By Carol Davis
LA JOLLA, California — A total of 22 productions from nine theater companies were honored by the San Diego Theatre Critics at their annual awards ceremony and reception held Feb. 4 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla before an audience of nearly 500 people.
Leading the way was the La Jolla Playhouse/Berkeley Repertory Theatre production of An Iliad, with five awards. Other multiple-award productions were Cygnet Theatre’s production of The musical, Parade,” The Old Globe’s musical, Allegiance, and that company’s co- production, with the American Conservatory Theatre, of The Scottsboro Boys” with three awards each; and two of Moxie Theatre’s productions – A Raisin in the Sun and Hickorydickor – and Ion Theatre’s The Little Flower of East Orange with two awards each.
Actor of the Year was awarded to Mark Christopher Lawrence.
Recipients of the 2012 Craig Noel Awards:
Outstanding Resident Musical
Parade, Cygnet Theatre
The Scottsboro Boys, The Old Globe
Outstanding New Musical
Allegiance, The Old Globe
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female
Sandy Campbell, Parade, Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male
Sean Murray, Man of La Mancha, Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male
Michael K. Lee, Allegiance, The Old Globe
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female
Eileen Bowman, Guys and Dolls, Lamb’s Players Theatre
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys, The Old Globe
Outstanding Musical Direction
Elan McMahan, for a body of work that included As You Like It, The Old Globe, Fiddler on the Roof, Moonlight Stage Productions, and Sweeney Todd, Moonlight Stage Productions
Outstanding Choreography
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys, The Old Globe
Outstanding New Score
“Nobody Loves You,” music by Gaby Alter; lyrics by Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter, The Old Globe
Outstanding Dramatic Production
An Iliad, La Jolla Playhouse
A Raisin in the Sun,” Moxie Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble
A Raisin in the Sun, Moxie Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male
Jeffrey Jones, The Little Flower of East Orange, Ion Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female
Catalina Maynard, Julia, Ion Theatre
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female
Samantha Ginn, Hickorydickory, Moxie Theatre
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male
Phil Johnson, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Coronado Playhouse
Claudio Raygoza, The Little Flower of East Orange, Ion Theatre
Outstanding New Play
The Recommendation, Jonathan Caren, The Old Globe
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, Topdog/Underdog, Ion Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
Mark Bennett, An Iliad, La Jolla Playhouse
Shahrokh Yadegari, Blood and Gifts, La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Costume Design
Deirdre Clancy, Inherit the Wind, The Old Globe
Shirley Pierson, Parade, Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Scott Zielinski, An Iliad, La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Scenic Design
Jennifer Brawn Gittings, Hickorydickory, Moxie Theatre
Outstanding Projection Design
Ian Wallace, Tortilla Curtain, San Diego Repertory Theatre
Actor of the Year
Mark Christopher Lawrence, for his outstanding performances in both A Raisin in the Sun,” Moxie Theatre, and Topdog/Underdog, Ion Theatre
Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work by a Small Theater Company
Moxie Theatre for its 2012 productions of A Raisin in the Sun, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, and Hickorydickory
Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis Troy Scholarship
Dylan Hoffinger, for a body of 2012 work that included roles in Parade, Cygnet Theatre; Harmony, Kansas, Diversionary Theatre; and Zoot Suit, San Diego Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Solo Performance
Henry Woronicz, An Iliad, La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Featured Musical Performance in a Play
Brian Ellingsen, An Iliad, La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Technical Achievement
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, La Jolla Playhouse. Team: Robert Brill, scenic design; Basil Twist, puppetry; Paul Tazewell, costumes; Michael Walton, lighting; Steve Canyon Kennedy, sound design; Sean
Outstanding Orchestrations
Lynne Shankel, Allegiance, The Old Globe
Outstanding Special Event
The Car Plays, La Jolla Playhouse, Without Walls series
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 the Circle 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 Craig Noel, founder and longtime artistic director of The Old Globe.
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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic who may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com