Yolo County, And The Ellys

Bev discusses this year's nominations:

In its first year of participation, Davis' Emerson Junior High School picked up a nomination in the best supporting actress category: Caitlin Glassman, playing Julia in 'Lend Me a Tenor.' Caitlin, who has performed in some 15 to 20 shows with the Davis Musical Theatre Company, was shocked to hear the news.

'I didn't expect it, but I'm very excited,' she said, adding that her character was 'a very over-the-top woman of the opera.'

...Chris Peterson, an independent studies student with an eye on a career in law enforcement, picked up a nomination as leading child actor for the DMTC Young People's Theater production of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'

Chris also was nominated last year, for 'The Emperor's New Clothes.'

'I'm really excited,' he said. 'It's such an honor, but it wouldn't have been possible without every other person involved in the production.'

In addition to Chris' nomination, DMTC picked up eight other nods: Lauren Miller, as best actress in 'My Fair Lady'; Steve Isaacson, for the lighting design in 'The Secret Garden'; and six nominations for 'La Cage aux Folles,' including one for best overall production.

'Jan and I were very proud of 'La Cage aux Folles,' ' Steve Isaacson said. 'It was a great show to work on. It had a wonderful message back in 1984 when it first was produced, and the message is still relevant today.'

Other 'La Cage aux Folles' nominations went to Ryane Adame, as best leading actor in a musical; Nic Candito, for lighting design; Steve Isaacson, for musical direction; Jean Henderson, for costume design; and Ron Cisneros, for choreography.

The Woodland Opera House collected 18 nominations, including one for Amy Vyvlecka, who played the housemaid Toinette in Rodger McDonald's production of 'The Imaginary Invalid.'

McDonald was nominated in the leading actor and director category for the same production.

'It means,' Vyvlecka said, 'that all the running around in that 75-pound costume was worth it!'

Vyvlecka was particular happy to see a Moliere play recognized.

'I'm hopeful that these nominations will give more attention to the works of Moliere,' she said.

McDonald shares Vyvlecka's feelings about the attention paid to 'Imaginary Invalid.'

'Fame never has been a driving force for me, but respect from my peers and those who watch the performance is. A nomination is a recognition from your peers, that what you're contributing is being noticed. The Elly nominations themselves are that recognition.

'Winning isn't an issue for me, because my tastes and those of the judges may be entirely different. So, in my case, the nomination has a bit more weight than the winning.

'That said, no judge, panel or committee weighs more with me than the audience. I believe people were taken aback by how much this old classic, 'Imaginary Invalid,' could entertain them. If I'm any kind of actor or director, that material should have worked; I believe it did. The ultimate respect will be when the audiences want more of that brand of classic theater.'