Theater News

What the Constitution Means to Me, Oklahoma! Take Home Obie Awards

The off-Broadway honors were presented on May 20.

Heidi Schreck has received an Obie Award for What the Constitution Means to Me.
Heidi Schreck has received an Obie Award for What the Constitution Means to Me.
(© Seth Walters)

Winners of the 2019 Obie Awards have been announced. The complete list is as follows:

Best New American Play ($1,000 prize)
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me (New York Theatre Workshop)

Playwriting
Marcus Gardley, The House That Will Not Stand (New York Theatre Workshop)
Madeleine George, Hurricane Diane (New York Theatre Workshop)
Suzan-Lori Parks, White Noise (Public Theater)

Directing
Jo Bonney, Sustained Excellence of Directing
Leigh Silverman, Sustained Excellence of Directing
Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain't No Mo' (Public Theater)

Performance
Mia Barron, Hurricane Diane (New York Theatre Workshop)
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Sustained Excellence of Performance
Cherise Boothe, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine (Signature Theatre Company)
Francis Jue, Wild Goose Dreams (The Public Theater)
Heather Alicia Simms, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine (Signature Theatre Company) and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Signature Theatre Company)

Design
Dede M. Ayite, Sustained Excellence in Costume Design
Isabella Byrd, Lighting Design, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (New York Theatre Workshop)
Palmer Hefferan, Sustained Excellence in Sound Design
Cookie Jordan, Sustained Excellence in Hair, Wigs, and Makeup
Clint Ramos, Set Design, Wild Goose Dreams (Public Theater)
Louisa Thompson, Sustained Excellence in Scenic Design

Special Citations
Clare Barron (playwright) and Lee Sunday Evans (director), Dance Nation (Playwrights Horizons)

Jordan E. Cooper for Playwrighting & Performance, Ain't No Mo' (Public Theater)

Jackie Sibblies Drury (playwright) and Lileana Blain-Cruz (director), Marys Seacole (LCT3)

The cast and creative team, The Jungle (St. Ann's Warehouse): Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson (playwrights), Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin (directors), Miriam Buether (set design), Catherine Kodicek (costume design), Jon Clark (lighting design), Paul Arditti (sound design), John Pfumojena (composition), Tristan Shepherd and Duncan McLean (video design); Mohammad Amiri, Alexander Devrient, Elham Ehsas, Trevor Fox, Milan Ghobsheh, Ammar Haj Ahmad, Alex Lawther, Jo McInnes, Yasin Moradi, Jonathan Nyati, John Pfumojena, Rachel Redford, Dominic Rowan, Rachid Sabitri, Mohamed Sarrar, Ben Turner, Nahel Tzegai, Vera Gurpinar, Annika Mehta (ensemble)

The director and creative team, Oklahoma! (St. Ann's Warehouse): Daniel Fish (director), John Heginbotham (choreographer), Daniel Kluger (music arrangements, orchestrations), Laura Jellinek (set design), Terese Wadden (costume design), Scott Zielinski (lighting design), Drew Levy (sound design), Joshua Thorson (production design)

Obie Grants ($4,000 prize each)
The Movement Theatre Company
Target Margin Theater
WP Theater

The Ross Wetzsteon Award ($3,000 prize)
LCT3

Lifetime Achievement Award
James C. Nicola
Jeffrey Horowitz

The Obies were hosted by Rachel Bloom, and featured performances by Patti LuPone, Damon Daunno, Margo Seibert, and the company of Stomp.