Theater News

Michael C. Hall, Anne Hathaway, Steven Pasquale Nominated for 2016 Lortel Awards

Find out who received nods for the annual celebration of off-Broadway theater.

Michael C. Hall has received a 2016 Lucille Lortel Award nomination for his performance in Lazarus.
Michael C. Hall has received a 2016 Lucille Lortel Award nomination for his performance in Lazarus.
(© Jan Versweyveld)

The Off-Broadway League has announced nominees for the 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. Roundabout Theatre Company's off-Broadway production of The Humans, now running at Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre, leads with six nominations, including acting nominations for Reed Birney and Jayne Houdyshell. Futurity is this season's most-nominated musical with five, while Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj and Annie Baker's John also earned five nominations apiece.

The Lortel Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 1 at NYU Skirball Center. The event will honor James Houghton with the Lifetime Achievement Award while Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks will be inducted onto the famed Playwrights’ Sidewalk in front of the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Take a look below at the complete list of 2016 nominees.

Note that hyperlinked shows are currently running.

Outstanding Play
The Christians
Written by Lucas Hnath

Eclipsed
Written by Danai Gurira

Gloria
Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Guards at the Taj
Written by Rajiv Joseph

John
Written by Annie Baker

Outstanding Musical
Futurity
Music by César Alvarez with The Lisps, Lyrics and Book by César Alvarez

Iowa
Written by Jenny Schwartz, Music by Todd Almond, Lyrics by Todd Almond and Jenny Schwartz

Southern Comfort
Book and Lyrics by Dan Collins, Music by Julianne Wick Davis, Based on the Film by Kate Davis, Conceived for the Stage by Robert DuSold and Thomas Caruso

Tappin' Thru Life
Written by Maurice Hines

The Wildness: Sky-Pony's Rock Fairy Tale
Text by Kyle Jarrow & Lauren Worsham, Songs by Kyle Jarrow

Outstanding Revival
'Tis Pity She's a Whore
Produced by Red Bull Theater

Cloud Nine
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company

Mother Courage and Her Children
Produced by Classic Stage Company

The Robber Bridegroom
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Daryl Roth

Women Without Men
Produced by Mint Theater Company

Outstanding Solo Show
The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Written and Performed by James Lecesne

Forever
Created and performed by Dael Orlandersmith

Grounded
Written by George Brant
Performed by Anne Hathaway

Mike Birbiglia's Thank God For Jokes
Written and performed by Mike Birbiglia

Outstanding Director
Rachel Chavkin, The Royale
Anne Kauffman, Marjorie Prime
Amy Morton, Guards at the Taj
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Eric Tucker, Bedlam's Sense & Sensibility

Outstanding Choreographer
Alexandra Beller, Bedlam's Sense & Sensibility
Martha Clarke, Angel Reapers
Maurice Hines, Tappin' Thru Life
Paul McGill, The Legend of Georgia McBride
David Neumann, Futurity

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Reed Birney, The Humans
Timothée Chalamet, Prodigal Son
Andrew Garman, The Christians
Ed Harris, Buried Child

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Ito Aghayere, Familiar
Georgia Engel, John
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Chinasa Ogbuagu, Sojourners
Phylicia Rashad, Head of Passes

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Gabriel Ebert, Preludes
Michael C. Hall, Lazarus
Maurice Hines, Tappin' Thru Life
Michael Luwoye, Invisible Thread
Steven Pasquale, The Robber Bridegroom

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Sophia Anne Caruso, Lazarus
Alison Fraser, First Daughter Suite
Annette O'Toole, Southern Comfort
Mary Testa, First Daughter Suite
Sammy Tunis, Futurity

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Sanjit De Silva, Dry Powder
Jonathan Hogan, Hold On to Me Darling
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Paul Sparks, Buried Child
C.J. Wilson, Hold On to Me Darling

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Alana Arenas, Head of Passes
Lauren Klein, The Humans
Jeanine Serralles, Gloria
Lois Smith, John
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Familiar

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Greg Hildreth, The Robber Bridegroom
Jeffrey Kuhn, Southern Comfort
Or Matias, Preludes
Chris Sarandon, Preludes
Kevin Zak, Clinton the Musical

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Eisa Davis, Preludes
Karen Kandel, Futurity
Leslie Kritzer, Gigantic
Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom
Annie McNamara, Iowa

Outstanding Scenic Design
Mimi Lien, John
Timothy R. Mackabee, Guards at the Taj
G.W. Mercier, Head of Passes
Emily Orling and Matt Saunders, Futurity
David Zinn, The Humans

Outstanding Costume Design
Martha Hally, Women Without Men
Toni-Leslie James, First Daughter Suite
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Anita Yavich, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Donna Zakowska, Angel Reapers

Outstanding Lighting Design
Christopher Akerlind, Grounded
Mark Barton, John
Ben Stanton, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Justin Townsend, The Humans
David Weiner, Guards at the Taj

Outstanding Sound Design
Matt Hubbs, The Royale
Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen, Guards at the Taj
Fitz Patton, The Humans
Will Pickens, Grounded
Bray Poor, Buzzer

Special Awards

Outstanding Alternative Theatrical Experience
Angel Reapers
By Martha Clarke and Alfred Uhry
Produced by Signature Theatre

Peter Nigrini, Projection Design, Grounded

Anne Hathaway in Grounded has received a Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Show.
Anne Hathaway in Grounded has received a Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Show.
(© Joan Marcus)