AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR & More Win Big at Craig Noel Awards

The Old Globe's 2011 production of Tracy Letts' drama "August: Osage County" was the leading honoree at the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle's 10^th annual Craig Noel Awards ceremony, held Monday at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla before an audience of more than 450.

"August: Osage County" won the evening's top award for Outstanding Dramatic Production, as well as for Lois Markle's lead performance, Sam Gold's direction and the Ensemble award for its 13-member cast. 

La Jolla Playhouse was also honored in three top categories. It won top touring show honors for the Des McAnuff-directed, Broadway-bound production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," which originated at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival last summer. Kirsten Greenidge's "Milk Like Sugar" was honored as Outstanding New Play. And The Playhouse-produced audio drama "Susurrus," presented last fall at the San Diego Botanic Garden, was named Outstanding Special Event.

Cygnet Theatre's production of "Cabaret" picked up three awards, for director Sean Murray, choreographer David Brannen and leading lady Karson St. John, who starred in the musical as a female Master of Ceremonies.

Tied with "Cabaret" for three awards in the musical category was The Old Globe's production of Paul Gordon's "Jane Austen's Emma," which won Outstanding Resident Musical, and honors for set designer Tobin Ost and lighting designer Michael Gilliam.

 San Diego's ion theatre was the inaugural recipient of the Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work at a Small Theater for its production of Tony Kushner's two-part "Angels in America." The award was launched to honor Don Braunagel, a founding member of the Critics Circle, who passed away in June 2011 at the age of 72. Braunagel covered theater in San Diego for more than 30 years and was a passionate supporter of work at small theaters. The annual cash prize will be reserved for theaters with fewer than 200 seats.

The award was presented by, and is underwritten by, Braunagel's wife, Yolanda, who told the audience: "He was extremely proud of San Diego theater. He admired your acting, directing, your light, sound, set and costume design. He appreciated good PR work. He respected the courage it takes to put on a play you believe in, not knowing how audiences or critics will respond to your hard work. And he particularly admired small theaters who ---- with tiny budgets, difficult venues, sometimes difficult to find venues, sometimes drafty venues with hard seats ---- still manage sometimes to put on unforgettable productions, sometimes the best theater in town. And on those nights, Don and I would drive home in awe."

Brian Mackey was named Actor of the Year for a body of work that included ion theatre's "The Woolgatherer" and "Bash: Latter Day Plays," San Diego Repertory Theatre's "In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)" and Cygnet Theatre's "The Glass Menagerie."

Lucia Vecchio, 13, was named Outstanding Young Artist for her lead performance in the Onstage Playhouse production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." Vecchio also received the Sandra Ellis-Troy Memorial Scholarship to assist her further development as a theater artist.

In the musical acting categories, the outstanding female leading performance in a musical was presented to both Linda Libby, who played Mama Rose in ion theatre's "Gypsy: A Musical Fable," and Karson St. John in "Cabaret." The outstanding male leading performance in a musical was presented to B. Slade for his title role in San Diego REPertory Theatre's production of "The Who's Tommy."

Featured performance in a musical nods went to Katie Whalley for her portrayal of Louise, later Gypsy Rose Lee, in ion's "Gypsy: A Musical Fable." and to Randall Hickman for his drag portrayal of Edna Turnblad in Moonlight Stage Production's "Hairspray." Hickman and his "Hairspray" co-star Douglas Davis, who was also nominated in the category as Edna's husband, Wilbur, surprised and delighted the audience with a live performance of their show number "You're Timeless to Me."

In the dramatic acting categories, the outstanding female leading performance in a play award went to two towering performances as a family matriarch: Lois Markle in "August: Osage County," and Rosina Reynolds in Cygnet Theatre's "The Glass Menagerie." The outstanding male leading performance in a play was presented to Manny Fernandes for his portrayal of a developmentally disabled man in New Village Arts Theatre's "Of Mice and Men," and to Robert Foxworth for his portrayal of  a burned-out ex-hippie business owner in Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts," produced by San Diego REPertory Theatre.  The featured actor in a play awards were presented to David Ellenstein for North Coast Repertory Theatre's production of "My Name is Asher Lev," to Catalina Maynard for "Angels in America," and to Diona Reasonover for Mo'olelo Performing Arts' production of "Stick Fly."

Critics Circle President Pam Kragen commented that she was pleased at the diversity of recognition across multiple theatre companies and productions with both large and small budgets.

A full listing of the awards may be found below and photos of the event are posted at  www.sdcriticscircle.org.

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 our organization 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 the late Craig Noel, the founding artistic director of  San Diego's oldest theater, The Old Globe.

Recipients of the 2011 Craig Noel Awards:

Outstanding Dramatic Production

"August: Osage County," The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Sam Gold, "August: Osage County," The Old Globe

Outstanding Ensemble

"August: Osage County," The Old Globe 

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

Manny Fernandes, "Of Mice and Men," New Village Arts Theatre

Robert Foxworth, "Superior Donuts," San Diego REPertory Theatre

 Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Lois Markle, "August: Osage County," The Old Globe

Rosina Reynolds, "The Glass Menagerie," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Catalina Maynard, "Angels in America," ion theatre

Diana Reasonover, "Stick Fly," Mo'olelo Performing Arts Company

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

David Ellenstein, "My Name is Asher Lev," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Touring Production

"Jesus Christ Superstar," La Jolla Playhouse                                                                                                                       

Outstanding New Play

Kirsten Greenidge, "Milk Like Sugar," La Jolla Playhouse

Actor of the Year

Brian Mackey 

Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work at a Small Theater

ion theatre for "Angels in America"   

Outstanding Resident Musical

"Jane Austen's Emma," The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Sean Murray, "Cabaret," Cygnet Theatre 

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Linda Libby, "Gypsy: A Musical Fable," ion Theatre

Karson St. John, "Cabaret," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

B. Slade, "The Who's Tommy," San Diego REPertory Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Randall Hickman, "Hairspray," Moonlight Stage Productions

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Katie Whalley, "Gypsy: A Musical Fable," ion Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

Steve Gunderson, "The Who's Tommy," San Diego REPertory Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

David Brannen, "Cabaret," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Music for a Play

Shaun Davey, "The Tempest," The Old Globe                                                                                                                   

Outstanding Sound Design

Melanie Chen, "Angels in America," ion Theatre

Deborah Gilmour Smyth, "The Book of the Dun Cow," Lamb's Players Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

Jennifer Brawn Gittings, "In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)" San Diego REPertory Theatre

Jeanne Reith, "The Servant of Two Masters," Lamb's Players Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

Michael Gilliam, "Jane Austen's Emma," The Old Globe

Karen Filijan, "Angels in America," ion Theatre

Outstanding Set Design

Tobin Ost, "Jane Austen's Emma," The Old Globe

Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis-Troy Scholarship

Lucia Vecchio, "The Diary of Anne Frank," Onstage Playhouse

Outstanding Special Event

"Susurrus," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Projection Design

Peter Nigrini, "Sleeping Beauty Wakes," La Jolla Playhouse