San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Announces 2010 Craig Noel Awards

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.

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).

"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.

"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).

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."

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.

Founded in 1983, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is a non-profit collective of print and online theater critics covering live theater in San Diego County. In 2002, the awards program was renamed in honor of Craig Noel, founding artistic director of San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, acclaimed regional theater innovator and 2007 recipient of the National Medal of Arts, who passed away in 2010. For information on the awards and members of the organization, visit the Web site at www.sdcriticscircle.org.

Complete Winners List:

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

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.

Photo credit: Kevin Berne