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                                                                                                         Event photography by Ion Moe

                                  And on with the show!


Pam Kragen, president of the Critics Circle, gets things started by dedicating the ceremony to the memory of beloved San Diego character actress Priscilla Allen, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 70.

San Diego Reader's longtime critic Jeff Smith presents Deborah Gilmour Smyth with the award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for her performance in Lamb's Players Theatre's regional premiere of "Light in the Piazza."

Smyth called the role 1950s  housewife Margaret a "dream role" and thanked the Lamb's resident company.

Tony Houck is surprised by his honor for Featured Performance in a Musical for his cross-dressing role in Diversionary Theatre's "Scrooge in Rouge."

Jennifer Brawn Gittings earned the Outstanding Costume Design award for the dozens of quick-change costumes she created for "Scrooge   in Rouge" at Diversionary.

Critic Ruth Lepper also honored orchestrator Larry Hochman for the Old Globe's "Dancing in the Dark."

Critic Frankie Moran congratulates Cygnet Theatre artistic director Sean Murray for his direction of "A Little Night Music"    at the Old Town Theatre.

Murray thanked his cast and crew for the first show presented in the Old Town Theatre.

Justin Gray, musical director for the Welk Resort Theatre, returned as the evening's musical accompanist, performing "Send in the Clowns" as Murray approached the podium.

The evening's first surprise honoree was Arthur Wagner, founding chairman of the Department of Theatre & Dance at UC San Diego.

Craig Noel (left), namesake for the Critics Circle Awards, and Arthur and Molli Wagner react with surprise and delight to the 10-minute film created in Wagner's honor by San Diego filmmaker Martin Morawski.

La Jolla Playhouse's Shirley Fishman reads a dedication to Wagner from Michael Grief, former artistic director of the Playhouse.

Critics Circle Vice President Anne Marie Welsh presents the award to Wagner as the audience gives him a standing ovation.

Wagner thanked his collaborators at UC San Diego, including the late Floyd Gaffney, as well as his wife, Molli, seen on the screen.

Wagner gets a congratulatory kiss from wife Molli.

 

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