NEW YORK CITY: The 2016 Lucille Lortel Awards were held Sunday, May 1 at NYU Skirball Center. Zachary Levi hosted the ceremony, which honored Off-Broadway shows.
The big winner of the night was Rajiv Joseph’s two-hander Guards at the Taj, produced this season at Atlantic Theater Company. It won four awards, including best play, scenic design, lighting design, and sound design.
The other big winner of the night was Roundabout Theatre Company‘s revival of Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman’s musical The Robber Bridegroom. The production won best musical revival, lead actor in a musical, and featured actress in a musical.
In addition to the competitive awards in 18 categories, two special awards and two honorary awards were given. Outgoing Signature Theatre artistic director James Houghton was honored with the lifetime achievement award. Suzan-Lori Parks was this year’s Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee and will receive a sidewalk plaque outside the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Signature Theatre’s production of Angel Reapers received a special award for outstanding alternative theatrical experience, and Peter Nigrini received a special award for his production design of Grounded at the Public Theater.
The Lucille Lortel Awards are distributed by the Off-Broadway League, and the ceremony is produced by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation. Representatives of the Off-Broadway League, Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, in addition to theatre journalists and academics and other Off-Broadway professionals, serve on the awards voting committee.
The complete list of winners is below.
Outstanding Play
Guards at the Taj
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company
Written by Rajiv Joseph
Outstanding Musical
FUTURITY
Produced by Soho Rep and Ars Nova in association with Carole Shorenstein Hays
Music by César Alvarez with the Lisps, lyrics and book by Alvarez
Outstanding Revival
The Robber Bridegroom
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Daryl Roth
Book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry, music by Robert Waldman
Outstanding Solo Show
Grounded
Produced by the Public Theater
Written by George Brant
Performed by Anne Hathaway
Outstanding Director
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Outstanding Choreographer
Martha Clarke, Angel Reapers
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Timothée Chalamet, Prodigal Son
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Phylicia Rashad, Head of Passes
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Steven Pasquale, The Robber Bridegroom
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Annette O’Toole, Southern Comfort
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Alana Arenas, Head of Passes
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Jeffrey Kuhn, Southern Comfort
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom
Outstanding Scenic Design
Tim Mackabee, Guards at the Taj
Outstanding Costume Design
Anita Yavich, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Outstanding Lighting Design
David Weiner, Guards at the Taj
Outstanding Sound Design
Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen, Guards at the Taj
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Alternative Theatrical Experience
Angel Reapers
Produced by Signature Theatre
By Martha Clarke and Alfred Uhry
Peter Nigrini, projection design, Grounded
HONORARY AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement Award
James Houghton
Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee
Suzan-Lori Parks
