San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Announced Nominations For 2019 Craig Noel Awards For Theatrical Excellence

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is pleased to announce the nominations for its 2019 Craig Noel Awards. Now in its 18th year, the Craig Noel Awards honor the achievements at professional theaters in San Diego County.

Times are changing, language is changing and culture is changing. The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is stepping up to the challenge, acknowledging gender diversity by removing gender specificity from our awards.

Although the major theater awards - the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys - have yet to eliminate gendered categories, the Obies, which herald achievements in Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway theater, as well as theater awards organizations in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Toronto, have adopted gender-inclusive categories.

In February 2020, when we present our annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, we will be recognizing and honoring all gender identities, giving gender-neutral awards in all performance categories.

The 2019 nominees were chosen by a nine-member body of professional critics who write year-round for San Diego newspapers, magazines, online publications and blogs. Winners will be announced at the 18th-annual awards ceremony from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 10, 2020, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation at 404 Euclid Ave., San Diego.

The 2019 Craig Noel Awards are chaired by Julie Sarno. Financial support has been provided by our generous donors: The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation; Denise and Lon Bevers; Stanley Cohen; Julie and Jay Sarno; Arthur and Marilyn Neumann; Bill and Judy Garrett; Harvey and Sheryl White; Yolanda Braunagel; Jerry Buckley; Weston Anson; Wendy Nash; Dea and Osborn Hurston; Nancy Richards; Darlene Davies; Mike Napoli and Performing Arts Live.

Tickets will be $15 for general admission (unreserved) seating and $50 and $100 for reserved seating. Tickets are available online via Eventbrite. For information on the awards, visit sdcriticscircle.org or our Facebook page.

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The 2019 Craig Noel Award nominees:

(Nominees by category are listed in alphabetical order)

PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Ensemble

"Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

"Cambodian Rock Band," La Jolla Playhouse

"Gabriel," North Coast Repertory Theatre

"Handbagged," Moxie Theatre

"The Hour of Great Mercy," Diversionary Theatre

"Sweat," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play

Tony Amendola - "Amadeus," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Richard Baird - "American Buffalo," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Alex Bodine - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Teri Brown - "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," OnStage Playhouse

Sandy Campbell - "Handbagged," Moxie Theatre

Morgan Hallett - "They Promised Her the Moon," The Old Globe

Jason Heil - "Sweat," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Olivia Hodson - "The Virgin Trial," Cygnet Theatre

Tamara McMillian - "Intimate Apparel," New Village Arts Theatre

Joe Ngo - "Cambodian Rock Band," La Jolla Playhouse

Andrew Oswald - "The Hour of Great Mercy," Diversionary Theatre

Sandra Ruiz - "Venus in Fur," OnStage Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Roxane Carrasco - "Bad Hombres/Good Wives," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Rafael Goldstein - "Amadeus," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Jessica John - "An Experiment with an Air Pump," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Max Macke - "Handbagged," Moxie Theatre

Cashae Monya - "Intimate Apparel," New Village Arts

James Newcomb - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Rosina Reynolds - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Tom Stephenson - "The Hour of Great Mercy," Diversionary Theatre

Daisuke Tsuji - "Cambodian Rock Band," La Jolla Playhouse

Rachael VanWormer - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical

Michael Louis Cusimano - "The Last Five Years," Cygnet Theatre

Colin Donnell - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Bella Gil - "West Side Story," Moonlight Stage Productions

Sophie Hearn - "Life After," The Old Globe

Casey Likes - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Cashae Monya - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Diversionary Theatre

Solea Pfeiffer - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Shaun Tuazon - "Girlfriend," Diversionary Theatre

Racquel Williams - "The Last Five Years," Cygnet Theatre

Jeremy Wilson - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical

Courtney Arango - "West Side Story," Moonlight Stage Productions

Sarah Errington - "Sister Act," San Diego Musical Theatre

Charles Evans, Jr. - "Million Dollar Quartet," Lamb's Players Theatre

Drew Gehling - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Kevin Hafso-Koppman - "Matilda the Musical," Moonlight Stage Productions

Anika Larsen - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Judy Kaye - "Diana," La Jolla Playhouse

Aviva Pressman - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Lance Arthur Smith - "Million Dollar Quartet," Lamb's Players Theatre

Ben Van Diepen - "Million Dollar Quartet," Lamb's Players Theatre

Outstanding Solo Performance

Wil Bethmann - "The Santaland Diaries," Diversionary Theatre

Hershey Felder - "Hershey Felder, Beethoven," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robin LaValley - "Becoming Dr. Ruth," Broadway Vista

Sean Yael Cox - "The Thousandth Night," Intrepid Theatre

Ryun Yu - "Hold These Truths," San Diego Repertory Theatre

DIRECTORIAL CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Richard Baird - "Amadeus," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Rob Lutfy - "The Virgin Trial," Cygnet Theatre

Sean Murray - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Rosina Reynolds - "The Hour of Great Mercy," Diversionary Theatre

Rosina Reynolds - "American Buffalo," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Chay Yew - "Cambodian Rock Band," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Barry Edelstein - "Life After," The Old Globe

Jeremy Herrin - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Rob Lutfy - "The Last Five Years," Cygnet Theatre

Matt M. Morrow - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Diversionary Theatre

Javier Velasco - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

Steve Gunderson - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Patrick Marion - "The Last Five Years," Cygnet Theatre

Matt MacNelly - "Cambodian Rock Band," La Jolla Playhouse

Bryan Perri - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Ben Van Diepen - "Million Dollar Quartet," Lamb's Players Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Jill Gorrie - "A Christmas Story The Musical," San Diego Musical Theatre

Jill Gorrie - "Crazy For You," San Diego Musical Theatre

Luke Harvey Jacobs - "Sister Act," San Diego Musical Theatre

Colleen Kollar Smith - "Matilda the Musical," Moonlight Stage Productions

TECHNICAL CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Scenic Design

Tony Cucuzzella - "An Experiment with an Air Pump," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Christopher Scott Murillo - "Intimate Apparel," New Village Arts

Tobin Ost - "As You Like It," The Old Globe

Neil Patel - "Life After" - The Old Globe

Jason Sherwood - "The Tale of Despereaux," The Old Globe

Outstanding Sound Design

Melanie Chen Cole - "Pride and Prejudice," Cygnet Theatre

Peter Hylenski - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Steven Leffue - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Matt Lescault-Wood - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Matt Lescault-Wood - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

Elisa Benzoni - "Amadeus," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Jennifer Brawn Gittings - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

William Ivey Long - "Diana," La Jolla Playhouse

Veronica Murphy - "The Virgin Trial," Cygnet Theatre

Anita Yavich - "The Tale of Despereaux," The Old Globe

Outstanding Lighting Design

Natasha Katz - "Almost Famous," The Old Globe

Anne E. McMills - "The Last Five Years," Cygnet Theatre

Chris Rynne - "Angels in America," Parts 1 & 2, Cygnet Theatre

Cat Tate Starmer - "They Promised Her the Moon," The Old Globe

Japhy Weideman - "Life After," The Old Globe

Outstanding Projection Design

Christopher Ash - "Hershey Felder Beethoven," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Blake McCarty - "Rock of Ages," Cygnet Theatre

Blake McCarty - "33 1/3 House of Dreams," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Sven Ortel - "Life After," The Old Globe

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Resident Musical

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" - Diversionary Theatre

"Life After" - The Old Globe

"The Last Five Years" - Cygnet Theatre

"Million Dollar Quartet" - Lamb's Players Theatre

"West Side Story" - Moonlight Stage Productions

Outstanding Dramatic Production

"Angels in America," Parts 1 and 2 - Cygnet Theatre

"Cambodian Rock Band" - La Jolla Playhouse

"The Hour of Great Mercy" - Diversionary Theatre

"Intimate Apparel" - New Village Arts Theatre

"Sweat" - San Diego Repertory Theatre

"The Virgin Trial" - Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding New Play

"Bad Hombres/Good Wives" by Herbert Siguenza - San Diego Repertory Theatre

"The Coast Starlight" by Keith Bunin - La Jolla Playhouse

"The Hour of Great Mercy" by Miranda Rose Hall - Diversionary Theatre

"How High the Moon" by Mike Sears - La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival

"The Luckiest" by Melissa Ross - La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding New Musical

"Almost Famous" - The Old Globe

"Diana" - La Jolla Playhouse

"The Tale of Despereaux" - The Old Globe

"33 1/3 House of Dreams" - San Diego Repertory Theatre

SPECIAL CATEGORIES: Winners will be announced from the stage

· Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work by a Small Theater Company

· Outstanding Director of the Year

· Actors of the Year

· Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis-Troy Scholarship

· Outstanding Specialty Artist

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