San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Announces 2009 Awards

Frank Wildhorn's new musical "Bonnie & Clyde" earned top honors Monday, Jan. 25, 2010, at the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle's 2009 Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence.

Produced in its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse last fall, "Bonnie & Clyde" (score by Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black, book by Ivan Menchell) was named the year's Outstanding New Musical. Also honored were the show's director Jeff Calhoun, Musical Director John McDaniel and two of its female stars, Laura Osnes (who played the lead, Bonnie Parker) and Melissa Van Der Schyff (who earned a featured performance trophy as Blanche Barrow).

Playwright Doug Wright was honored for his adaptation of the 1888 August Strindberg tragicomedy "Creditors," which was also produced at La Jolla Playhouse in 2009. Wright has a long association with The Playhouse, which in 2001 workshopped his play "I Am My Own Wife," which went on to win both the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize in 2004.

Two Broadway veterans earned top acting prizes at Monday's ceremony.

Patrick Page, who has performed on Broadway in "A Man For All Seasons," "The Lion King," "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and many other shows, won the prize for Lead Actor in a Play for his title performance in "Cyrano de Bergerac" at The Old Globe. "Cyrano" was also honored as Outstanding Dramatic Production.

And Obba Babatundé ("Jelly's Last Jam," "Dreamgirls") was honored for his tour-de-force performance as Sammy Davis Jr. in The Old Globe's world premiere musical "Sammy."

In the featured performance categories, Tony-winner Harriet Harris was honored for her role in The Playhouse's production of Terrence McNally's "Unusual Acts of Devotion"; and Armin Shimerman (best known as "Quark" from "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine") was honored for his role in Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer."

La Jolla Playhouse's production of "The 39 Steps," which after closing went on tour, won for Outstanding Touring Production.

Despite its geographic distance from New York, San Diego is one of the top producers of new Broadway-bound musicals and plays in the country, according to Pam Kragen, president of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle and 12-year critic for the North County Times newspaper.

"In spite of the economy, San Diego theaters still pushed the envelope in 2009 with a number of new musicals and plays, and they were rewarded with strong audiences and critical acclaim," Kragen said. "San Diego theater-goers are among the most sophisticated in the country because they've become accustomed to seeing and welcoming new work - often performed and created by the most talented artists in country."

Darko Tresnjak, winning director for "Cyrano," also received one of the evening's special awards for his body of work in San Diego, especially reviving and helming the Globe's Summer Shakespeare Festival over the past six years.

Tresnjak recently resigned his position at the Globe to return to freelance directing. One of his first projects will be at The Playhouse, where he'll helm the world premiere of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," a new musical by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak that will premiere next fall. It will star Jefferson Mays (Tony-winning star of Wright's "I Am My Own Wife" and a UC San Diego graduate).

Also honored was San Diego actor/teacher DJ Sullivan, for her decades of acting on stage and screen, for her union activities on behalf of actors, and for teaching and directing local actors, many of whom have gone on to illustrious careers. An Outstanding Special Event Award went to the Ira Aldridge Repertory Players, for its doo-wop musical revue, "Looking for an Echo."

Nine San Diego County professional and semi-professional companies took home a total of 37 awards, given in 27 categories. Also, the critics presented three special awards.

Founded in 1983, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is a non-profit collective of print and online theater critics covering live theater in San Diego County. In 2002, the awards program was renamed in honor of Craig Noel, founding artistic director of San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, acclaimed regional theater innovator and 2007 recipient of the National Medal of Arts. For information on the awards and members of the organization, visit the Web site at www.sdcriticscircle.org.

Complete Winners List

Special Awards:

DJ Sullivan - Lifetime Achievement Award

Darko Tresnjak - Excellence in Artistic Direction - 14 reimagined classics at The Old Globe.
Outstanding Special Theatrical Achievement:

"Looking for an Echo" - Ira Aldridge Repertory Players

Resident musical:

"42nd Street," Moonlight Stage Productions

New musical:

"Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Orchestrations for a Musical:

John McDaniel, "Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Mark Danisovszky, "Threepenny Opera," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Direction of a Musical:

Jeff Calhoun, "Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Musical Direction:

John McDaniel, "Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Lead Performance in a Musical, Female:

Colleen Kollar Smith, "Bed and Sofa," Cygnet Theatre

Laura Osnes, "Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Lead Performance in a Musical, Male:

Obba Babatunde, "Sammy," The Old Globe

Featured Performance in a Musical, Male:

JorDan Miller, "Bed & Sofa," Cygnet Theatre

Featured Performance in a Musical, Female:

Sara Chase, "The First Wives Club," The Old Globe

Melissa Van Der Schyff, "Bonnie & Clyde," La Jolla Playhouse

Choreography:

Keith Young, "Sammy," The Old Globe

Direction of a Play:

Darko Tresnjak, "Cyrano de Bergerac," The Old Globe

Sound Design:

Lindsay Jones, "Opus," The Old Globe

Costume Design:

Linda Cho, "Twelfth Night," The Old Globe

Lighting Design:

Japhy Weideman, "Creditors," La Jolla Playhouse

Set Design:

Michael McKeon, "Killer Joe," Compass Theatre

Robert Brill, "Creditors," La Jolla Playhouse

Music for a Play

Christopher R. Walker, "Twelfth Night," The Old Globe

David Van Tieghem, "Creditors," La Jolla Playhouse

ACTING CATEGORIES:

Ensemble:

"The Dresser," North Coast Repertory Theatre

"Twelfth Night," The Old Globe

"Noises Off," Cygnet Theatre
Featured Performance in a Play, Female:

Amanda Sitton, "Doubt, a Parable," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Harriet Harris, "Unusual Acts of Devotion," La Jolla Playhouse

Featured Performance in a Play, Male:

Armin Shimerman, "The Seafarer," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Lead Performance in a Play, Male:

Patrick Page, "Cyrano de Bergerac," The Old Globe

Lead Performance in a Play, Female:

Karson St. John, "The Little Dog Laughed," Diversionary Theatre

Dana Hooley, "Frozen," ion theatre

Newcomer Award:

Ian Brininstool, "Over the Tavern," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Touring Production:

"39 Steps," La Jolla Playhouse
Dramatic Production:

"Cyrano de Bergerac," The Old Globe

New Play or Adaptation:

"Creditors," Doug Wright, La Jolla Playhouse

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.