On February 4th, 2013, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle hosted the 11th Annual Craig Noel Awards last night to a crowd of nearly 500 of San Diego’s most dedicated theatre lovers, producers and participants. Among those were some of the larger theatre companies in the city including The Old Globe, Moxie and La Jolla Playhouse.

The Old Globe took home 10 awards from the shows in its season, the most by any theatre company. The new musical Allegiance, which had its World Premiere at the Old Globe in September of 2012, took home the top award, for Outstanding New Musical, along with two other awards, for Outstanding Featured Performance Male, and Outstanding Orchestrations.

Other notable wins for the Globe including Outstanding Resident Musical for The Scottsboro Boys, and Outstanding Resident Musical for The Recommendation.

Allegiance also won Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical for a Male for Michael K Lee’s heart-wrenching portrayal of a conflicted Japanese American, Frankie Suzuki. Allegiance won its third award, Outstanding Orchestrations for the work of Lynne Shankel. This third award tied Allegiance for the second-most awards of any single show, and for the highest number of awards for any new musical in the season.  

“All of us at The Old Globe are truly honored by this recognition from the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle,” Artistic Director Barry Edelstein said in a statement Monday night. “I am so proud to join a great institution that brings so much exciting work to San Diego audiences, and I am genuinely happy to see up close the passion and vibrancy of this city’s wonderful and diverse theater community.”

“We are grateful to the Critics Circle for the awards and for recognizing these productions, of which we are particularly proud,” added Managing Director Michael G. Murphy. “Allegiance and The Scottsboro Boys both shed light on dark periods of American history, and through the lens of theater we were able to entertain and educate Southern California audiences. Each year we strive to produce powerful, important work that generates conversations in our community. We are thankful for the Critics Circle’s ongoing support of excellence in local theater.”

Allegiance, starring Lea Salonga and George Takei, is currently aiming for a Broadway run in either the 2013-2014 season.

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 theatre in San Diego County and to honoring artistic excellence. The members of the Circle are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, alternative weeklies, entertainment trade publications, broadcast media, and web sites in San Diego County. The Circle’s annual awards for outstanding San Diego theatre are named for Craig Noel, founder and longtime artistic director of The Old Globe.

Here is the full list of the winners from last night’s awards:

Outstanding Resident Musical
“Parade,” Cygnet Theatre
“The Scottsboro Boys,” The Old Globe

Outstanding New Musical
“Allegiance,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female
Sandy Campbell, “Parade,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male
Sean Murray, “Man of La Mancha,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male
Michael K. Lee, “Allegiance,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female
Eileen Bowman, “Guys and Dolls,” Lamb’s Players Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Susan Stroman, “The Scottsboro Boys,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Musical Direction
Elan McMahan, for a body of work that included “As You Like It,” The Old Globe, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Moonlight Stage Productions, and “Sweeney Todd,” Moonlight
Stage Productions

Outstanding Choreography
Susan Stroman, “The Scottsboro Boys,” The Old Globe

Outstanding New Score
“Nobody Loves You,” music by Gaby Alter; lyrics by Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter, The Old Globe

Outstanding Dramatic Production
“An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse
“A Raisin in the Sun,” Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble
“A Raisin in the Sun,” Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male
Jeffrey Jones, “The Little Flower of East Orange,” Ion Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female
Catalina Maynard, “Julia,” Ion Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female
Samantha Ginn, “Hickorydickory,” Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male
Phil Johnson, “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” Coronado Playhouse
Claudio Raygoza, “The Little Flower of East Orange,” Ion Theatre

Outstanding New Play
“The Recommendation,” Jonathan Caren, The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, “Topdog/Underdog,” Ion Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design
Mark Bennett, “An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse
Shahrokh Yadegari, “Blood and Gifts,” La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design
Deirdre Clancy, “Inherit the Wind,” The Old Globe
Shirley Pierson, “Parade,” Cygnet Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design
Scott Zielinski, “An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Scenic Design
Jennifer Brawn Gittings, “Hickorydickory,” Moxie Theatre

Outstanding Projection Design
Ian Wallace, “Tortilla Curtain,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Actor of the Year
Mark Christopher Lawrence, for his outstanding performances in both “A Raisin in the Sun,” Moxie Theatre, and “Topdog/Underdog,” Ion Theatre

Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Work by a Small Theater Company
Moxie Theatre for its 2012 productions of “A Raisin in the Sun,” “The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek,” and “Hickorydickory”

Outstanding Young Artist/Sandra Ellis Troy Scholarship
Dylan Hoffinger, for a body of 2012 work that included roles in “Parade,” Cygnet Theatre; “Harmony, Kansas,” Diversionary Theatre; and “Zoot Suit,” San Diego Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Solo Performance
Henry Woronicz, “An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Musical Performance in a Play
Brian Ellingsen, “An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse

Outstanding Technical Achievement
“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” La Jolla Playhouse. Team: Robert Brill, scenic design; Basil Twist, puppetry; Paul Tazewell, costumes; Michael Walton, lighting; Steve Canyon Kennedy, sound design; Sean Nieuwenhuis, projections

Outstanding Orchestrations
Lynne Shankel, “Allegiance,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Special Event
“The Car Plays,” La Jolla Playhouse, Without Walls series