SAN DIEGO — More than 110 local and national theater artists representing more than 45 San Diego theatrical productions will compete for the 2012 Craig Noel Awards, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle announced Dec. 21.
Leading the list of nominations with six were The Old Globe’s world premiere musical “Allegiance,” which starred George Takei and Telly Leung in a story about the internment of Japanese Americans, and Moxie Theatre’s revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.”
Takei called the announcement “terrific news” and added, “It has been one of my life’s missions to make sure the story of the Japanese American internment is told and that such mistakes are never repeated. Thanks to all the fans who came out to see it. Next stop, Broadway! I can’t wait.”
Competing with “Allegiance” for outstanding new musical are the Broadway-bound La Jolla Playhouse production of “Hands on a Hardbody,” The Old Globe’s “Nobody Loves You,” Diversionary Theatre’s world premiere production of “Harmony, Kansas,” and La Jolla Playhouse’s adaptation of the Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” which starred Kimiko Glenn (“The Nightingale”).
Two “Allegiance” cast members were nominated for outstanding featured performance in a musical.
In the male category, Michael K. Lee (who played Frankie Suzuki) is competing with Anthony Carrillo for “Sweeney Todd,” Moonlight Stage Productions; David Kirk Grant and Kurt Norby for “Man of La Mancha,” Cygnet Theatre; and Taylor Peckham for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Musical,” Intrepid Shakespeare Company.
In the female category, Lea Salonga (who played Kei Kimura) is competing with Eileen Bowman for “Guys and Dolls” and “Joe vs. the Volcano,” both produced by Lamb’s Players Theatre; Lauren Molina for “Nobody Loves You,” The Old Globe; and Karen Ziemba for “A Room with a View,” The Old Globe.
For outstanding direction of a musical, Stafford Arima of “Allegiance” was nominated along with Sean Murray for “Parade,” Cygnet Theatre; Susan Stroman for “The Scottsboro Boys,” The Old Globe; Michelle Tattenbaum for “Nobody Loves You”; and James Vasquez for “Harmony, Kansas.”
For outstanding lighting design, Howell Binkley of “Allegiance” was nominated along with Alan Burrett for “As You Like It,” The Old Globe; David Lander for “A Room With a View,” The Old Globe; Jean-Yves Tessier for “Fiddler on the Roof,” Moonlight Stage Productions; and Scott Zielinski for “An Iliad,” La Jolla Playhouse.
For outstanding projection design, Darrel Maloney of “Allegiance” was nominated along with Michael McKeon for “Joe vs. the Volcano”; Shawn Sagady for “American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose,” La Jolla Playhouse; and Ian Wallace for “Tortilla Curtain,” San Diego Repertory Theatre.
Bradley Rapier of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” was nominated for outstanding choreography along with Michael Mizerany for “Altar Boyz,” Noah Longton Presents at Diversionary Theatre; Colleen Kollar Smith for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Musical”; Susan Stroman for “The Scottsboro Boys”; and Javier Velasco for “Zoot Suit,” San Diego Repertory Theatre.
Robert Brill of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” was nominated for outstanding scenic design along with Wilson Chin for “Anna Christie,” The Old Globe; Jennifer Brawn Gittings for “Hickorydickory,” Moxie Theatre; Todd Rosenthal for “Glengarry Glen Ross,” La Jolla Playhouse; and Bruce Wilde for “The Sugar Witch,” OnStage Playhouse.
The award ceremony will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 700 Prospect Drive, La Jolla. Admission to the ceremony is free. Reservations and details, including a complete list of nominees, can be found at www.sdcriticscircle.org.
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 are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, alternative weeklies, entertainment trade publications, broadcast media, and web sites in San Diego County.
The awards are named for the late Craig Noel, founder and longtime artistic director of The Old Globe and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts for his contributions to American regional theater in the 20th century.