Despite Herculean efforts, I was unable to take in every stage production in Orange County this year. However, I did manage to see nearly 60 shows in OC, excluding dance theatre, burlesque and staged readings—not to mention about two dozen in Los Angeles and a handful in San Diego.

What was the best new play I saw in 2010? “Ruined” by Lynn Nottage at La Jolla Playhouse. In the Los Angeles area? “Neighbors” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at the Matrix Theatre in West Hollywood.Lots of fine work in OC, however—and while I’ve excluded touring shows in general, I feel two deserve special mention (**).

New Play

Digging Up the Dirt by Cherríe Moraga, Breath of Fire

Sans Merci by Johnna Adams, Hunger Artists

The Language Archive by Julia Cho, South Coast Rep (SCR)

True Love Lies by Brad Fraser, Monkey Wrench Collective (MWC)

In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl, SCR

Revival

The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, The Chance

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hunger Artists

South Pacific, OC Performing Arts Center **

Director

Joseph Arnold, Anton in Show Business, CSUF

Dave Barton, Melita Ann Sagar & Lee Samuel Tanng, pool (no water), MWC

Mike Martin, Spring’s Awakening, STAGEStheatre

CherríeMoraga & Adelina Anthony, Digging Up the Dirt, Breath of Fire

Joe Parrish, Our Town, STAGEStheatre

Casey Stangl, In the Next Room, SCR

Actor

Charlie Robinson, Fences, SCR

Mark Harelik, In a Garden, SCR

Mark Coyan, The Revenger’s Tragedy, MWC

Christopher Basile, True Love Lies, MWC

Hershey Felder, George Gershwin Alone. Laguna Playhouse **

Actress

Cynthia Ryanen, Sans Merci, Hunger Artists

Erica Bowers, RENT, Maverick

Samantha Aneson, Spring’s Awakening, STAGEStheatre

Rose London, The Lion in Winter, Mysterium

Adelina Anthony, Digging Up the Dirt, Breath of Fire

Kathleen Early, In the Next Room, SCR

Supporting Actor

Larry Bates, Fences, SCR

Jonathan Infante, RENT, Maverick

Tony Amendola, The Language Archive, SCR

Rick Kopps, True Love Lies, Monkey Wrench

Neil Moutrey, Two Gentleman of Verona, Shakespeare OC

Ron Menzel, In the Next Room, SCR

Supporting Actress

Juanita Jennings, Fences, SCR

Ruby Hanger, Anton in Show Business, CSUF

Brenda Kenworthy, The Revenger’s Tragedy, MWC

Linda Gehringer, The Language Archive, SCR

Cheryl Umaña, Digging Up the Dirt, Breath of Fire

Rebecca Mozo, In the Next Room, SCR

More from Jordan:

OC Theatre 101: The best of 2009

Gift guide: last words of wisdom from Mark Twain, George Carlin 

Gift guide: Liam Clancy, Woody Guthrie, Miles Davis

Naughty puppets, nightmare parents

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