Chad Kimball, Patrick Page, Memphis Among Winners of San Diego Critics Awards

By Kenneth Jones
January 27, 2009

San Diego-area theatre critics named the Broadway-aimed musical Memphis Outstanding New Musical and Steven Drukman's In This Corner Outstanding New Play on Jan. 26.

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle presented the seventh annual Craig Noel Awards for Excellence in Theatre, honoring the outstanding achievements on San Diego stages in 2008.

Memphis played La Jolla Playhouse in 2008 and is currently playing Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Nationally known artists — including Bill T. Jones, Patrick Page, Tonex, Lillias White and Larry Hochman — were among those honored, as were the national tour of Spring Awakening and Xanadu's resident run at La Jolla Playhouse prior to the current national tour.

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle's 2008 Craig Noel Award winners follow.

Special Awards

Tribute to Arthur Wagner, founder of the Department of Theatre and Dance at UC San Diego, La Jolla Playhouse pioneer and longtime local arts philanthropist.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Actor Jonathan McMurtry, 48-year veteran of the Old Globe.

Steve Karo, led restoration effort for the Balboa Theatre.

Outstanding New Musical

Memphis, La Jolla Playhouse

Resident Musical

Dreamgirls, San Diego Musical Theatre

Xanadu, La Jolla Playhouse

Orchestrations for a Musical

Larry Hochman, Dancing in the Dark, The Old Globe

Direction of a Musical

Steve Glaudini, Les Miserables, Moonlight Stage Productions

Sean Murray, A Little Night Music, Cygnet's Old Town Theatre

Lead Performance in a Musical, Female

Deborah Gilmour Smyth, The Light in the Piazza, Lamb's Players 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

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, Old Globe

Lighting Design

David Lander, 33 Variations, La Jolla Playhouse

Set Design

Derek McLane, 33 Variations, La Jolla Playhouse

Ensemble

Fences, Cygnet Theatre

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 Theatre

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 in 2008 (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 Theatre

Solo Performance

Linda Libby, Request Programme, Ion Theatre

Touring Production

Spring Awakening, Broadway/San Diego producers

New Play

Steven Drukman, In This Corner, Old Globe Theatre

Dramatic Production

Fences, Cygnet Theatre

Visit www.sdcriticscircle.org.