NEW YORK CITY: The American Theatre Wing and the Village Voice announced the winners of the 61st annual Obie Awards and honored the winners at an awards ceremony on May 23 at Webster Hall in New York City.
The Obie Awards, established in 1955, celebrate the downtown theatre scene. The awards have informal categories and recognize artists and productions from the Off-Broadway season.
The complete list of winners is below.
Playwriting
Lucas Hnath, The Christians (Playwrights Horizons) and Red Speedo (New York Theatre Workshop)
Stephen Karam, The Humans (Roundabout Theatre Company)
Musical Theatre
Steven Levenson (book), Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (music and lyrics), Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage Theatre)
Direction
Rachel Chavkin, The Royale (Lincoln Center Theater)
Michael Leibenluft, I’ll Never Love Again (Bushwick Starr)
Performance
Khris Davis, The Royale (Lincoln Center Theater)
Emily Donahoe, The Christians (Playwrights Horizons)
Georgia Engel, John (Signature Theatre Company)
Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah, Lupita Nyong’o, Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed (The Public Theater)
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans (Roundabout Theatre Company)
Omar Metwally and Arian Moayed, Guards at the Taj (Atlantic Theater Company)
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage Theatre)
Lucas Caleb Rooney, Red Speedo (New York Theatre Workshop)
Tamara Tunie, Familiar (Playwrights Horizons)
Design
Rachel Hauck, Sustained Excellence of Set Design
Jason Lyons, Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design
James Ortiz, Puppet Design, The Woodsman (New World Stages)
Bray Poor, Sustained Excellence of Sound Design
Kaye Voyce, Sustained Excellence of Costume Design
Special Citations: Collaboration
John (Signature Theatre Company): Annie Baker (playwright), Sam Gold (director), Mark Barton (lighting), Ásta Bennie Hostetter (costumes), Mimi Lien (set), Noah Mease (props), Bray Poor (sound)
Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company): Dominique Morisseau (playwright) and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (director)
OBIE Grants ($4,000 prize to each theater)
Bedlam Theatre
Noor Theatre
Prospect Theatre Company
The Ross Wetzsteon Award ($3,000 prize)
NAATCO/National Asian American Theatre Company
Best New American Play ($1,000 prize)
Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph (Atlantic Theatre Company)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Carmen de Lavallade
A.R. Gurney
