"Ruined" won big at Monday night's 2010 Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, the annual awards given by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle (a group composed of local critics).
The Pulitzer-Prize winning play written by Lynn Nottage and presented in SD by the La Jolla Playhouse (in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Huntington Theatre Co.) won for Outstanding Dramatic Production, as well as top honors in the categories of Direction, Lead and Ensemble Performance, Set Design, and Sound Design (see full list of winners below).
Eight San Diego County theater companies took home a total of 35 awards, given in 29 categories, before an audience of roughly 450 people at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's La Jolla location.
Other big winners at Monday’s ceremony were Cygnet Theatre’s production of “Sweeney Todd,” and San Diego Repertory Theatre’s “Hairspray.” The two musicals shared the award for Outstanding Resident Musical.
Seema Sueko, founding artistic director for Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, won the second Des McAnuff New Vision Award. The award is named for the former artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse and recognizes risk-taking and vision in theater.
A special “Actor of the Year” award went to Steve Gunderson for performances in four local musicals last year: Cygnet’s “Sweeney Todd,” San Diego Rep’s “Hairspray,” “New Village Arts’ “Into the Woods” and the Old Globe’s “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Complete Winners List
Outstanding Resident Musical
“Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre
“Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Original Score
Duncan Sheik, “Whisper House,” The Old Globe
Outstanding New Musical
“Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” La Jolla Playhouse
Sean Murray & James Vasquez, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Musical Direction
Charlie Reuter, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Music for a Play
Mark Bennett, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female
Deborah Gilmour Smyth, “Sweeney Todd,” Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Male
Rob McClure, “Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Male
Steve Gunderson, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, Female
Joy Yandell, “MiXtape,” Lamb’s Players Theatre
Outstanding Choreography
Javier Velasco, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre
Casey Nicholaw, “Robin and the 7 Hoods,” The Old Globe
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Liesl Tommy, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Sound Design
Broken Chord, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Costume Design
Gregg Barnes, “Robin and the 7 Hoods,” The Old Globe
Outstanding Lighting Design
Eric Lotze, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre
Outstanding Set Design
Andrew Hull, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre
Clint Ramos, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Ensemble
“Hurlyburly,” Ion Theatre
“Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Female
Zainab Jah, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Male
Jay Whittaker, Old Globe Shakespeare Festival body of work
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male
Miles Anderson, “The Madness of George III,” The Old Globe
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Female
Shana Wride, “Private Lives,” Cygnet Theatre
Tonye Patano, “Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Performance in a Touring Production
Bill Camp, “Notes From Underground,” La Jolla Playhouse
Tovah Feldshuh, “Golda’s Balcony,” The Old Globe
Outstanding Touring Production
“Notes From Underground,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding Dramatic Production
“Ruined,” La Jolla Playhouse
Outstanding New Play
“Oyster,” Ronald McCants, Baldwin New Play Festival, UCSD
Outstanding Young Artist
Victoria Matthews, “Hairspray,” San Diego Repertory Theatre
SPECIAL AWARDS
Producer of the Year: Ion Theatre, Claudio Raygoza & Glenn Paris
Actor of the Year: Steve Gunderson
Des McAnuff New Visions Award: Seema Sueko, Mo’olelo Performing Arts Co.
