Bahr, Franz, Hatch, Jue, Winningham, et al. Win Lucille Lortel Awards

The winners of the 23rd annual Lucille Lortel Awards were presented on Monday, May 5 at the Union Square Theatre. Julie White hosted the event, which featured numbers from the five nominated musicals. Celebrity presenters included Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Lynn Cohen, Christopher Gattelli, Joanna Gleason, A.R. Gurney, Cheyenne Jackson, John Kelly, S. Epatha Merkerson, Martha Plimpton, Laila Robins, Anikia Noni Rose, and Tamara Tunie.

The musical Adding Machine, now at the Minetta Lane, won four awards, including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director for David Cromer, and Outstanding Lead Actor for Joel Hatch. Betrayed was named Best Play, and Ohio State Murders was named Best Revival.

Three special awards were presented this year. The Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence was given to producer Theodore Mann; the Outstanding Body of Work Award was given to Primary Stages; and the Unique Theatrical Experience Award was given to the New York Theatre Workshop production of Rinde Eckert’s Horizon.

A complete list of nominees follows, with the winners’ names in bold:

Outstanding Play

Betrayed, by George Packer

Blackbird, by David Harrower

The Brothers Size, by Tarell Alvin McCraney

New Jerusalem, by David Ives

Opus, by Michael Hollinger

Outstanding Musical

Adding Machine, Original Music by Joshua Schmidt, Libretto by Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt

Next to Normal, Music by Tom Kitt, Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey

Passing Strange, Book and Lyrics by Stew, Music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Created in Collaboration with Annie Dorsen

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower), Libretto and Drawings by Ben Katchor, Music by Mark Mulcahy

Wanda’s World, Book by Eric H. Weinberger, Music and Lyrics by Beth Falcone, Story by Eric H. Weinberger and Beth Falcone

Outstanding Solo Show

Beyond Glory, written and performed by Stephen Lang

Dai (enough), written and performed by Iris Bahr

Liberty City, written by Jessica Blank and April Yvette Thompson, performed by April Yvette Thompson

Tings Dey Happen, written by Dan Hoyle, eeveloped with Charlie Varon, performed by Dan Hoyle

Outstanding Revival

Beckett Shorts, by Samuel Beckett

Dividing the Estate, by Horton Foote

The Misanthrope, by Molière, translation by Tony Harrison

Ohio State Murders, by Adrienne Kennedy


Seussical, Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Co-Conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Eric Idle, Based on the works of Dr. Seuss

Outstanding Director

David Cromer, Adding Machine
Annie Dorsen, Passing Strange
Elizabeth LeCompte, The Wooster Group’s HAMLET
Bob McGrath, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
Terrence J. Nolen, Opus

Outstanding Choreographer

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Seussical
Peter Pucci, Queens Boulevard (the musical)
Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Wanda’s World

Outstanding Lead Actor

Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
André De Shields, Black Nativity
Joel Hatch, Adding Machine
Morlan Higgins, Exits and Entrances
Jeremy Strong, New Jerusalem

Outstanding Lead Actress

Elizabeth Franz, The Piano Teacher
Lisa Gay Hamilton, Ohio State Murders
Jayne Houdyshell, The Receptionist
Alison Pill, Blackbird
Lynn Redgrave, Grace

Outstanding Featured Actor

Francis Jue, Yellow Face
David Margulies, The Accomplices
Brian Murray, Gaslight
Lorenzo Pisoni, Election Day
Aaron Tveit, Next to Normal

Outstanding Featured Actress

Veanne Cox, Paradise Park
Veanne Cox, Spain
Zoe Kazan, 100 Saints You Should Know
Amy Warren, Adding Machine
Mare Winningham, 10 Million Miles

Outstanding Scenic Design

Scott Bradley, Eurydice
Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
Derek McLane, 10 Million Miles
Scott Pask, Blackbird
David Zinn, The Four of Us

Outstanding Costume Design

Mara Blumenfeld, The Glorious Ones
Michael Bottari & Ronald Case, and Jessica Jahn, Die Mommie Die
Tracy Christensen, Seussical
Kristine Knanishu, Adding Machine
Jenny Mannis, The Drunken City

Outstanding Lighting Design

Kevin Adams, Passing Strange
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Russell H. Champa, Eurydice
Peter Mumford, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?
Keith Parham, Adding Machine

Outstanding Sound Design

Geoff Abbas, Joby Emmons, and Matt Schloss, The Wooster Group’s HAMLET
Daniel Baker, The Four of Us
Jorge Cousineau, Opus
Frank Gaeta, Dai (enough)
Darron L West, Dead Man’s Cell Phone