2018 Awards

2018 AWARDS

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle presented its 2018 Craig Noel Awards on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in San Diego. The 17th annual awards ceremony drew more than 500 people from as far as New York.

This year’s awards ceremony was organized by our event co-chairs Julie Sarno, Dea Hurton and Denise Bevers. Financial support was provided by our generous donors: Denise and Lon Bevers; Julie and Jay Sarno; Dea and Osborn Hurston; Stanley Cohen; Yolanda Braunagel; Larry Alldredge and Dawn Moore; Jerry Buckley; Weston Anson; Wendy Nash; Bill and Judy Garrett; Marilyn and Arthur Neumann; Darlene Davies; Bill Purves; Mike Napoli and Performing Arts Live; the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation; and US Bank.

Photos of the event

2018 Craig Noel Awards

Outstanding Dramatic Production (tie)

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” – San Diego Repertory Theatre
“A Thousand Splendid Suns” – The Old Globe

Outstanding New Play / Performing Arts Live Prize

“The Wanderers” by Anna Ziegler – The Old Globe

Outstanding Resident Musical

“Once” – Lamb’s Players Theatre

Director of the Year

David Ellenstein – Body of Work 2018

Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Small Theater

The Roustabouts Theatre Co.

Actors of the Year – Male and Female

Kevin Hafso Koppman
Nadia Guevara

Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis-Troy Scholarship

Noah Baird – “Disney’s Newsies,” Moonlight Stage Productions

Outstanding Special Event

“All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914” – Co-produced by San Diego Opera, Bodhi Tree Concerts and SACRA/PROFANA

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Carey Perloff – “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Sam Woodhouse – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

G. Scott Lacy – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

Ken MacDonald – “A Thousand Splendid Sons,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Sound Design (tie)

Melanie Chen Cole – “Men on Boats,” New Village Arts
Will Pickens – “Uncle Vanya,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Costume Design

Fabio Toblini – “The Importance of Being Earnest,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Lighting Design

Robert Wierzel – “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Ensemble

“Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

James Sutorius – “The Father,” North Coast Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Sofia Jean Gomez – “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Joy Yvonne Jones – “Voyeurs de Venus,” Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

Wrekless Watson – “Cardboard Piano,” Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Caitie Grady – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

Zackary Scot Wolfe – “Avenue Q,” New Village Arts

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Eboni Muse – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Bryan Banville – “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Jill Gorrie – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

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2018 Craig Noel Award nominations

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Barry Edelstein – “The Wanderers,” The Old Globe

Rob Lutfy – “The Last Wife,” Cygnet Theatre

Carey Perloff – “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

Jesca Prudencio – “Actually,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Jesca Prudencio – “Vietgone,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Sam Woodhouse – “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

AJ Knox – “Avenue Q,” New Village Arts

Kerry Meads – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Sean Murray – “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Cygnet Theatre

Larry Raben – “Young Frankenstein,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Sam Woodhouse – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

G. Scott Lacy – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Don LeMaster – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Elan McMahan – “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Moonlight Stage Productions

Robert Meffe – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Terry O’Donnell – “A Little Night Music,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

John Lee Beatty – “Much Ado About Nothing,” The Old Globe

Sean Fanning, “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Rob Howell – “Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax,” The Old Globe

Kristianne Kurner – “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” New Village Arts

Ken MacDonald – “A Thousand Splendid Sons,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Sound Design

Melanie Chen Cole – “Actually,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Melanie Chen Cole – “Men on Boats,” New Village Arts

Melanie Chen Cole – “Vietgone,” San Diego Repertry Theatre

Will Pickens – “Uncle Vanya,” The Old Globe

Mark Spiro – “Cloud Tectonics,” New Village Arts

Outstanding Costume Design

Jennifer Brawn Gittings – “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Michael Krass – “Much Ado About Nothing,” The Old Globe

David Israel Reynoso – “The Tempest,” The Old Globe

Fabio Toblini – “The Importance of Being Earnest,” The Old Globe

Paloma Young – “The Squirrels,” La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

Alan Burrett – “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Tyler Micoleau – “Seize the King,” La Jolla Playhouse

Chris Rynne – “Actually,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Bo Tindell – “Vietgone,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robert Wierzel – “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Ensemble

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” San Diego Repertory Theatre

“A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

“The Last Wife,” Cygnet Theatre

“Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

“The Wanderers,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

Manny Fernandes – “The Last Wife,” Cygnet Theatre

Daniel Eric Gold – “The Wanderers,” The Old Globe

Ben Levin – “Vietgone,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Jay O. Sanders – “Uncle Vanya,” The Old Globe

James Sutorius – “The Father,” North Coast Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Kate Burton – “The Tempest,” The Old Globe

DeAnna Driscoll – “HIR,” Cygnet Theatre

Nadia Guevara – “Cloud Tectonics,” New Village Arts

Sofia Jean Gomez – “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Nadine Malouf – “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” The Old Globe

Allison Spratt Pearce, “The Last Wife,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Andréa Agosto – “Bull in a China Shop,” Diversionary Theatre

Robyn Cohen – “The Father,” North Coast Repertory Theatre

Ali Rose Dachis – “The Wanderers,” The Old Globe

Joy Yvonne Jones – “Voyeurs de Venus,” Moxie Theatre

Heather Velazquez – “American Mariachi,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

Javier Guerrero – “Fade,” Moxie Theatre

Antonio TJ Johnson – “Smokefall,” Backyard Renaissance Theatre

Brian Mackey – “Noises Off,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Shaun Tuazon – “Vietgone,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Wrekless Watson – “Cardboard Piano,” Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Theo Allyn – “This Beautiful City,” Diversionary Theatre

Karole Foreman – “A Little Night Music,” Cygnet Theatre

Caitie Grady – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Amanda Naughton – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Rebekah Rawhouser – “Next to Normal,” Coronado Playhouse

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

Michael Louis Cusimano – “Once,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Kevin Hafso Koppman – “Young Frankenstein,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Omri Schein – “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ” North Coast Repertory Theatre

Jim Stanek – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robert J. Townsend – “South Pacific,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Zackary Scot Wolfe – “Avenue Q,” New Village Arts

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Claire Adams – “Fun Home,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Roxane Carrasco – “Chicago,” Moonlight Stage Productions

Lauren King Thompson – “The Loneliest Girl in the World,” Diversionary Theatre

Cashae Monya – “Avenue Q,” New Village Arts

Eboni Muse – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Bryan Banville – “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Cygnet Theatre

Kevin Hafso Koppman – “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” North Coast Repertory Theatre

Tony Houck – “Avenue Q,” New Village Arts

David S. Humphrey – “A Little Night Music,” Cygnet Theatre

Zackary Scot Wolfe – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Katie Banville – “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Cygnet Theatre

Jill Gorrie – “Hairspray,” San Diego Musical Theatre

Michael Mizerany – “Voyeurs de Venus,” Moxie Theatre

Karl Warden – “Disney’s Newsies,” Moonlight Stage Productions

Corey Wright – “Chicago,” Moonlight Stage Productions

Outstanding New Play

“American Mariachi” by José Cruz González – The Old Globe

“Beachtown” by Herbert Siguenza and Rachel Grossman – San Diego Repertory Theatre

“The Madres” by Stephanie Alison Walker – Moxie Theatre

“Romeo, Romeo & Juliet” – Ruff Yeager – Roustabouts Theatre

“The Wanderers” by Anna Ziegler – The Old Globe

Outstanding Dramatic Production

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” – San Diego Repertory Theatre

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” – The Old Globe

“Cardboard Piano” – Diversionary Theatre

“The Father” – North Coast Repertory Theatre

“Vietgone” – San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical

“Avenue Q” – New Village Arts

“Fun Home” – San Diego Repertory Theatre

“Hairspray” – San Diego Musical Theatre

“Once” – Lamb’s Players Theatre

“Young Frankenstein” – San Diego Musical Theatre

Winners of these special categories will be announced from the stage: