The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is pleased to announce the nominations for its 2019 Craig Noel Awards. Now in its 18th year, the Craig Noel Awards honor the achievements at professional theaters in San Diego County.

Times are changing, language is changing and culture is changing. The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is stepping up to the challenge, acknowledging gender diversity by removing gender specificity from our awards.

Although the major theater awards — the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys — have yet to eliminate gendered categories, the Obies, which herald achievements in Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway theater, as well as  theater awards organizations in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Toronto, have adopted gender-inclusive categories.

In February 2020, when we present our annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, we will be recognizing and honoring all gender identities, giving gender-neutral awards in all performance categories.

The Old Globe production of Britta Johnson’s Life After, first presented by the Musical Stage Company and Canadian Stage in 2017, was nominated in six categories:

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical 

Sophie Hearn – “Life After,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Barry Edelstein – “Life After,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Scenic Design

Neil Patel – “Life After” – The Old Globe

Outstanding Lighting Design

Japhy Weideman – “Life After,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Projection Design

Sven Ortel – “Life After,” The Old Globe

Outstanding Resident Musical

“Life After” – The Old Globe

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 theater in San Diego County and to honoring artistic excellence. The members of our organization are professional critics writing for daily newspapers, magazines, entertainment trade publications and websites in San Diego County. In 2002, the awards were renamed in honor of Craig Noel, longtime artistic director at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and the founding father of San Diego’s theater community, who passed away in 2010.

Tickets will be $15 for general admission (unreserved) seating and $50 and $100 for reserved table seating. Tickets are available online.