Guide to the Craig Noel collection
Finding aid prepared by Ashley Toutain
University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections
Copley Library
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Telephone: 619-260-2730
Email: spcoll@sandiego.edu
© 2019
Overview of the Collection
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)
Repository:
University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections
Copley Library
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Abstract: This collection contains the
photographs and awards of Craig Noel, founding director of the Old Globe Theatre in
San Diego.
Languages:
English
Biographical Note
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.
Scope and Content Note
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.
Arrangement
Access
This collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
[Folder Title], Box # Folder #, Craig Noel collection, Copley Library, University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Ashley Toutain in 2019.
Related Material
See also the "Guide to the Old Globe Theatre Records" held at San Diego State University.
Bibliography
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.
Index Terms
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)
Series I:
Awards
1958-2010
Box 1
Old Globe Atlas awards
1958-1966
Box 2
Old Globe Atlas awards
1967-1973
Box 2
Craig Noel - Old Globe Theatre white hard hat
undated
Box 2
Mayors Living Treasure Award
1984 May 19
Box 3
Southwestern College Theatre Department 50 year
appreciation to Craig Noel plaque
undated
Box 3
California Theatre Councils Theatre Survivor
plaque
1980
Box 3
3’s Company and Dancers to Craig Noel plaque
1985 August 10
Box 3
San Diego Press Club Headliner Craig
Noel Legend, Theatre Arts plaque
1987
Box 3
San Diego Junior Theatre plaque
1994 July
Box 3
Elder Help of San Diego award
1995
Box 3
International Living Legacy Award plaque
2001
Box 3
San Diego Theatre Critics Circle plaque
2002
Box 3
Katherine McGrath Best Actress-Comedy Memoir
trophy
2002
Box/Folder: 4 / 1
San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award
1986-1987
Box/Folder: 4 / 2
“Year of Craig Noel” Proclamation
1987
Box/Folder: 4 / 3
Actors Alliance of San Diego Award
1997 June 13
Box/Folder: 4 / 4
Camp Orbit Theatre Camp recognition
undated
Box 5
Wells Fargo stagecoach – signed by Oscar Cortes for Craig Noel 50th anniversary
1987
Box 5
Bravo Lifetime achievement award vase
2005
Box 6 (Oversize)
Puppet - Craig Noel as Hamlet
2005
Scope and Content Note
[With sign that includes the text: "Bravo San Diego 2005 honor Craig Noel “Mr. San Diego” Bravo Lifetime
Achievement Award. Portrait Puppet courtesy of the San Diego Guild of
Puppetry/Puppetry Center of San Diego. Artist, Dori Smith.]
Box 8 (Oversize)
College Fellows American Theatre Metal
undated
Box 8 (Oversize)
Teatro Máscara Mágica recognition
1990 June 21
Box 8 (Oversize)
Framed photo and plaque to Craig Noel Playwright
Project’s Deborah Salzer Excellence in Arts Education Award
2010 November
Box 9 (Oversize)
Southwestern College Angel of the Year Craig Noel
1976-1977
Box 9 (Oversize)
League of Women Voters of San Diego to Craig Noel
for Contributions to San Diego Arts and Entertainment
1996
Box 9 (Oversize)
Scull sculptures, white and pink glass
undated
Series II:
Documents
1938-2006
Box/Folder: 4 / 5
Catherine Isabella Noel Memorial Book
1966 August 31
Box/Folder: 4 / 6
Balboa Park Expositions
A Book of Days
1982
Box/Folder: 4 / 7
San Diego Magazine with Tribute to 50 years of the Old
Globe
1985 May
Box/Folder: 4 / 8
Scotland Road
by Jeffrey Hatcher [script book]
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 9
Over the River and Through the Woods
[Cast list and script]
2000 February
Box/Folder: 4 / 10
Backstage at the Globe
65th Anniversary Gala
2000 October 28
Box/Folder: 4 / 11
Notes of Gratitude Binder to Craig Noel
circa 2006
Box 8 (Oversize)
A Sonnet Voyage – Conrad Susa,
Commissioned by the San Diego Symphony dedicated to Craig Noel
undated
Box 8 (Oversize)
To Craig Happy Birthday Love Mary Clark
undated
Scope and Content Note
[Includes City of San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock's Proclamation that October 21, 1984 would be Craig Noel Day. Also includes
a December 1938 issue of
The Community Player.]
Box 8 (Oversize)
Old Globe Theatre Lighting Design – John McLain
1979
Box 8 (Oversize)
Dangerous Liaisons music. E.C.S to Craig Noel
1994
Box/Folder: Map Case Drawer 5 / 1
Henry V - Old Globe Theatre [poster]
1978
Box/Folder: Map Case Drawer 5 / 1
Old Globe Theatre 60th Anniversary Season [poster]
1995
Series III:
Photographs
undated,
circa 1980-2007
Box/Folder: 4 / 12
Group photo and photo of Noel as a child
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 13
Travel in China photographs and postcards
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 14
Assorted photographs primarily taken in China
circa 1983
Box/Folder: 4 / 15
Photographs and Postcards – China, Balboa park and
others
circa 1983,
1996,
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 16
Photographs of travel through China
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 17
Photographs of furniture and accessories
circa 1985
Box/Folder: 4 / 18
Photographs of furniture and accessories
circa 1985
Box/Folder: 4 / 19
Photographs of furniture and accessories
circa 1987
Box/Folder: 4 / 20
Assorted travel photographs
circa 1987
Box/Folder: 4 / 21
Painting of clown titled "Forever Young,"
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 22
Unidentified actor photograph
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 23
John McLain photograph
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 24
Craig Noel and Women photograph
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 25
Conrad Susa photograph
1993
Box/Folder: 4 / 27
Craig Noel and Woman
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 28
Craig Noel and dog
undated
Box/Folder: 4 / 29
George W. Bush – National Medal of Arts
2007
Box/Folder: 4 / 30
National Medal of Arts Noel and President Bush
2007
Box 8 (Oversize)
Framed photograph of University of San Diego
graduates
undated
Box 9 (Oversize)
Shanghai Youth Drama Troupe album
circa 1980
Scope and Content Note
[Includes images of actors during performances along with short
descriptions and information about the play creators.]
Box 9 (Oversize)
Shanghai People’s Art Theatre album
circa 1980
Scope and Content Note
[Includes images of actors during performances along with short
descriptions and information about the play creators.]
Box 9 (Oversize)
Shanghai Drama Institute album
1983
Scope and Content Note
[Includes images of actors during performances along with short
descriptions and information about the play creators.]
Box 10 (Oversize)
Travel through China photograph album
circa 1980
