[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8254]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CRAIG NOEL

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                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2010

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an 
icon in the theater community and a treasured member of the San Diego 
family. On April 3, 2010, Craig Noel, the Founding Director of the Old 
Globe Theatre, passed away after 94 full years of life.
  Craig Noel was a tenacious, witty, and warm-hearted man with a 
tireless commitment to the arts. San Diego is forever in debt to this 
talented man. He told a reporter in 2005, ``I had a vision. I wanted to 
make San Diego a theater town.'' And that he did.
  Without Craig Noel, the San Diego arts community would not be the 
flourishing creative environment it is today. In addition to his 
directorial and artistic contributions, Craig Noel was a World War II 
veteran. While serving in the Army, he directed the Ernie Pyle Theater 
for service members in Tokyo.
  When Craig returned to San Diego, his work as Artistic Director took 
the Old Globe to heightened levels of excellence. During his 
distinguished seven decades with the theater, Craig Noel staged over 
225 productions of all styles and periods. These performances engaged 
and entertained theatergoers of all ages and backgrounds.
  The Old Globe is nestled within Balboa Park, the nation's largest 
urban cultural park. The theater itself is actually one of the oldest 
nonprofit theaters in the country. Modeled after Shakespeare's Old 
Globe in London, San Diego's Old Globe was built in 1935 to present 
abridged versions of Shakespeare's plays during the California Pacific 
International Exposition.
  After the exposition ended in 1937, a non-profit production 
corporation, the San Diego Community Theatre, leased the theater from 
the City of San Diego and remodeled it for continued use. On December 
2, 1937, the renovated Old Globe opened with a production of John Van 
Druten's ``The Distaff Side.'' In the cast was a young actor named 
Craig Noel. His entrance was the beginning of a long and fruitful 
relationship with the Old Globe. Craig Noel's presence as an actor, 
director, and artistic leader guided the theater's growth through 
decades of artistic development and community outreach. The loyalty and 
dedication with which he served San Diego and the Old Globe is 
unparalleled.
  Sadly, on March 8, 1978, an arson fire destroyed the Old Globe. I 
remember watching the news coverage with a heavy heart and then rushing 
to view the actual destruction the following day. I also vividly recall 
Craig Noel's passion and leadership to literally raise the theater from 
the ashes. Craig was pivotal in the reconstruction of the theater. He 
started a fundraising campaign and the people of San Diego donated more 
than $6 million dollars, which was a lot of money in those days given 
the economic conditions people were facing. In 1982, the new Old Globe 
re-opened with a production of Shakespeare's ``As You Like It.''
  On Nov. 15, 2007, Craig Noel was awarded the National Medal of Arts. 
This honor is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by 
the United States Government, and is awarded by the President to those 
who ``are deserving of special recognition by reason of their 
outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and 
availability of the arts in the United States.'' Craig Noel was truly 
deserving of this acknowledgement. His nurturing spirit and supportive 
presence were an inspiration to everyone with whom he worked.
  While we grieve the loss of Craig Noel, we take comfort in the legacy 
he has left behind. You cannot walk the grounds of the Old Globe 
without feeling and seeing his strong hand of influence. On May 24th, 
the Old Globe Theatre is holding a public memorial in his honor. At 
that time, the Globe's lower courtyard will be renamed the Craig Noel 
Garden. I am confident his legacy will live on for generations to come.

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