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Guide to the Craig Noel collection
USDSC_2019_004
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Title:
Craig Noel collection
Date (inclusive):
circa 1920-2010
Date (bulk):
1958-2010
Collection number: USDSC_2019_004
Creator: Noel, Craig
Extent:
10 total boxes, 4 oversize plus one oversize folder, (11.5 linear feet)
Abstract: This collection contains the
photographs and awards of Craig Noel, founding director of the Old Globe Theatre in
San Diego.
Languages:
English
Craig Noel was born in Deming, New Mexico in 1915. His family moved to San Diego in 1918. Noel's career with San Diego's Old
Globe Theatre spans over 60 years, from 1937 to his death in 2010.
The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park was built in 1935 for the California-Pacific International Exposition. Theatre performances
during the exposition were shortened versions of Shakespeare's plays. While the Old Globe was originally slated to be torn
down after the exposition completed, the shortened Shakespeare performances were so successful that the San Diego Community
Theatre formed to preserve the theatre. Craig Noel's career with The Old Globe began in 1937, the year it opened as a permanent
theatre. Noel began with acting and first acted in John Van Druten's "The Distaff Side." He then moved into directing and
in 1939, Noel became The Old Globe's general director. He then moved to titles of Resident Director, Artistic Director, and
Founding Director.
Craig Noel launched the San Diego National Shakespeare Festival in 1949. In 1980 he helped launch Teatro Meta, the Globe's
bilingual theatre company. In 1987, due to a lack of classically trained actors to support The Old Globe, he and then Vice-President
and Provost of the University of San Diego Sally Furay, RSCJ, established The Old Globe and the University of San Diego Master
of Fine Arts in Acting program. Over the course of his career, Noel directed and produced hundreds of plays, raised money
for the reconstruction of the theatre, and received many awards for his work.
The collection contains the awards, documents, and photographs of Craig Noel. The
bulk of the awards were presented to Noel in honor of his decades of contribution to
San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. Awards also include Old Globe Atlas awards. Documents
include tributes to Noel and to the Old Globe along with script books. Photographs
include those taken during travel, actor photographs, photographs of Noel, and albums of the Shanghai Drama Institute,
Shanghai People’s Art Theatre,
and Shanghai Youth Drama Troupe.
This collection is open for research.
[Folder Title], Box # Folder #, Craig Noel collection, Copley Library, University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections.
This collection was processed by Ashley Toutain in 2019.
See also the "Guide to the Old Globe Theatre Records" held at San Diego State University.
Weber, Bruce. "Craig Noel, a Force in Regional Theatre, Dies at 94."
New York Times, April 11, 2010.
Welsh, Anne Marie. "Appreciation for Craig Noel, the spirit of The Old Globe."
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 11, 2010.
Braunagel, Don. "Our First Noel."
San Diego Magazine 57, no. 10 (August 2005): 102-105.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Noel, Craig, 1915-2010
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Shanghai Youth Drama Troupe
Shanghai People’s Art Theatre
Shanghai Drama Institute
Old Globe Theatre (San Diego, Calif.)
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Diego (Calif.)
Shanghai (China)
Beijing (China)