Hunter Foster, Lea Salonga and More Earn 2012 Craig Noel Nominations

More than 110 local and national theater artists representing more than 45 San Diego theatrical productions will compete for the 2012 Craig Noel Awards, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle announced today.

The awards ceremony will be held Feb. 4, 2013, in La Jolla. Digital invitations will be sent out in late December with RSVP information enclosed.

Leading the list of nominations with six were The Old Globe's world premiere musical "Allegiance," and Moxie Theatre's revival of Lorraine Hansberry's, "A Raisin in the Sun." Receiving five nominations each were Cygnet Theatre's production of the musical, "Parade" and The Old Globe's production of the musical "The Scottsboro Boys."

Productions with four nominations included The Old Globe's world premiere musical "Nobody Loves You," Moonlight Stage Productions' "Sweeney Todd," The Old Globe's Summer Shakespeare Festival revival of "Inherit the Wind," and two productions from ion theatre: "Top Dog/Underdog," and "The Little Flower of East Orange."

Competing for the outstanding resident musical award will be "The Scottsboro Boys," "Parade," and Moonlight's "Fiddler on the Roof." Competing for outstanding new musical will be "Allegiance," the Broadway-bound La Jolla Playhouse production of "Hands on a Hardbody," "Nobody Loves You," Diversionary Theatre's world premiere production of "Harmony, Kansas," and La Jolla Playhouse's adaptation of the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Competing for the outstanding dramatic production award will be "A Raisin in the Sun," "Inherit the Wind," "Top Dog/Underdog," and two La Jolla Playhouse offerings, "Blood and Gifts," and "An Iliad."

In the musical acting categories, the nominees for outstanding female leading performance in a musical are Sandy Campbell ("Parade"), Bets Malone ("Sweeney Todd"), along with Natalie Storrs for the Welk Resorts Theatre's production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and Hilary Maiberger for Moonlight's "Little Women: The Musical." The nominees for outstanding male lead in a musical are Hunter Foster ("Hands on a Hardbody"), and Robert Townsend ("Sweeney Todd"), along with Sean Murray ("Man of La Mancha," produced by Cygnet Theatre), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper ("Words By...," produced by North Coast Repertory Theatre), and Shaun Tuazon ("Deconstruction of a Drag Queen," produced by Circle Circle dot dot Theatre).

In the dramatic acting categories, the outstanding female leading performance nominees are Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson ("A Raisin in the Sun"), Dana Green ("As You Like It," produced by The Old Globe's Summer Shakespeare Festival), Yolanda Franklin ("The Sugar Witch," produced by OnStage Playhouse) Eva Kaminsky ("Good People," produced by The Old Globe), and Catalina Maynard ("Julia," produced by ion theatre). The outstanding male lead performance in a play nominees are co-stars Robert Foxworth and Adrian Sparks ("Inherit the Wind"), Lawrence Brown ("Top Dog/Underdog"), Jeffrey Jones ("The Little Flower of East Orange"), and Mark Christopher Lawrence for performances in both "Top Dog/Underdog" and "A Raisin in the Sun."

The outstanding ensemble award will be presented to the cast of one of the following productions: "A Raisin in the Sun," "Parade," "The Scottsboro Boys," "The Little Flower of East Orange," "Kita y Fernanda" (produced by Mo'olelo Performing Arts), or "In the Red and Brown Water" (produced by the University of California, San Diego's Department of Theatre and Dance).

The award ceremony will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, February 4, 2013, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 700 Prospect Drive, La Jolla. Admission to the ceremony is free. Reservations and details can be found at www.sdcriticscircle.org.

Outstanding Resident Musical

"Fiddler on the Roof," Moonlight Stage Productions

"Parade," Cygnet Theatre

"The Scottsboro Boys," The Old Globe

Outstanding New Musical

"Allegiance," The Old Globe

"Hands on a Hardbody," La Jolla Playhouse

"Harmony, Kansas," Diversionary Theatre

"Nobody Loves You," The Old Globe

"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Sandy Campbell, "Parade," Cygnet Theatre

Hilary Maiberger, "Little Women, The Musical," Moonlight Stage Productions

Bets Malone, "Sweeney Todd," Moonlight Stage Productions

Natalie Storrs, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" Welk Resorts Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

Sean Murray, "Man of La Mancha," Cygnet Theatre

Hunter Foster, "Hands on a Hardbody," La Jolla Playhouse

Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, "Words By ..." North Coast Repertory Theatre

Robert Townsend, "Sweeney Todd," Moonlight Stage Productions

Shaun Tuazon, "Deconstruction of a Drag Queen," Circle Circle dot dot

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Anthony Carrillo, "Sweeney Todd," Moonlight Stage Productions

David Kirk Grant, "Man of La Mancha," Cygnet Theatre

Michael K. Lee, "Allegiance," The Old Globe

Kurt Norby, "Man of La Mancha," Cygnet Theatre

Taylor Peckham, "A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Musical," Intrepid Shakespeare Company

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Eileen Bowman, "Guys and Dolls," Lamb's Players Theatre

Eileen Bowman, "Joe vs. the Volcano," Lamb's Players Theatre

Lauren Molina, "Nobody Loves You," The Old Globe

Lea Salonga, "Allegiance," The Old Globe

Karen Ziemba, "A Room with a View," The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Stafford Arima, "Allegiance," The Old Globe

Sean Murray, "Parade," Cygnet Theatre

Susan Stroman, "The Scottsboro Boys," The Old Globe

Michelle Tattenbaum, "Nobody Loves You," The Old Globe

James Vasquez, "Harmony, Kansas," Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

Eric Ebbenga, "The Scottsboro Boys," The Old Globe

Elan McMahan, "As You Like It," The Old Globe

Elan McMahan, "Fiddler on the Roof," Moonlight Stage Productions

Elan McMahan, "Sweeney Todd," Moonlight Stage Productions

Billy Thompson, "Parade," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Michael Mizerany, "Altar Boyz," Noah Longton Presents at Diversionary Theatre

Bradley Rapier, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," La Jolla Playhouse

Colleen Kollar Smith, "A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Musical" Intrepid Shakespeare Company

Susan Stroman, "The Scottsboro Boys," The Old Globe

Javier Velasco, "Zoot Suit," The San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding New Score

"A Room with a View," music and lyrics by Jeffrey Stock with additional lyrics by Marc Acito, The Old Globe

"Hands on a Hardbody," music by Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green; lyrics by Amanda Green, La Jolla Playhouse

"Harmony, Kansas," music by Anna K. Jacobs; lyrics by Bill Nelson, Diversionary Theatre

"Nobody Loves You," music by Gaby Alter; lyrics by Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter, The Old Globe

Outstanding Dramatic Production

"A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

"An Iliad," La Jolla Playhouse

"Blood and Gifts," La Jolla Playhouse

"Inherit the Wind," The Old Globe

"Topdog/Underdog," ion theatre

Outstanding Ensemble

"A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

"In the Red and Brown Water," University of California, San Diego, Department of Theatre & Dance

"Kita y Fernanda," "Mo'olelo Performing Arts

"Parade," Cygnet Theatre

"The Little Flower of East Orange," ion theatre

"The Scottsboro Boys," The Old Globe

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

Lawrence Brown, "Topdog/Underdog," ion theatre

Robert Foxworth, "Inherit the Wind," The Old Globe

Jeffrey Jones, "The Little Flower of East Orange," ion theatre

Mark Christopher Lawrence, "A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

Mark Christopher Lawrence, "Topdog/Underdog," ion theatre

Adrian Sparks, "Inherit the Wind," The Old Globe

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Yolanda Franklin, "The Sugar Witch," OnStage Playhouse

Dana Green, "As You Like It," The Old Globe

Eva Kaminsky," Good People," The Old Globe

Catalina Maynard, "Julia," Ion Theatre

Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson, "A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Kaja Amado Dunn, "Around the World in 80 Days," Lamb's Players Theatre

Yolanda Franklin, "A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

Samantha Ginn, "Hickorydickory," Moxie Theatre

Dana Green, "Richard III," The Old Globe

Trina Kaplan, "The Little Flower of East Orange," Ion Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

Phil Johnson, "The Man Who Came to Dinner," Coronado Playhouse

Stu James, "Hoodoo Love," Mo'olelo Performing Arts

Manu Narayan, "Glengarry Glen Ross," La Jolla Playhouse

Claudio Raygoza, "The Little Flower of East Orange," ion theatre

Mike Sears, "A Behanding in Spokane," Cygnet Theatre

James Sutorius, "Glengarry Glen Ross," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding New Play

"Julia," Claudio Raygoza, ion Theatre

"The Recommendation," Jonathan Caren, The Old Globe

"Tortilla Curtain," T. C. Boyle, as adapted by Matthew Spangler, San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Adrian Noble, "Inherit the Wind," The Old Globe

Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, "A Raisin in the Sun," Moxie Theatre

Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, "Topdog/Underdog," ion Theatre

Lucie Tiberghian, "Blood and Gifts," La Jolla Playhouse

Gregory Wallace, "In the Red and Brown Water," University of California, San Diego, Department of Theatre & Dance

Outstanding Sound Design

Kevin Anthenill, "The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek," Moxie Theatre

Mark Bennett, "An Iliad," La Jolla Playhouse

Karin Filijan, "Blasted," ion theatre

Lindsay Jones, "The Recommendation," The Old Globe

Shahrokh Yadegari, "Blood and Gifts," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design

Deirdre Clancy, "Inherit the Wind," The Old Globe

Mary Larson, "Zoot Suit," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Shirley Pierson, "Pippin," Diversionary Theatre

Jeanne Reith, "Joe vs. the Volcano," Lamb's Players Theatre

Deborah Roberts, "White Christmas," San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

Howell Binkley, "Allegiance," The Old Globe

Alan Burrett, "As You Like It," The Old Globe

David Lander, "A Room With a View," The Old Globe

Jean-Yves Tessier, "Fiddler on the Roof," Moonlight Stage Productions

Scott Zielinski, "An Iliad," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Scenic Design

Robert Brill, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," La Jolla Playhouse

Wilson Chin, "Anna Christie," The Old Globe

Jennifer Brawn Gittings, "Hickorydickory," Moxie Theatre

Todd Rosenthal, "Glengarry Glen Ross," La Jolla Playhouse

Bruce Wilde, "The Sugar Witch," OnStage Playhouse

Outstanding Projection Design

Darrel Maloney, "Allegiance," The Old Globe

Michael McKeon, "Joe vs. the Volcano," Lamb's Players Theatre

Shawn Sagady, "American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose," La Jolla Playhouse

Ian Wallace, "Tortilla Curtain," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Other awards to be announced on February 4:

Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis Troy Scholarship

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Outstanding Orchestrations

Outstanding Featured Musical Performance in Play

Outstanding Special Event

Outstanding Solo Performance

Actor of the Year

Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work by a Small Theater Company