dead artist. (That should give you considerable leeway.) Check out our awards website for more details.

Thank you, and welcome back to the party!

See also: L.A. Weekly theater reviews

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Sacred Fools Theater Company
Our Class, Son of Semele Ensemble at Atwater Village Theatre
Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers, The Blank Theatre at 2nd Stage Theatre
Walking the Tightrope, 24th Street Theatre
We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915, The Matrix Theatre Company

REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR:
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Hudson Backstage
The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
A View From the Bridge, Pacific Resident Theatre

MUSICAL OF THE YEAR:
Dreamgirls, DOMA Theatre Company at The MET Theatre
A Man of No Importance, Good People Theater Company at the Lillian Theatre

DIRECTION:
Jillian Armenante, We Are Proud to Present. . . The Matrix Theatre Company
Carl Cofield, One Night in Miami, Rogue Machine Theatre
Debbie Devine, Walking the Tightrope, 24th Street Theatre
Edward Edwards, Tender Napalm, Six01 Studio
Simon Levy, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
Michael Matthews, Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers, The Blank Theatre at 2nd Stage Theatre
Matthew McCray, Our Class, Son of Semele Ensemble at Atwater Village Theatre

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:
Marco Gomez, Dreamgirls, DOMA Theatre Company at The MET Theatre
Janet Miller, A Man of No Importance, Good People Theater Company at the Lillian Theatre

COMEDY DIRECTION:
Bart DeLorenzo, Annapurna, Evidence Room and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Chris Fields, A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52
Marcos Nájera, ¡Ser!, Los Angeles Theatre Center

ONE ACT DIRECTION:
Edward Edwards, Tender Napalm,Six01 Studio

MUSICAL DIRECTION:
Corey Hirsch, A Man of No Importance, Good People Theater Company at the Lillian Theatre
CAVA and Walter Miranda, ¡Ser!, Los Angeles Theatre Center
Chris Raymond, Dreamgirls, DOMA Theatre Company at The MET Theatre
David Robbins, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation

ENSEMBLE:
Cops and Friends of Cops, VS. Theatre
Creditors, The New American Theatre and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Hudson Theatre
One Night in Miami, Rogue Machine Theatre
Our Class, Son of Semele Ensemble at Atwater Village Theatre
Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers, The Blank Theatre at 2nd Stage Theatre
Walking the Tightrope, 24th Street Theatre
We Are Proud to Present . . ., The Matrix Theatre Company

COMEDY ENSEMBLE:
Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
El Grande de Coca-Cola, Ruskin Group Theatre
A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52

LEADING FEMALE PERFORMANCE:
Diana Angelina, Remembrance, Theatre 40
Kimberly Atkinson, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Melissa Weber Bales, A View From The Bridge, Pacific Resident Theatre
Pamela Dunlap, Heart Song, The Fountain Theatre
Ann Noble, The Crucible, The Antaeus Company
Paige Lindsey White, Walking the Tightrope, 24th Street Theatre

LEADING MALE PERFORMANCE:
Bill Brochtrup, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
JD Cullum, Sexsting, Katselas Theatre Company at Skylight Theatre Complex
Tim Cummings, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
Bo Foxworth, The Crucible, The Antaeus Company
Brendan Hunt, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Gregory Itzin, Sexsting, Katselas Theatre Company at Skylight Theatre Complex
Vince Melocchi, A View From The Bridge, Pacific Resident Theatre
John Sloan, R II, The Theatre @ Boston Court
Jack Stehlin, Creditors, The New American Theatre and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble

SUPPORTING FEMALE PERFORMANCE:
Lisa Cirincione, A View From The Bridge, Pacific Resident Theater
Julanne Chidi Hill, We Are Proud to Present . . .,The Matrix Theatre Company
Christine Joëlle, Remembrance, Theatre 40
Trisha LaFache, Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers, The Blank Theatre at 2nd Stage Theatre
Rebecca Mozo, We Are Proud to Present . . ., The Matrix Theatre Company
Candace Nicholas-Lippman, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), The Production Company at the Secret Rose Theatre
Lisa Pelikan, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre

SUPPORTING MALE PERFORMANCE:
Verton R. Banks, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
Daniel Bess, We Are Proud to Present . . ., The Matrix Theatre Company
Matt Gottlieb, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
Fred Koehler, The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre
Phil Lamarr, We Are Proud to Present… , The Matrix Theatre Company
Johnny O'Callaghan, Remembrance, Theatre 40
James Sutorius, The Crucible, The Anteaus Company
Gareth Williams, Cops and Friends of Cops, VS. Theatre Company

TWO-PERSON PERFORMANCE:
Burt Grinstead and Laurie Okin, Dying City, Rogue Machine Theatre
Graham Hamilton and Jaimi Paige, Tender Napalm, Six01 Studio
Bruce Ladd and Daniel J. Roberts, A Perfect Likeness, Fremont Centre Theatre
Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, Annapurna, Evidence Room and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Michael Yavnieli and Jeff LeBeau, Years to the Day, Skylight Theatre Company at the Beverly Hills Playhouse

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Brian T. Finney, Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation
Karen Anzoategui, ¡Ser!, Los Angeles Theatre Center

FEMALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE:
Jaime Andrews, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Kendra Chell, Track 3, Theatre Movement Bazaar at Bootleg Theater
Caitlyn Conlin, Track 3, Theatre Movement Bazaar at Bootleg Theater
Anna Douglas, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Rachel Germaine, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Shannon Nelson, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Elizabeth Regen, A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52
Liz Vital, Track 3, Theatre Movement Bazaar at Bootleg Theater

MALE COMEDY PERFORMANCE:
Marc Erickson, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Hudson Backstage
Saverio Guerra, A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52
Brendan Hunt, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Aaron Miller, El Grande de Coca-Cola, Ruskin Group Theatre
Johnny Messner, A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52
Bob Turton, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation
Keedar Whittle, Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Hudson Backstage

PLAY WRITING:
Doris Baizley, Sexsting, Katselas Theatre Company at Skylight Theatre Complex
Allen Barton, Years to the Day, Skylight Theatre Company at the Beverly Hills Playhouse
Kathryn Graf, The Snake Can, Indie Chi Productions at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Brendan Hunt, Absolutely Filthy, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Ron Klier, Cops and Friends of Cops, VS. Theatre Company
Gary Lennon, A Family Thing, The Echo Theater Company at Stage 52
Kemp Powers, One Night in Miami, Rogue Machine Theatre

EXCELLENCE IN CRITICISM: 
Myron Meisel

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT:
John Zalewski

QUEEN OF THE ANGELS:
Deborah Behrens

PRODUCTION DESIGN:
Alcestis, Critical Mass Performance Group and The Theatre @ Boston Court
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation
Our Class, Son of Semele at Atwater Village Theatre
R II, The Theatre @ Boston Court
¡Ser!, Los Angeles Theatre Center

ADAPTATION:
Richard Alger, Track 3, Theatre Movement Bazaar at Bootleg Theater
Nancy Keystone, Alcestis, Critical Mass Performance Group and The Theatre @ Boston Court
Jessica Kubzansky, R II, The Theatre @ Boston Court

LIGHTING DESIGN:
Anna Cecelia Martín, Our Class, Son of Semele Ensemble at Atwater Village Theatre
Matt Richter, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Pablo Santiago, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Actors Co-op Theatre
Dan Weingarten, Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation

COSTUME DESIGN:
Linda Muggeridge, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Michael Mullen, Dreamgirls, DOMA Theatre Company at The MET Theatre
Merrily Murray-Walsh, Creditors, New American Theatre and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Naila Aladdin Sanders, One Night in Miami, Rogue Machine Theatre
Jenise Smith Thornhill, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Hudson Backstage
Sarah Figoten Wilson, El Grande de Coca-Cola, Ruskin Group Theatre

SET DESIGN:
Danny Cistone, Cops and Friends of Cops, VS. Theatre Company
John Iacovelli, We Are Proud to Present . . ., The Matrix Theatre Company
DeAnne Millais, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, One Night in Miami, Rogue Machine Theatre
Thomas A. Walsh, Annapurna, Evidence Room and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Sybil Wickersheimer, Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation

SOUND DESIGN:
John Ballinger, Annapurna, Evidence Room and Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Mark Nichols, Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation
Austin Quan, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Actors Co-op Theatre
Ben Rock, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Randall Tico, Alcestis, Critical Mass Performance Group and The Theatre @ Boston Court
John Zalewski, Walking the Tightrope, 24th Street Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY:
Nancy Keystone, Alcestis, Critical Mass Performance Group and The Theatre @ Boston Court
Tina Kronis, Track 3, Theatre Movement Bazaar at Bootleg Theatre
Rae Toledo, Dreamgirls, DOMA Theatre Company at The MET Theatre

VIDEO DESIGN:
Matthew G. Hill, Walking the Tightrope, 24th St. Theatre

ORIGINAL MUSIC:
David Robbins, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation
CAVA, Walter Miranda and Louie Pérez, ¡Ser!, Los Angeles Theatre Center
Randall Tico, Alcestis, Critical Mass Performance Group and The Theatre @ Boston Court

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY:
Nenad Pervan, Tender Napalm, Six01 Studio

PROJECTION DESIGN:
Anthony Backman, Ben Rock and Jim Pierce, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Sacred Fools Theater Company
Adam Flemming, Dallas Non-Stop, Playwrights Arena at Atwater Village Theatre
Kaitlyn Pietras, R II, The Theatre @ Boston Court
Kaitlyn Pietras, Slipping, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater at the Lillian Theatre
Jason Thompson, Heart of Darkness, Actors' Gang at the Ivy Substation

See also: L.A. Weekly theater reviews

Public Spectacle, L.A. Weekly's arts & culture blog, on Facebook and Twitter:

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.