Laguna Playhouse aims for a ‘Winner’

Mitch Albom knows a thing or two about awards: During his career as a sportswriter and playwright he’s collected more than 100 of them.

Albom, a syndicated columnist for the Detroit Free Press, focuses on sportswriting, earning seven first-place honors for feature writing from the Sports Editors of America, the highest honor in his field. No other columnist has won the award more than once.

But Albom’s talents extend quite notably to the theater. He had a huge success a few years ago with “Tuesdays With Morrie,” a best-selling novel that morphed into a TV movie (with Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria) and a stage production. The latter incarnation arrived at the Laguna Playhouse two years ago and received a warm reception.

Now the playhouse is preparing to mount another West Coast premiere by Albom, “And the Winner Is...,” which begins previews May 30 and opens officially June 3 for a month-long run under the direction of Andrew Barnicle, the theater’s artistic director. And this one concerns itself with something the playwright is quite familiar ? awards.

Don’t expect the conventional awards story from Albom ? this one is closer to Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone.” Its central figure, Oscar-nominated movie actor Tyler Johnes, wakes up in a purgatorial bar where time has no meaning and nothing is quite as it seems.

“Johnes needs to make it to the Oscar ceremony, but instead must revisit his dubious life through unscheduled appearances by his agent, his former acting partner, his bimbo escort and soon-to-be ex-wife,” Barnicle noted. Enacting the less-than-inspirational actor will be Kelly Boulware, a veteran of the Los Angeles theater.

Returning to the Laguna stage will be Nicolas Coster (“Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood”), Jeff Marlow (“The Sleeper”) and Brent Schindele (“The Musical of Musicals ? the Musical”). Others in the cast are Annie Abrams and Anne Marie Lee.

John Berger is designing the Laguna set, which will be lit by Paulie Jenkins. Julie Keen is the costume designer, with playhouse resident sound designer David Edwards handling the audio effects.

Following its preview week and gala opening, “And the Winner Is...” will be presented Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8, and Sundays at 2. Tickets range from $20 to $59 and may be reserved by calling the playhouse at (949) 497-2787.