The Old Globe, San Diego Rep, and More Receive 2018 Craig Noel Award Nominations - Full List!

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominations for its 2018 Craig Noel Awards. Now in its 17th year, the Craig Noel Awards honor the achievements of professional theaters in San Diego County. The nominees are chosen by a nine-member body of professional critics who write for San Diego newspapers, magazines, online publications and blogs.

This year's winners will be announced at the 17th annual awards ceremony from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 11, 2019, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation at 404 Euclid Ave., San Diego.

This year's awards ceremony was organized by our event co-chairs Julie Sarno, Dea Hurton and Denise Bevers. Financial support was provided by our generous donors: Denise and Lon Bevers; Julie and Jay Sarno; Dea and Osborn Hurston; Stanley Cohen; Yolanda Braunagel; Larry Alldredge and Dawn Moore; Jerry Buckley; Weston Anson; Wendy Nash; Bill and Judy Garrett; Marilyn and Arthur Neumann; Darlene Davies; Mike Napoli and Performing Arts Live; the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation; and US Bank.

Tickets are $15 for general admission (unreserved) seating and $50 and $100 for reserved seating. Tickets are available online by visiting: Eventbrite.com (search: "The 2018 Craig Noel Awards"). For information, visit sdcriticscircle.org or our Facebook page at: facebook.com/sandiegotheatrecriticscircle.

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THE 2018 CRAIG NOEL AWARD NOMINEES:

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Barry Edelstein - "The Wanderers," The Old Globe

Rob Lutfy - "The Last Wife," Cygnet Theatre

Carey Perloff - "A Thousand Splendid Suns," The Old Globe

Jesca Prudencio - "Actually," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Jesca Prudencio - "Vietgone," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Sam Woodhouse - "A Doll's House, Part 2," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

AJ Knox - "Avenue Q," New Village Arts

Kerry Meads - "Once," Lamb's Players Theatre

Sean Murray - "Monty Python's Spamalot," Cygnet Theatre

Larry Raben - "Young Frankenstein," San Diego Musical Theatre

Sam Woodhouse - "Fun Home," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

G. Scott Lacy - "Once," Lamb's Players Theatre

Don LeMaster - "Hairspray," San Diego Musical Theatre

Elan McMahan - "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Moonlight Stage Productions

Robert Meffe - "Fun Home," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Terry O'Donnell - "A Little Night Music," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

John Lee Beatty - "Much Ado About Nothing," The Old Globe

Sean Fanning, "A Doll's House, Part 2," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Rob Howell - "Dr. Seuss's The Lorax," The Old Globe

Kristianne Kurner - "Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley," New Village Arts

Ken MacDonald - "A Thousand Splendid Sons," The Old Globe

Outstanding Sound Design

Melanie Chen Cole - "Actually," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Melanie Chen Cole - "Men on Boats," New Village Arts

Melanie Chen Cole - "Vietgone," San Diego Repertry Theatre

Will Pickens - "Uncle Vanya," The Old Globe

Mark Spiro - "Cloud Tectonics," New Village Arts

Outstanding Costume Design

Jennifer Brawn Gittings - "A Doll's House, Part 2," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Michael Krass - "Much Ado About Nothing," The Old Globe

David Israel Reynoso - "The Tempest," The Old Globe

Fabio Toblini - "The Importance of Being Earnest," The Old Globe

Paloma Young - "The Squirrels," La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

Alan Burrett - "A Doll's House, Part 2," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Tyler Micoleau - "Seize the King," La Jolla Playhouse

Chris Rynne - "Actually," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Bo Tindell - "Vietgone," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robert Wierzel - "A Thousand Splendid Suns," The Old Globe

Outstanding Ensemble

"A Doll's House, Part 2" San Diego Repertory Theatre

"A Thousand Splendid Suns," The Old Globe

"The Last Wife," Cygnet Theatre

"Once," Lamb's Players Theatre

"The Wanderers," The Old Globe

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male

Manny Fernandes - "The Last Wife," Cygnet Theatre

Daniel Eric Gold - "The Wanderers," The Old Globe

Ben Levin - "Vietgone," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Jay O. Sanders - "Uncle Vanya," The Old Globe

James Sutorius - "The Father," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female

Kate Burton - "The Tempest," The Old Globe

DeAnna Driscoll - "HIR," Cygnet Theatre

Nadia Guevara - "Cloud Tectonics," New Village Arts

Sofia Jean Gomez - "A Doll's House, Part 2," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Nadine Malouf - "A Thousand Splendid Suns," The Old Globe

Allison Spratt Pearce, "The Last Wife," Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female

Andréa Agosto - "Bull in a China Shop," Diversionary Theatre

Robyn Cohen - "The Father," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Ali Rose Dachis - "The Wanderers," The Old Globe

Joy Yvonne Jones - "Voyeurs de Venus," Moxie Theatre

Heather Velazquez - "American Mariachi," The Old Globe

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male

Javier Guerrero - "Fade," Moxie Theatre

Antonio TJ Johnson - "Smokefall," Backyard Renaissance Theatre

Brian Mackey - "Noises Off," Lamb's Players Theatre

Shaun Tuazon - "Vietgone," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Wrekless Watson - "Cardboard Piano," Diversionary Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Theo Allyn - "This Beautiful City," Diversionary Theatre

Karole Foreman - "A Little Night Music," Cygnet Theatre

Caitie Grady - "Once," Lamb's Players Theatre

Amanda Naughton - "Fun Home," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Rebekah Rawhouser - "Next to Normal," Coronado Playhouse

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male

Michael Louis Cusimano - "Once," Lamb's Players Theatre

Kevin Hafso Koppman - "Young Frankenstein," San Diego Musical Theatre

Omri Schein - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum " North Coast Repertory Theatre

Jim Stanek - "Fun Home," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Robert J. Townsend - "South Pacific," San Diego Musical Theatre

Zackary Scot Wolfe - "Avenue Q," New Village Arts

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female

Claire Adams - "Fun Home," San Diego Repertory Theatre

Roxane Carrasco - "Chicago," Moonlight Stage Productions

Lauren King Thompson - "The Loneliest Girl in the World," Diversionary Theatre

Cashae Monya - "Avenue Q," New Village Arts

Eboni Muse - "Hairspray," San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male

Bryan Banville - "Monty Python's Spamalot," Cygnet Theatre

Kevin Hafso Koppman - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," North Coast Repertory Theatre

Tony Houck - "Avenue Q," New Village Arts

David S. Humphrey - "A Little Night Music," Cygnet Theatre

Zackary Scot Wolfe - "Hairspray," San Diego Musical Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

Katie Banville - "Monty Python's Spamalot," Cygnet Theatre

Jill Gorrie - "Hairspray," San Diego Musical Theatre

Michael Mizerany - "Voyeurs de Venus," Moxie Theatre

Karl Warden - "Disney's Newsies," Moonlight Stage Productions

Corey Wright - "Chicago," Moonlight Stage Productions

Outstanding New Play

"American Mariachi" by José Cruz González - The Old Globe

"Beachtown" by Herbert Siguenza and Rachel Grossman - San Diego Repertory Theatre

"The Madres" by Stephanie Alison Walker - Moxie Theatre

"Romeo, Romeo & Juliet" - Ruff Yeager - Roustabouts Theatre

"The Wanderers" by Anna Ziegler - The Old Globe

Outstanding Dramatic Production

"A Doll's House, Part 2" - San Diego Repertory Theatre

"A Thousand Splendid Suns" - The Old Globe

"Cardboard Piano" - Diversionary Theatre

"The Father" - North Coast Repertory Theatre

"Vietgone" - San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical

"Avenue Q" - New Village Arts

"Fun Home" - San Diego Repertory Theatre

"Hairspray" - San Diego Musical Theatre

"Once" - Lamb's Players Theatre

"Young Frankenstein" - San Diego Musical Theatre

Winners of these special categories will be announced from the stage:

• Director of the Year
• Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Small Theater
• Actors of the Year - Female and Male
• Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis-Troy scholarship
• 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. In 2002, the awards were renamed in honor of Craig Noel, longtime artistic director at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, a National Medal of Arts recipient and the founding father of San Diego's theater community. He passed away in 2010.