The San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announced the nominations for their 48th Excellence in Theatre Awards and North Bay theatre productions received 58 nominations over 15 categories.
The recipients will be announced at the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle’s 48th Excellence in Theatre Awards Gala. The Gala returns to San Francisco’s historic Victoria Theatre on Monday, March 31, 2025. The event will be hosted by legendary Bay Area theatre artist Aldo Billingslea.
Active since 1976, the Circle rewards excellence in all phases of theatrical production through the Circle’s annual awards. The Circle eliminated gender distinction in their performance categories several years ago but continues to divide multiple categories by small, medium, and large house sizes.
Companies recognized in Marin County include Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre, Novato Theater Company, and Ross Valley Players as well as Oakland Theater Project, who produced Tony Kushner’s Angels in America series in San Rafael.
Sonoma County companies recognized include 6th Street Playhouse, Sonoma Arts Live, and Spreckels Theatre Company.
Napa County was represented by Lucky Penny Productions.
The Oakland Theater Project’s productions of Angels in America Parts 1 and 2 garned a total of twelve nominations.
Other Marin County productions with multiple nominations include Ross Valley Players production of Blithe Spirit with six and Novato Theater Company’s Monty Python’s Spamalot, Marin Shakespeare Company’s Much Ado About Nothing, Marin Theatre’s Yaga and Ross Valley Players Crossing Delancey and The Divine Sarah with five nominations each.
In Sonoma County, Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse’s production of Fences received four nominations
Here is a complete list of North Bay nominees:
Choreography in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Alex Gomez | Oliver! | Lucky Penny Productions |
| Marilyn Izdebski | Monty Python’s Spamalot | Novato Theater Company |
Choreography in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Bear Graham | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Costume Design in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Michael A. Berg | The Divine Sarah | Ross Valley Players |
| Valera Coble | Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players |
Costume Design in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Arielle Powell | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
| Meg Neville | Yaga | Marin Theatre |
Costume Design in a house with more than 300 seats
| Rebecca Valentino | Much Ado About Nothing | Marin Shakespeare Company |
Lighting Design in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Frank Sarubbi | Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players |
Lighting Design in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Kurt Landisman | Yaga | Marin Theatre |
| Kevin Myrick | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Set Design in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Tom O’Brien | Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players |
| Mikiko Uesugi | Crossing Delancey | Ross Valley Players |
| Michael Walraven | Noises Off | Novato Theater Company |
Set Design in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Carlos Aceves | Yaga | Marin Theatre |
| Mark Thomas | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Sound Design in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Matt Stines | Yaga | Marin Theatre |
Sound Design in a house with more than 300 seats
| Ben Euphrat | Much Ado About Nothing | Marin Shakespeare Company |
Music Direction in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Jon Gallo | The Divine Sarah | Ross Valley Players |
| Daniel Savio | Monty Python’s Spamalot | Novato Theater Company |
Stage Direction in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Adrian Elfenbaum | Crossing Delancey | Ross Valley Players |
| Carl Jordan | Noises Off | Novato Theater Company |
Stage Direction in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Michael Socrates Moran | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Ensemble Drama
| Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Featured Performance – Comedy in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Lizzy Bies | Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players |
| Jennifer S. McGeorge | Crossing Delancey | Ross Valley Players |
| Marsha Van Broek | The Book Club Play | Ross Valley Players |
Featured Performance – Comedy in a house with more than 300 seats
| Tai White | Much Ado About Nothing | Marin Shakespeare Company |
Featured Performance – Drama in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Nicholas Augusta | Fences | 6th Street Playhouse |
| Jim Frankie Banks | Fences | 6th Street Playhouse |
Featured Performance – Drama in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Lisa Ramirez | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
| Erin Mei-Ling Stuart | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Featured Performance – Musical in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Julia Ludwig | The Divine Sarah | Ross Valley Players |
| Brad Parks | The Divine Sarah | Ross Valley Players |
Principal Performance – Comedy in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Tamar Cohn | Crossing Delancey | Ross Valley Players |
| Tori Truss | Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players |
Principal Performance – Comedy in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Dean Linnard | Torch Song | Marin Theatre |
Principal Performance – Comedy in a house with more than 300 seats
| Bridgette Loriaux | Much Ado About Nothing | Marin Shakespeare Company |
Principal Performance – Drama in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Val Sinckler | Fences | 6th Street Playhouse |
Principal Performance – Drama in a house with 100 – 300 seats
| Julia McNeal | Yaga | Marin Theatre |
| Victor Talmadge | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
| Emilie Whelan | Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project |
Principal Performance – Musical in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Daniela Innocenti Beem | Monty Python’s Spamalot | Novato Theater Company |
| Merrill Grant | The Divine Sarah | Ross Valley Players |
| Bruce Vieira | Monty Python’s Spamalot | Novato Theater Company |
Entire Production – NB in a house with fewer than 100 seats
| Blithe Spirit | Ross Valley Players | |
| Crossing Delancey | Ross Valley Players | |
| Fences | 6th Street Playhouse | |
| Monty Python’s Spamalot | Novato Theater Company | |
| Noises Off | Novato Theater Company |
Entire Production – NB in a house with 100 to 300 seats
| Angels in America, Part 1: Millenium Approaches | Oakland Theater Project | |
| Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika | Oakland Theater Project | |
| Lend Me a Tenor | Sonoma Arts Live | |
| The Hello Girls | Sonoma Arts Live | |
| Young Frankenstein | Sonoma Arts Live |
Entire Production – NB in a house with more than 300 seats
| Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | Spreckels Theatre Company | |
| Much Ado About Nothing | Marin Shakespeare Company | |
| The Wind in the Willows | Spreckels Theatre Company |
The SFBATCC is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and serving theaters of all types and sizes in the greater region by recognizing excellence and outstanding achievement in the field. The Circle consists of reviewers covering theatre in all nine Bay Area counties, across various media, as well as adjunct members who, through their participation in the community as directors, designers, performers, non-reviewing media members, etc., bring an additional level of critical perspective and experience or other theatrically-related background to the Circle.
Click HERE for a complete listing of the SFBATCC nominations.
Click HERE for tickets to the Gala.
North Bay Stage and Screen 