San Diego's vibrant theater scene just celebrated its brightest stars of 2025! The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle recently gathered for their 22nd annual Craig Noel Awards, a night dedicated to honoring the exceptional talent and creativity that defined the year in local professional theater. Imagine a room filled with nearly 400 passionate theater lovers, all gathered at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre to applaud the best of the best.
These prestigious awards are named in honor of Craig Noel, a true titan of San Diego's arts community. Not only was he the founding director of the renowned Old Globe, but he also dedicated over five decades to nurturing and shaping the professional theater landscape in San Diego. Each year, the Craig Noel Awards recognize outstanding achievements by professional theater productions, their visionary directors, talented actors, and ingenious designers.
But here's where it gets particularly exciting: San Diego is a powerhouse when it comes to birthing new theatrical works in the United States. This means the categories for Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding New Play are always a major highlight, showcasing the cutting edge of theatrical innovation.
This year, the coveted Outstanding New Musical award went to “Regency Girls,” a delightful world premiere from The Old Globe. This musical comedy, with its Bridgerton-esque charm, offers a smart, funny, and delightfully naughty feminist romp exploring women's reproductive rights in 1810 England. It’s a fantastic example of how contemporary themes can be explored through historical settings.
Taking home the Outstanding New Play award was San Diego playwright Carla Navarro for her powerful work, “Fragment/o/s of Air/e.” This psychological drama delves into the profound and lingering trauma of a Chilean refugee haunted by her experiences of torture under Pinochet’s regime. It premiered last July at OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista, offering a vivid and moving look at the enduring cost of secrets.
And this is the part most people miss: The Alice and Doug Diamond Outstanding Small Theatre Award was presented to TuYo Theatre. This dynamic company, co-founded in San Diego in 2017 by a group of passionate artists including Daniel Jáquez and Patrice Amon, is dedicated to presenting original Latinx musicals, plays, and events. In 2025, TuYo Theatre truly captivated audiences with Mabelle Reynoso’s immersive production “La Llorona on the Blue Line,” which was staged on a vintage train car – talk about an unforgettable experience!
Other significant accolades included Cygnet Theatre’s “Follies,” which earned the award for Outstanding Resident Musical, and Backyard Renaissance Theatre’s bold reimagining of Tennessee Williams’ classic “A Streetcar Named Desire,” recognized with the award for Outstanding Dramatic Production. It’s always fascinating to see how established works are given new life and perspective.
In the realm of individual performance, the 2025 Actor of the Year award was a dual honor, celebrating two incredibly versatile actors who graced multiple stages across the county. Eli Wood impressed in productions at Diversionary Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, Moonlight Stage Productions, and San Diego Musical Theatre. Equally remarkable was Lena Ceja, who delivered standout performances at New Village Arts, Moonlight Stage Productions, and La Jolla Playhouse.
These awards were meticulously chosen by a dedicated team of all-volunteer critics from San Diego County's newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Their keen eyes and insightful reviews shape our understanding of the theatrical year.
Here’s a glimpse at the full list of distinguished winners:
- Outstanding New Musical: “Regency Girls” – The Old Globe
- Outstanding New Play: “Fragment/o/s of Air/e” by Carla Navarro – OnStage Playhouse
- Outstanding Dramatic Production: “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company
- Outstanding Resident Musical: “Follies” – Cygnet Theatre
- Alice and Doug Diamond Outstanding Small Theatre Award: TuYo Theatre
- 2025 Actors of the Year: Eli Wood and Lena Ceja
- Audience Choice Award: “La Llorona on the Blue Line” – by Mabelle Reynoso – TuYo Theatre
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical: Richard Bermudez – “Jekyll & Hyde” – San Diego Musical Theatre; Karole Foreman – “Follies” – Cygnet Theatre
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play: Marti Gobel – “Beauty’s Daughter” – OnWord Theatre; Valeria Vega – “Fragment/o/s of Air/e” – OnStage Playhouse
- Outstanding Youth Performance: Iris Manter
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play: Katie MacNichol – “The Waverly Gallery” – Backyard Renaissance Theatre; Jocorey Mitchell – “The Hot Wing King” – Cygnet Theatre
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical: Jacob Caltrider – “Oklahoma!” – Cygnet Theatre; Carmen Cusack – “3 Summers of Lincoln” – La Jolla Playhouse
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Sean Murray – “Follies” – Cygnet Theatre
- Outstanding Direction of a Play: Francis Gercke – “The Waverly Gallery” – Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company
- Outstanding Choreography: Jon Rua and Daniel J. Watts – “3 Summers of Lincoln” – La Jolla Playhouse
- Outstanding Music Direction: Patrick Sulken – “Regency Girls” – The Old Globe
- Outstanding Scenic Design: Mathys Herbert – “To My Girls” – Diversionary Theatre
- Outstanding Sound Design: Gareth Owen – “The Heart” – La Jolla Playhouse
- Outstanding Lighting Design: Sammy Webster – “The Strangers” – Chalk Circle Collective
- Outstanding Costume Design: David I. Reynoso – “Regency Girls” – The Old Globe
- Outstanding Projection Design: Michael Wogulis – “The Mountaintop” – New Village Arts
Broadway San Diego also presented the Reviewers of Tomorrow awards to Josiah Briggs, Ava Cherry, and Devina Keswani, recognizing emerging talent.
What do you think about the big winners this year? Were there any performances or productions that you felt were overlooked? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
