Don Braunagel presented Jo Anne Glover with the award for 'Best Featured Performance in a Play,
Amanda Sitton humors the audience by reading her acceptance speech from the bottom of her foot. Sitton got an award for 'Lead Performance' for her part in 'Golden Boy,' a New Village Arts production.
Delicia Turner Sonnenberg and daughter Zoe enter the auditorium. Sonnenberg received an award for 'Best Direction of a Play' for 'Fences.'
Frankie Moran gives Sean Murray, artistic director of Cygnet Theatre, the award for 'Outstanding Direction of a Musical' for 'A Little Night Music.'
Antonio T.J. Johnson accepts the award for "Lead Performance in a Play, Male" for "Fences."
Bryan Barbarin and Anthony Gordon Hamm
Pam Kragen starts off the award ceremony.
Kristianne Kurner, John Brooks and Mark Christopher Lawrence
Arthur Wagner, founding chairman of UCSD Theater & Dance, accepts his "Lifetime Achievement" award.
Travis Guss, Tony Houck and Kevane Coleman
Craig Noel and Jonathan McMurtry, who received a "Lifetime Achievement" award.
La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe and Cygnet Theatre were the big winners at the Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, which were presented by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle on Jan. 26 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla.
Approximately 350 theater industry members and supporters as well as Noel, the 93-year-old founding director of The Old Globe, attended the event.
Thirty-two awards were presented in 23 categories and honored the best stage work of 2008. Awards went to 13 theater companies throughout the county.
La Jolla Playhouse productions won a total of six Craig Noel Awards. "33 Variations," which is about to open on Broadway, was honored for David Lander's lighting and Derek McLane's set. "Memphis" was honored as outstanding new musical and for Chad Kimball's lead performance. "Xanadu," which Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley first directed on Broadway, was named outstanding resident musical. Bill T. Jones won for his choreography in "The Seven."
The Old Globe's "Dancing in the Dark" won for Patrick Page's featured performance and Larry Hochman's orchestrations. "The Women" was honored for Anna Oliver's costumes. Steven Drukman's boxing-themed "In This Corner" was named outstanding new play. Cygnet Theatre's "Fences" won in five categories.
For more information about the San Diego Theatre Critics Circlethe Craig Noel Awards, visit the Web site at www.sdcriticscircle.org.
LIST OF WINNERS
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: - Jonathan McMurtry, veteran actor - Arthur Wagner, founder, Department of Theatre & Dance, UCSD
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT: - Steve Karo, led restoration effort for the Balboa Theatre, San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
MUSICAL CATEGORIES: Resident musical: - "Dreamgirls," San Diego Musical Theatre - "Xanadu," La Jolla Playhouse
New musical: - "Memphis," La Jolla Playhouse
Orchestrations for a Musical: - Larry Hochman, "Dancing in the Dark," The Old Globe
Direction of a Musical: - Sean Murray, "A Little Night Music," Cygnet's Old Town Theatre - Steve Glaudini, "Les Miserables," Moonlight Stage Productions
Lead Performance in a Musical, Female: - Deborah Smyth, "The Light in the Piazza," Lamb's Player's Theatre
Lead Performance in a Musical, Male: - Chad Kimball, "Memphis," La Jolla Playhouse
Featured Performance in a Musical, Male: - Tony Houck, "Scrooge in Rouge," Diversionary Theatre - Patrick Page, "Dancing in the Dark," The Old Globe - Tonex, "Dreamgirls," San Diego Musical Theatre & "The Princess and the Black-Eyed Pea," San Diego Repertory Theatre
Featured Performance in a Musical, Female: - Lillias White, "The Princess and the Black-Eyed Pea," San Diego Repertory Theatre
Choreography: - Bill T. Jones, "The Seven," La Jolla Playhouse
TECHNICAL CATEGORIES: Direction of a Play: - Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, "Fences," Cygnet Theatre
Sound Design: - Tim Boyce, "A Streetcar Named Desire," Ion Theatre
Costume Design: - Jennifer Brawn Gittings, "Scrooge in Rouge," Diversionary Theatre - Anna Oliver, "The Women," The Old Globe
Lighting Design: - David Lander, "33 Variations," La Jolla Playhouse
Set Design: - Derek McLane, "33 Variations," La Jolla Playhouse
Featured Performance in a Play, Female: - Jo Anne Glover, "The Receptionist," Cygnet Theatre - Rachael VanWormer, "Bash," Ion Theatre & "Corpus Christi," Diversionary Theatre
Featured Performance in a Play, Male: - Manny Fernandes, "Golden Boy," New Village Arts - Bobby Plasencia, "Water & Power," San Diego Repertory Theatre
Lead Performance in a Play, Male: - Antonio T.J. Johnson, "Fences," Cygnet Theatre - Tom Andrew, body of work: "Terra Nova," "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play," "Night Sky"
Lead Performance in a Play, Female: - Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson, "Fences," Cygnet Theatre - Amanda Sitton, "Golden Boy," New Village Arts
Solo Performance: - Linda Libby, "Request Programme," Ion Theatre
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