AMERICAN IDIOT Garners 12 SF Critics Circle Noms.

This year's Critics Circle Awards, sponsored by Actor's Equity Association, today announced is nominees for excellence in San Francisco Bay area theater. Berkeley Rep's production of American Idiot, which played in the fall of 2009, leads with 12 nominations and will open on Broadway this spring.

The SFBATCC uses a three-part separation of award categories between Theatres with (1) Over 300 Seats; (2) Between 100-300; and (3) 99 Seats or Less. As such, theatre companies of similar sizes will compete and receive recognition for their outstanding work.

On Monday, May 3, 2010, Awards will be presented at the SFBATCC's 34th Annual Awards Ceremony to celebrate and applaud Bay Area theatre excellence during 2009. Light refreshments and entertainment will be provided. Tickets $20. Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby, 3301 Lyon Street, SF (6 p.m. doors open; 7:30 p.m. Awards begin). Dress is business casual to formal. Direct questions to sfbatcc@gmail,com. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com/event/103150.

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle 2009 Nominees are:

TOURING PRODUCTIONS
Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps---Best of Broadway*
Brief Encounter---American Conservatory Theater*
Burn the Floor---Post Street Productions
OVO---Cirque du Soleil
Spamalot---Best of Broadway*
Wicked---Best of Broadway*

THEATRES OVER 300 SEATS
DRAMA

ENTIRE PRODUCTION
As You Like It---San Jose Repertory Theatre*
Happy Days---California Shakespeare Theater*
Kite Runner, The---San Jose Repertory Theatre*
Lieutenant of Inishmore, The---Berkeley Repertory Theatre*
Private Lives---Californian Shakespeare Theatre*
You, Nero---Berkeley Repertory Theatre*

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE
Anna Bullard*---As You Like It---San Jose Repertory Theatre*
Diana LaMar*---Private Lives---California Shakespeare Theater*
Hannah Cabell*---In the Next Room---Berkeley Repertory Theatre*
Judy Kaye*---Souvenir---American Conservatory Theater*
Patty Gallagher*---Happy Days---California Shakespeare Theater*
Rachel Ticotin*--Boleros for the Disenchanted--American Conservatory Theater*

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE
Barzin Akhavan*---The Kite Runner---San Jose Repertory Theatre*
Danny Scheie*---You, Nero---Berkeley Repertory Theatre*
George Maguire*---The Importance of Being Earnest---Marin Shakespeare Company*
James Carpenter*---The Lieutenant of Inishmore---Berkeley Repertory Theatre*
Stephen Barker Turner*---Private Lives---California Shakespeare Theater*
William Elsman*---Twelfth Night, or All You Need Is Love---Marin Shakespeare Company*