San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Home Page


Download the nominees press release here: .doc
2011 Craig Noel Award nominees announced Award in memory of critic Don Braunagel announced SAN DIEGO (Dec. 20, 2011) ---- More than 100 local and national theatre artists representing more than 40 San Diego theatrical productions at a dozen local theaters will compete for the 2011 Craig Noel Awards on Feb. 6, 2012, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle announced today. Among the shows with multiple nominations were the Old Globe’s “August: Osage County,” “The Tempest” and “Jane Austen’s Emma”; La Jolla Playhouse’s “Sleeping Beauty Wakes”; Ion Theatre’s two-play series “Angels in America”; Cygnet Theatre’s “Cabaret”; San Diego REPertory Theatre’s “The Who’s Tommy” and “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)”; North Coast Repertory Theatre’s “Lend Me a Tenor”; Moxie Theatre’s “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”; and Moonlight Stage Productions’ “Hairspray.” Competing for the outstanding resident musical award will be “Cabaret,” “Jane Austen’s Emma,” “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” “The Who’s Tommy,” and Cygnet Theatre’s “Little Shop of Horrors.” Competing for the outstanding dramatic production award will be “Angels in America,” “August: Osage County,” “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” “Lend Me a Tenor,” “The Tempest,” and the New Village Arts Theatre’s rendering of John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” Competing for the outstanding touring production award will be Broadway/San Diego’s presentations of “Next to Normal” and “Shrek: The Musical” and La Jolla Playhouse’s Broadway-bound presentation of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” In the musical acting categories, the outstanding female leading performance in a musical nominees are Melissa Fernandes (“Little Shop of Horrors”), Linda Libby (“Gypsy: A Musical Fable,” produced by ion Theatre), Patti Murin (“Jane Austen’s Emma”), Karson St. John (“Cabaret”), and Aspen Vincent (“Sleeping Beauty Wakes”). The outstanding male leading performance in a musical nominees are Geno Carr (“The Servant of Two Masters,” produced by Lamb’s Players Theatre), Randall Dodge (“The Fantasticks,” produced by the Welk Resorts Theatre), Bryce Ryness (“Sleeping Beauty Wakes”), B. Slade (“The Who’s Tommy”), and Robert Townsend (“The Story of My Life,” produced by San Diego Musical Theatre). In the dramatic acting categories, the outstanding female leading performance in a play nominees are Jill Drexler (“Foxfire,” produced by Moonlight Stage Productions), Melinda Gilb (“Walter Cronkite Is Dead.” produced by San Diego REPertory Theatre), Jo Anne Glover (“Dead Man’s Cell Phone”), Lois Markle (“August: Osage County”), Rosina Reynolds (“The Glass Menagerie,” produced by Cygnet Theatre) and Aubrey Saverino (“In the Next Room (or the vibrator play).” The outstanding male leading performance in a play nominees are Miles Anderson (“The Tempest”), Jeffrey DeMunn (“Death of a Salesman,” produced by The Old Globe), Manny Fernandes (“Of Mice and Men”), Robert Foxworth (“Superior Donuts,” produced by San Diego REPertory Theatre), Jon Rua (“Somewhere,” produced by The Old Globe), and Kyle Sorrell (“Angels in America”). The outstanding ensemble award will be presented to the cast of one of the following productions: “Angels in America,” “August: Osage County,” “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” “Lend Me a Tenor,” or “Peer Gynt” (produced by La Jolla Playhouse). Critics Circle President Pam Kragen also announced the establishment of a new annual award in memory of longtime critic and arts writer, Don Braunagel, who passed away in June. Established in Braunagel’s memory by his widow Yolanda Braunagel, the cash award will honor special achievements at small-budget theater companies. The 10^th annual Craig Noel Award will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 700 Prospect Drive, La Jolla. Nominees for the 2011 Craig Noel Awards: Outstanding Resident Musical “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cygnet Theatre “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female Melissa Fernandes, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cygnet Theatre Linda Libby, “Gypsy: A Musical Fable,” ion Theatre Patti Murin, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Karson St. John, “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre Aspen Vincent, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male Geno Carr, “The Servant of Two Masters,” Lamb’s Players Theatre Randall Dodge, “The Fantasticks,” Welk Resorts Theatre Bryce Ryness, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse B. Slade, “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Robert Townsend, “The Story of My Life,” San Diego Musical Theatre Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male Doug Davis, “Hairspray,” Moonlight Stage Productions Derrick Gaffney, “Spring Awakening,” Actors' Conservatory Theatre Randall Hickman, “Hairspray,” Moonlight Stage Productions Dick Latessa, “Little Miss Sunshine,” La Jolla Playhouse Bob Stillman, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female Melissa Fernandes, “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre Linda Libby, “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre Dani Marcus, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Jill Van Velzer, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Katie Whalley, “Gypsy: A Musical Fable,” ion Theatre Outstanding Direction of a Musical Jeff Calhoun, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Steve Glaudini, “Hairspray,” Moonlight Stage Productions Sean Murray, “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre Claudio Raygoza and Kim Strassburger, “Gypsy: A Musical Fable,” ion Theatre Sam Woodhouse, “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Outstanding Musical Direction Laura Bergquist, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Steve Gunderson, “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Don LeMaster, “A Chorus Line,” San Diego Musical Theatre Elan McMahan, “Hairspray,” Moonlight Stage Productions Outstanding Choreography David Brannen, “Cabaret,” Cygnet Theatre JT Horenstein, “Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show,” The Old Globe Michael Mizerany, “Dooley,” Diversionary Theatre Doug Varone, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse Javier Velasco, “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Outstanding Music for a Play Shaun Davey, “The Tempest,” The Old Globe John Gromada, “A Dram of Drummhicit,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Dramatic Production “Angels in America,” ion Theatre “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Moxie Theatre “Lend Me A Tenor,” North Coast Repertory Theatre “Of Mice and Men,” New Village Arts Theatre “The Tempest,” The Old Globe Outstanding Ensemble “Angels in America,” ion Theatre “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Moxie Theatre “Lend Me a Tenor,” North Coast Repertory Theatre “Peer Gynt,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male Miles Anderson, “The Tempest,” The Old Globe Jeffrey DeMunn, “Death of a Salesman, “The Old Globe Manny Fernandes, “Of Mice and Men,” New Village Arts Theatre Robert Foxworth, “Superior Donuts,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Jon Rua, “Somewhere,” The Old Globe Kyle Sorrell, “Angels in America,” ion Theatre Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female Jill Drexler, “Foxfire,” Moonlight Stage Productions Melinda Gilb, “Walter Cronkite is Dead,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Jo Anne Glover, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Moxie Theatre Lois Markle, “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe Rosina Reynolds, “The Glass Menagerie,” Cygnet Theatre Aubrey Saverino, “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play),” San Diego REPertory Theatre Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female Lisel Gorell-Getz, “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)” San Diego REPertory Theatre Catalina Maynard, “Angels in America,” ion Theatre Tonya Pinkins, “Milk Like Sugar,” La Jolla Playhouse Diana Reasonover, “Stick Fly,” Mo'olelo Performing Arts Company Karson St. John, “Ten Cent Night,” Moxie Theatre Geeta Citygirl Chopra, "Rafta, Rafta ... ," The Old Globe Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male Ben Diskant, “The Tempest,” The Old Globe David Ellenstein, “My Name is Asher Lev,” North Coast Repertory Theatre Nick Kennedy, “Grace,” ion Theatre Brian Mackey, “The Glass Menagerie,” Cygnet Theatre Matt Thompson, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Moxie Theatre Jay Whittaker, “Amadeus,” The Old Globe Outstanding Touring Production “Jesus Christ Superstar,” La Jolla Playhouse “Next to Normal,” Broadway/San Diego “Shrek the Musical,” Broadway/San Diego Outstanding New Play Kirsten Greenidge, “Milk Like Sugar,” La Jolla Playhouse Matthew Lopez, “Somewhere,” The Old Globe Stephen Metcalfe, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” Cygnet Theatre David Myers, “Small Prophecies,” University of California, San Diego, Baldwin New Play Festival Outstanding Direction of a Play Sam Gold, “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe Adrian Noble, “The Tempest,” The Old Globe Glenn Paris & Claudio Raygoza, “Angels in America,” ion Theatre Daren Scott, “Of Mice and Men,” New Village Arts Theatre Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Moxie Theatre Matthew Wiener, “Lend Me A Tenor,” North Coast Repertory Theatre Outstanding Sound Design David Ballard, “Amadeus,” The Old Globe Melanie Chen, “Angels in America,” ion Theatre Deborah Gilmour Smyth, “The Book of the Dun Cow,” Lamb's Players Theatre Jeremy J. Lee, “Somewhere,” The Old Globe George Ye, “Tragedy of the Commons,” Cygnet Theatre Outstanding Costume Design Deirdre Clancy, “Amadeus,” The Old Globe Jennifer Brawn Gittings, “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play),” San Diego REPertory Theatre Jennifer Brawn Gittings, “The Who’s Tommy,” San Diego REPertory Theatre Sonia Elizabeth Lerner, “Lend Me A Tenor,” North Coast Repertory Theatre Jeanne Reith, “The Servant of Two Masters,” Lamb’s Players Theatre Outstanding Lighting Design Christopher Akerlind, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” La Jolla Playhouse Alan Burrett, “The Tempest,” The Old Globe Karen Filijan, “Angels in America,” ion Theatre Michael Gilliam, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Japhy Wiedeman, “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe Outstanding Set Design Marty Burnett, “Lend Me a Tenor,” North Coast Repertory Theatre David Korins, “Little Miss Sunshine,” La Jolla Playhouse Michael McKeon, “Trying,” Lamb’s Players Theatre Tobin Ost, “Jane Austen's Emma,” The Old Globe Victoria Petrovich, “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play),” San Diego REPertory Theatre David Zinn, “August: Osage County,” The Old Globe Other awards to be announced on February 6: Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis-Troy Scholarship Outstanding Special Event Actor of the Year Braunagel Award About the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle: Founded in 1983 and re-established in 2002, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is an independent, nonprofit organization of print and online theater critics dedicated to open and honest dialogue about theatre in San Diego County and to honoring artistic excellence. The members of our organization are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, alternative weeklies, entertainment trade publications, broadcast media, and Web sites in San Diego County. The Circle’s annual awards for outstanding San Diego theatre are named for the late Craig Noel, founder and longtime artistic director of The Old Globe. The organization’s 2011 ceremony is presented as a gift to the theater community by a small group of donors, including The Shiley Trust, Danah H. Fayman, The Dr. Seuss Foundation, the Harvey & Sheryl White Foundation, Osborn & Dea Hurston, Jay & Julie Sarno, Ralph Johnson and Ted & Trina Kaplan.

_______________________________________________
The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the date for its 2011 Craig Noel Awards. The ceremony honoring the top achievements in local theater for 2011 will be presented on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla. The ceremony in February marks the 10th anniversary of the Craig Noel Awards. In 2001, the Critics Circle was revived and renamed its awards in honor of Noel, the founding artistic director of The Old Globe. Noel, a 2007 recipient of the nation's highest artistic honor, the National Medal of Arts, is widely recognized as a pioneer in San Diego's professional theater community. He died in 2010 at the age of 94. In honor of the 10th anniversary, the ceremony in February will offer an affection tribute to winners from the past decade. Also, a new award named in honor of longtime Critics Circle member Don Braunagel, who passed away in June, will be introduced. The ceremony will mark the first that combines all of San Diego's major theatrical awards programs in one. Among the three new members who joined the Critics Circle this year is Emmy Award-winning local television, radio and print theater critic Pat Launer. Launer produced her own awards program, The Patte Awards for Theater Excellence, for 13 years. The Craig Noel Awards program is underwritten by San Diego arts philanthropists, including Darlene Shiley, Danah H. Fayman, Audrey Geisel, The Harvey & Sheryl White Foundation, Osborn & Dea Hurston, Jay & Julie Sarno, Ralph Johnson and Ted & Trina Kaplan. For information, contact Critics Circle President Pam Kragen at pkragen@nctimes.com.
Critics Circle mourns loss of Don Braunagel
LA JOLLA (6/3/11) -- Don Braunagel, one of the founding members of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle who had reviewed theater in San Diego since 1980, passed away June 3 after a heroic, three-year battle with cancer. He was 72. Braunagel served most recently as a theater critic for sandiego.com. He was the theater critic and columnist for San Diego Magazine from 1995 to 2010. And he covered theater for the San Diego Tribune from 1980 to 1992. He also served as a freelance San Diego theater critic for Variety and Daily Variety from 1985 to 1995. Before coming to San Diego, Braunagel was entertainment editor and theater critic for the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Mich. Don was instrumental in the revival of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle 10 years ago, obtaining the organization's nonprofit status, helping to create the group's website and coordinating and posting hundreds of photos to the site each year. "Don loved theater and was proud to have the opportunity to serve as a critic in San Diego for so many years. He often said that he'd reviewed theater all over the world but felt that San Diego had the best overall theater scene worldwide," said Circle president Pam Kragen. "He was generous, intelligent, kind, thoughtful and a true lover of life. It's hard to imagine the Circle without his enthusiastic presence in the future." Don was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. The disease was treated and in remission when he received a new diagnosis of ampullary cancer in September 2009. He blogged about his courageous battle with the disease for nearly two years, and continued to review theatrical productions right up until his final months. He passed away Friday, June 3, at his La Jolla home, surrounded by members of his family and his devoted wife of 26 years, Yolanda. A service to celebrate his life has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, at 700 Prospect St. in La Jolla. A reception will follow. Read more about Don in a tribute by Critics Circle member Jeff Smith of the San Diego Reader here. _______________________
2010 Craig Noel Award winners announced
SAN DIEGO (1/10/11) -- La Jolla Playhouse’s production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Ruined” earned top honors Monday at the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle’s 2010 Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence. Eight San Diego County professional and semi-professional companies took home a total of 35 awards, given in 29 categories, in the ninth annual presentation before an audience of more than 400 people at the Museum of Contemporary Arts, San Diego, in La Jolla. The evening opened with a filmed tribute to Award namesake Noel, who passed away April 3, 2010, at the age of 94. The founding director of San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre put the city on the map as a regional theater destination. In 2007, he received the nation’s highest artistic award, the National Medal of Arts. of Arts. The Playhouse’s “Ruined” co-production (with Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Huntington Theatre Co.) was honored in the categories of Outstanding Dramatic Production, Direction (Liesl Tommy), Lead Performance, Female (Tonye Patano), Featured Performance, Female (Zainab Jah), Ensemble, Set Design (Clint Ramos) and Sound Design (Broken Chord). La Jolla Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley is seen accepting a prize, at left. “It's rare to have one production win in so many categories, but when we held our voting session in December, virtually every member of the Critics Circle ranked 'Ruined' No. 1, so it was a hard act to follow,” said Circle president Pam Kragen. Other big winners at Monday’s ceremony were Cygnet Theatre’s production of “Sweeney Todd,” and San Diego Repertory Theatre’s “Hairspray.” The two musicals shared the award for Outstanding Resident Musical. Musical. Musical. Musical. Musical. “Sweeney Todd” was also honored in the categories of Direction of a Musical (Sean Murray and James Vasquez); Musical Direction (Charlie Reuter); and Lead Performance in a Musical, Female (Deborah Gilmour Smyth). “Hairspray” picked up additional awards for Choreography (Javier Velasco); Featured Performance in a Musical, Male (Steve Gunderson); and Outstanding Young Artist (Victoria Matthews). Another musical winner was Joy Yandell, who won for her featured role in Lamb’s Players Theatre’s “MiXtape.” In the New Musical category, La Jolla Playhouse’s production of Christopher Curtis and Thomas Meehan’s musical “Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin” won top honors, as did the musical’s star, Rob McClure, who won the Lead Performance in a Musical, Male. On hand to give the New Musical prize was Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun, who directed last year’s honoree in the New Musical category, “Bonnie and Clyde” (also produced at the Playhouse).ayhouse). Tony-winning composer Duncan Sheik (“Spring Awakening”) was honored for his score for “Whisper House,” which had its world premiere last year at The Old Globe. And composer Mark Bennett (“The Coast of Utopia”) was honored in the Music for Play category for his classically inspired score of La Jolla Playhouse’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”s Dream.”s Dream.” The Old Globe’s new musical “Robin and the 7 Hoods” won for Outstanding Choreography by three-time Tony nominee Casey Nicholaw and for its imaginative costumes by Tony-winner Gregg Barnes. Also honored at the Globe was Miles Anderson, who won Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male, for his title role in the Summer Shakespeare Festival production of “The Madness of George III.” Globe Shakespeare Festival actor Jay Whittaker was honored for his Featured work in all three Festival productions. Technical winners included lighting designer Eric Lotze and set designer Andrew Hull for their work on Cygnet’s “Private Lives.” Seema Sueko, founding artistic director for Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, was honored with the second Des McAnuff New Vision Award. Named for the former artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse, the honor -- which recognizes inspired and risk-taking artistic vision -- was first bestowed upon Moxie Theatre artistic director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg in 2007. Turner Sonnenberg took the stage Monday to present the award to Sueko. San Diego’s Ion Theatre -- co-founded by Claudio Raygoza and Glenn Paris -- was honored as Producer of the Year, for opening a new black-box theater in Hillcrest and producing a string of critically acclaimed shows in the new space during 2010. One of Ion’s 2010 productions, “Hurlyburly,” was also honored in the category of Outstanding Ensemble. A special “Actor of the Year” award went to Steve Gunderson for his fine performances in four San Diego County musicals in 2010: Cygnet’s “Sweeney Todd,” San Diego Rep’s “Hairspray,” “New Village Arts’ “Into the Woods” and the Old Globe’s “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Playwright Ronald McCants, a 2010 graduate of UC San Diego’s master’s program in playwriting, won the Outstanding New Play award for his thought-provoking drama “Oyster,” the story of a black father trying to reconnect with the adult son he abandoned years ago. The play premiered last spring at the university’s Baldwin New Play Festival. Winning the category of touring production was Bill Camp and Robert Woodruff’s adaptation of Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground,” produced at La Jolla Playhouse. Camp was also honored for his harrowing lead performance as Underground Man in the drama. drama. drama. drama. drama. The other winner for Performance in a Touring Production with Tovah Feldshuh, who starred as Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in the solo show “Golda’s Balcony” at the Old Globe (Feldshuh received a Tony nomination for the same role in 2004). This year’s ceremony also marked the debut of the Circle’s Sandra Ellis-Troy Scholarship program. Created to honor the beloved actor and Moonlight Stage Productions drama camp director who passed away Dec. 4, the Fund will give scholarships to promising young actors each year. The first winner of a scholarship is Victoria Matthews, a 16-year-old student from San Diego School and Creative and Performing Arts, who also won the Outstanding Young Artist award for her role as Little Inez in San Diego Rep’s “Hairspray.”
Complete Winners List SPECIAL AWARDS Producer of the Year: Ion Theatre, Claudio Raygoza & Glenn Paris Actor of the Year: Steve Gunderson Des McAnuff New Visions Award: Seema Sueko, Mo’olelo Performing Arts Co. Outstanding Resident Musical “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre Outstanding Original Score Duncan Sheik, “Whisper House,” The Old Globe Outstanding New Musical “Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Direction of a Musical Sean Murray & James Vasquez, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre Outstanding Musical Direction Charlie Reuter, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre Outstanding Music for a Play Mark Bennett, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female Deborah Gilmour Smyth, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male Rob McClure, “Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male Steve Gunderson, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female Joy Yandell, “MiXtape,” Lamb’s Players Theatre Outstanding Choreography Javier Velasco, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre Casey Nicholaw, “Robin and the 7 Hoods,” The Old Globe Outstanding Direction of a Play Liesl Tommy, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Sound Design Broken Chord, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Costume Design Gregg Barnes, “Robin and the 7 Hoods,” The Old Globe Outstanding Lighting Design Eric Lotze, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre Outstanding Set Design Andrew Hull, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre Clint Ramos, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Ensemble “Hurlyburly,” Ion Theatre “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female Zainab Jah, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male Jay Whittaker, Old Globe Shakespeare Festival body of work Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male Miles Anderson, “The Madness of George III,” The Old Globe Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female Shana Wride, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre Tonye Patano, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Performance in a Touring Production Bill Camp, “Notes From Underground,” La Jolla Playhouse Tovah Feldshuh, “Golda’s Balcony,” The Old Globe Outstanding Touring Production “Notes From Underground,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding Dramatic Production “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse Outstanding New Play “Oyster,” Ronald McCants, Baldwin New Play Festival, UCSD Outstanding Young Artist Victoria Matthews, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Sean Murray, left, and James Vasquez accept the prize for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Cygnet Theatre's "Sweeney Todd."
Check out our listings and review page with links to more than 1,000 reviews by Critics Circle members, updated weekly.

Founded in 1983 and re-established in 2002, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is an independent, nonprofit organization of print and online theater critics dedicated to open and honest dialogue about theater in San Diego County and to honoring artistic excellence. The members of our organization are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, entertainment trade publications and Web sites in San Diego, Riverside and Los Angeles counties. The organization's major event is an awards program held each January, honoring the previous year's finest in theater production, direction, acting, playwriting, scoring and technical achievements. The event is presented free of charge to the theatrical community thanks to the gracious support of private underwriters. In 2002, the awards were renamed in honor of Craig Noel, longtime artistic director at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre and the founding father of San Diego's theater community, who passed away in 2010. The Craig Noel Awards program is underwritten by San Diego arts philanthropists, including Donald & Darlene Shiley, Danah H. Fayman, Audrey Geisel, The Harvey & Sheryl White Foundation, Arthur & Molli Wagner, Jeff & Sheila Lipinsky, Osborn & Dea Hurston, Jay & Julie Sarno and Arnold Rosenberg. Contact Information Mailing address: 1613 Madrid Drive, Vista, CA 92081 760-839-3341 Web site maintained by Pam Kragen, North County Times newspaper.

Contact Information