FREAKY FRIDAY, SUMMER & More Earn San Diego Craig Noel Nominations

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominations for its 16th annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, which will be presented in a ceremony on Feb. 12, 2018, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in San Diego.

Named for the late founding artistic director of San Diego's longest-established theater, The Old Globe, the Craig Noel Awards honor the top achievements in San Diego professional theater.

For more information on the Critics Circle and the Craig Noel Awards, visit sdcriticscircle.org.

The 2017 Craig Noel Nominations:

Outstanding Dramatic Production

"Blue Door" - Moxie Theatre

"Awake and Sing" - New Village Arts

"Ballast" - Diversionary Theatre

"The Ballad of Emmett Till" - ion theatre

"Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3" - Intrepid Theatre

Outstanding New Musical

"Freaky Friday" - La Jolla Playhouse

"Benny & Joon" - The Old Globe

"SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical" - La Jolla Playhouse

"Tarrytown" - Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Festival of Christmas: "North of Normal"- Lamb's Players Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical

"On the 20th Century" - Cygnet Theatre

"Shockheaded Peter" - Cygnet Theatre

"Guys and Dolls" - The Old Globe

"Billy Elliot" - San Diego Musical Theatre & California Ballet

"In The Heights" - Moonlight Stage Productions

"Spring Awakening" - OnStage Playhouse

Outstanding New Play

Hershey Felder - "Our Great Tchaikovsky," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Will Cooper - "Margin of Error," The Roustabouts Theatre Co.

Georgette Kelly - "Ballast," Diversionary Theatre

Mat Smart - "Kill Local," La Jolla Playhouse

Hansol Jung - "Wild Goose Dreams," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Touring Production

"The Old Man and The Old Moon" - PigPen Theatre Co. at The Old Globe

"An American in Paris" - Broadway/San Diego

"The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey" - The Old Globe

"Matilda the Musical" - Broadway San Diego

"Flight" - Curbside (Long Beach) at San Diego International Fringe Festival

Outstanding Ensemble

"Awake and Sing" -New Village Arts

"Ballast" - Diversionary Theatre

"The Ballad of Emmett Till" - ion theatre

"A Piece of My Heart" - OnStage Playhouse

"Tarrytown" - Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Outstanding Solo Performance

Hershey Felder - "Our Great Tchaikovsky," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Linda Libby - "An Iliad," New Village Arts

Shana Wride - "2.5 Minute Ride," Diversionary Theatre

James Lecesne - "The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey," The Old Globe

Claudio Raygoza - "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll," ion theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

David S. Humphrey - "The Music Man," Welk Resort Theatre

Paul Swenson Eddy - "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," Intrepid Theatre & New Village Arts

Richard Bermudez - "Kiss of the Spider Woman," Welk Resort Theatre

Bryce Pinkham - "Benny and Joon," The Old Globe

Tom Zohar - "Tarrytown," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Heidi Blickenstaff - "Freaky Friday," La Jolla Playhouse

Hannah Elless - "Benny and Joon," The Old Globe

LaChanze - "SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical," La Jolla Playhouse

Minka Wiltz - "Black Pearl Sings," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Kay McNellen - "Tarrytown," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Veronica J. Kuehn - "Guys and Dolls," The Old Globe

Joy Yandell - "Billy Elliot," San Diego Musical Theatre & City Ballet

Cashae Monya - "Cabaret," ion theatre

Caitlyn Calfas - "In the Heights," Moonlight Stage Productions

Katie Sapper - "Damn Yankees," San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Michael Cusimano - "On the 20th Century," Cygnet Theatre

Steve Gouveia - "Shockheaded Peter," Cygnet Theatre

Randall Hickman - "The Little Mermaid," Moonlight Stage Productions

Rudy Martinez - "In the Heights," Moonlight Stage Productions

Bryan Banville - "Tarrytown," Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Jessica John - "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," New Fortune Theatre Company

Milena Phillips - "Having Our Say," New Village Arts

Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson - "Having Our Say," New Village Arts

DeAnna Driscoll - "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds," Cygnet Theatre

Jacque Wilke - "Ironbound," Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

Vimel Sephus - "Blue Door," Moxie Theatre

Cortez L. Johnson - "The Ballad of Emmett Till," ion theatre

Steven Lone - "Roz and Ray," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Caleb Foote - "Hand to God," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robert Malave - "Falling," InnerMission Productions

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Sandy Campbell - "Beau Jest," Lamb's Players Theatre

Amanda Schaar - "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," New Fortune Theatre Company

Annie Hinton - "Well," Diversionary Theatre

Candy Buckley - "Kill Local," La Jolla Playhouse

Jennifer Paredes - "Into the Beautiful North," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

Omri Schein - "Beau Jest," Lamb's Players Theatre

Andrew Ableson - "The Illusion," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Francis Jue - "Wild Goose Dreams," La Jolla Playhouse

Tom Stephenson - "Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3," Intrepid Theatre

David McBean - "The Legend of Georgia McBride," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

Sean Fanning - "On the 20th Century," Cygnet Theatre

Tim Mackabee - "Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood!," The Old Globe

Mike Buckley - "The Explorers Club," Lamb's Players Theatre

Charles Murdock Lucas - "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds," Cygnet Theatre

Marty Burnett - "Of Mice and Men," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Joanna Lynne Staub - "Wild Goose Dreams," La Jolla Playhouse

Matt Lescault-Wood - "Roz & Ray," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Kevin Anthenill - "Homos, or Everyone in America," Diversionary Theatre

Gareth Owen - "SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical," La Jolla Playhouse

Melanie Chen - "At the Old Place," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design

Jennifer Brawn Gittings - "The Revolutionists," Moxie Theatre

Shirley Pierson - "Shockheaded Peter," Cygnet Theatre

Jeanne Reith - "The Explorers Club," Lamb's Players Theatre

Renetta Lloyd - "Sunset Boulevard," Moonlight Stage Productions

Jennifer Brawn Gittings - "The Legend of Georgia McBride," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

A.J. Paulin - "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," New Fortune Theatre Company

Sherrice Mojgani - "Blue Door," Moxie Theatre

Stephen Strawbridge - "Hamlet," The Old Globe

Conor Mulligan - "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds," Cygnet Theatre

Jennifer Edwards - "Kiss of the Spider Woman," Welk Resort Theatre

Outstanding Projection Design

Christopher Ash - "Our Great Tchaikovsky," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Michael McKeon - "Silent Sky," Lamb's Players Theatre

Victoria Petrovich - "Black Pearl Sings!," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Sean Nieuwenhuis - "SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical," La Jolla Playhouse

Blake McCarty - "On the 20th Century," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Delicia Turner Sonnenberg - "Blue Door," Moxie Theatre

Yolanda Marie Franklin & Claudio Raygoza - "The Ballad of Emmett Till," ion theatre

Christy Yael-Cox - "Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3," Intrepid Theatre

Richard Baird - "Of Mice and Men," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Samantha Ginn - "Falling," InnerMission Productions

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Sean Murray - "On the 20th Century," Cygnet Theatre

Rob Lutfy - "Shockheaded Peter," Cygnet Theatre

Josh Rhodes -"Guys and Dolls," The Old Globe

James Vasquez - "In the Heights," Moonlight Stage Productions

Claudio Raygoza - "Cabaret," ion theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

Terry O'Donnell - "On the 20th Century," Cygnet Theatre

Patrick Marion - "Shockheaded Peter," Cygnet Theatre

Elan McMahan - "In the Heights," Moonlight Stage Productions

Morgan Carberry - "Cabaret" - ion theatre

Jon Lorenz - Festival of Christmas: North of Normal," Lambs Players Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Jill Gorrie - "Damn Yankees," San Diego Musical Theatre

Josh Rhodes - "Guys and Dolls," The Old Globe

Javier Velasco - "Evita," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Carlos Mendoza - "In the Heights," Moonlight Stage Productions

Ray Limon - "Kiss of the Spider Woman," Welk Resort Theatre

Special Award categories that will be announced from the Stage:

Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Small Theater

Actor of the Year, Male and Female

Outstanding Young Artist - Sandra Ellis-Troy Award

Outstanding Special Event

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 theater in San Diego County and to honoring artistic excellence. The members of our organization are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, entertainment trade publications and websites in San Diego County. The organization's major event is an awards program held each February, honoring the previous year's finest in theater production, direction, acting, playwriting, scoring and technical achievements. The event is presented free of charge to the theatrical community,Lucas thanks to the gracious support of private underwriters. In 2002, the awards were renamed in honor of Craig Noel, longtime artistic director at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre and the founding father of San Diego's theater community, who passed away in 2010.