The 23rd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards were presented on Monday night at the Union Square Theatre. The invaluable Julie White was the evening’s quick-witted and harmonica-playing host — and presented the final award of the evening, Best Play, to George Packer’s Betrayed.
Tamara Tunie presented the Outstanding Lead Actress award to The Piano Teacher‘s Elizabeth Franz.
Joel Hatch, named Outstanding Lead Actor for his work in the musical Adding Machine, was given his Lortel by Tony Award winner Joanna Gleason.
Francis Jue, winner of the Outstanding Featured Actor award for his work in Yellow Face, expressed excitement that his presenter was Laila Robins.
Jayne Houdyshell — currently starring in Lincoln Center’s production of The New Century — received an Outstanding Lead Actress nomination for her work in The Receptionist.
Two of our most impressive young actors, Jeremy Strong and Zoe Kazan, were nominated for their work in New Jerusalem and 100 Saints You Should Know.
Aaron Tveit — who will be seen later this month in Playwrights Horizons’ musical Saved — was an Outstanding Featured Actor nominee for his role in the musical Next to Normal.
Stephen Lang was a Best Solo Show nominee for Beyond Glory.
The great Andre DeShields was an Outstanding Lead Actor nominee for his work in Black Nativity.
S. Epatha Merkerson, who starred this season in the Broadway revival of Come Back, Little Sheba, presented the award for Outstanding Revival to Theatre for a New Audience’s production of Adrienne Kennedy’s Ohio State Murders.
The dreamy Anika Noni Rose, currently headlining Broadway’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, presented the Best Musical award to Adding Machine.
Cheyenne Jackson, who will temporarily leave Xanadu this summer to play Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, gave out the Best Featured Actress award to 10 Million Miles co-star Mare Winningham — currently performing in the Old Globe’s The Glass Menagerie.
The show also included numbers for the five nominated musicals. Passing Strange star and writer Stew performed Work the Wound (with co-star Daniel Breaker).
James Royce Edwards — currently in Trinity Rep’s Paris by Night — and Sandie Rosa changed out of their grown-up duds to sing “Not Everyone Eats Cheese” from the children’s musical Wanda’s World.
Finally, Alice Ripley and Brian d’Arcy James — on his night off from Conor McPherson’s Port Authority at the Atlantic — tore into “You Don’t Know” from Next to Normal.
For TheaterMania’s news story on the Lucille Lortel Awards, click here.
