31st ANNUAL LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED “Guards at the Taj” receives 4 awards, including Outstanding Play; “The Robber Bridegroom” receives 3 awards, including Outstanding Revival New York, NY (May 1, 2016) – The 2016 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement OffBroadway were handed out this evening to recipients in 18 categories, with two special awards and two honorary awards also bestowed. The Lortel Awards were distributed in a ceremony at NYU Skirball Center hosted by Zachary Levi, star of Broadway’s She Loves Me. This year's event was once again a benefit for The Actors Fund. Award presenters this year included some of the biggest and brightest stars from stage and screen, including: Whitney Bashor, Matt Bogart, Danielle Brooks, Anna Chlumsky, Daveed Diggs, Hannah Elless, Kathryn Erbe, Cynthia Erivo, John Gallagher, Jr., Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Danai Gurira, David Harbour, Jason Butler Harner, Marin Ireland, Jenny Jules, Carol Kane, Adam Kantor, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Laura Linney, Jefferson Mays, Paul Nolan, Ben Rappaport, Molly Ringwald, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Stark Sands, Michael Shannon, Phillipa Soo, Ryan Spahn, Marlo Thomas, Michael Urie and Ana Villafane. The Off-Broadway League’s Lortel Awards Producing & Administration Committee (Terry Byrne, Denise Cooper, Margaret Cotter, Carol Fishman, George Forbes, Michael Page, Catherine Russell, Lindsey Sag and Seth Shepsle) produces the Lortel Awards ceremony. Acclaimed writer/director Michael Heitzman returned to direct the Lortel Awards for the seventh consecutive year. The Lucille Lortel Awards is produced by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation. Additional support is provided by Theatre Development Fund. 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 Voting Committee. For updates and news about the ceremony and media releases, please visit www.LortelAwards.org. For general inquiries and eligibility requirements, contact the Off-Broadway League at
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Photos from the 31 Annual Lucille Lortel Awards are available at: 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – Arrivals http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr409751710 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – Show http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr409256278
31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards - Press Room http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr409259459 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards - After Party http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr409297931
NOMINEES AND RECIPIENTS OF THE 2016 LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS *Please note: all nominees are listed with the award recipient in BOLD.
Outstanding Play The Christians Produced by Playwrights Horizons and Center Theatre Group Written by Lucas Hnath
Eclipsed Produced by The Public Theater Written by Danai Gurira
Gloria Produced by Vineyard Theatre Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Guards at the Taj Produced by Atlantic Theater Company Written by Rajiv Joseph
John Produced by Signature Theatre Written by Annie Baker 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 César Alvarez
Iowa Produced by Playwrights Horizons Written by Jenny Schwartz, Music by Todd Almond, Lyrics by Todd Almond and Jenny Schwartz
Southern Comfort Produced by The Public Theater Book and Lyrics by Dan Collins, Music by Julianne Wick Davis,
