Shows at Old Globe, Lamb’s Players Theatre earn top honors in annual Craig Noel Awards

A pair of shows staged in 2018 by the Old Globe and Lamb’s Players Theatre shared top honors at the 17th annual Craig Noel Awards on Monday night.

The Globe production of the play “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and the Lamb’s staging of the musical “Once” each received four awards at the event, presented by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in southeastern San Diego.

The Noel awards, which honor local stage productions and artists, are named for the Globe’s late founding director, considered the “godfather” of San Diego theater. (Full disclosure: I’m a voting member of the Critics Circle.)

“Once” was named outstanding resident musical for 2018, while “Suns” tied with San Diego Rep’s “A Doll’s House, Part 2” as top dramatic production.

In all, 28 awards were presented before an audience of about 500 guests.

The Globe had the most wins overall with seven, spread across four different shows, while the quartet of awards for “Once” gave Lamb’s the second-highest tally of awards among theater companies. San Diego Rep received three awards overall.

Among top individual honors, Caitie Grady was named outstanding female lead in a musical for “Once,” which also earned an ensemble-acting award plus a musical-direction honor for G. Scott Lacy. Sofia Jean Gomez was named outstanding female lead in a play for “A Doll’s House, Part 2.”

James Sutorius’ performance in North Coast Rep’s “The Father” earned him a win as outstanding male lead in a play, while Zackary Scot Wolfe was named outstanding male lead in a musical for his work in “Avenue Q” at New Village Arts.

Kevin Hafso Koppman and Nadia Guevara were named actors of the year — each for performances in three separate shows.

Carey Perloff, the recently retired artistic director of San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater (which co-produced “Suns” with the Globe), was named outstanding director of a play. “Suns” also earned honors for scenic design (Ken MacDonald) and lighting (Robert Wierzel).

North Coast Rep artistic chief David Ellenstein was honored as director of the year for his work on five different productions.

Anna Ziegler’s “The Wanderers,” which had its world premiere at the Globe, was named outstanding new play. Roustabouts Theatre Co. earned the Don Braunagel Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Small Theater Company, an honor named for a late critic and longtime Circle member.

And “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914,” produced as a first-time collaboration among San Diego Opera, Bodhi Tree Concerts and SACRA/PROFANA, was named outstanding special event.

For full results, go to sdcriticscircle.org.

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert