Oh, Mary!'s Cole Escola, the drag ball reimagining of Cats and Jeremy Tiang's Salesman之死 are among the big winners of this year's Obie Awards honoring Off and Off Off Broadway productions announced tonight.
Presented by the American Theatre Wing and New York's Spectrum News NY1, the 68th Annual Obie Awards winners were announced on Spectrum News NY1's On Stage program hosted by Frank DiLella. Like last year, the Obies did not have a ceremony, instead bestowing the winners of the 35 awards with grants totaling $250,000.
See the complete list of winners below.
"We are moved and encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response to the new structure of the Obie Awards, which we launched last year," says Heather Hitchens, President & CEO, in a statement. "The artists honored today are a reflection of the incredible work that is being created and presented Off Broadway and we are so thrilled that, with the support of an anonymous donor, we can provide the best and brightest of Off Broadway with grants that go directly to the artists."
Escola, who took their play Oh, Mary! to Broadway after the Off Broadway run, becoming one of this season's biggest hits, was among the winners for outstanding Performance. Others included Gabby Beans for her performance in Roundabout's Jonah; Dianne Wiest and Johanna Day, for Scene Partners (Vineyard Theatre); and Nathan Lee Graham for Signature Theatre Company's Orlando.
The Outstanding New Play award went to Jeremy Tiang's Salesman之死 (Yangtze Repertory Theatre | Gung Ho Projects), inspired by the real-life story of Arthur Miller's collaboration with an all-Chinese cast performing Death of a Salesman at the Beijing People's Art Theatre in 1983.
Special citations went to, among others, the ensemble of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, the critically acclaimed re-imagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical set in the world of New York City's famous drag balls. Charles Busch took a Lifetime Achievement Award for his Ibsen's Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy, and Sarah Benson for Teeth, the unlikely hit musical comedy based on the 2007 camp classic horror film of the same name.
The On Stage episode announcing the winners earlier tonight will re-air tonight at 10:30 PM/ET and Sunday, February 2, at 7:30 and 10:30 PM. Spectrum News NY1 is available to Spectrum subscribers on channel 1 and via the Spectrum News App for mobile, Xumo Stream Box, Roku, and Apple TV streaming devices.
SPECIAL CITATIONS
Ensemble of Cats: The Jellicle Ball (Perelman Performing Arts Center) Jonathan Burke, Baby Byrne, Tara Lashan Clinkscales, Antwayn Hopper, André De Shields, Sydney James Harcourt, Dava Huesca, Dudney Joseph Jr., Capital Kaos, Junior LaBeija, Robert "Silk" Mason, Shereen Pimentel, "Tempress" Chasity Moore, Primo, Xavier Reyes, Nora Schell, Bebe Nicole Simpson, Emma Sofia, Phumzile Sojola, Frank Viveros, Kendall Grayson Stroud, Garnet Williams, Teddy Wilson Jr., Shelby Griswold, and Dominique Lee
Raja Feather Kelly (Creator and Director) and Ensemble of The Fires (SoHo Rep) Beau Badu, Sheldon Best, Phillip James Brannon, Janelle McDermoth, Ronald Peet, Jon-Michael Reese, Jason Veasey, and Michelle Wilson (Ensemble)
Milo Cramer (Book, Music, Lyrics, and Performance) and Morgan Green (Director), School Pictures (Playwrights Horizons)
Normandy Sherwood (Production Design and Concept), Psychic Self Defense (Here | Dream Music Factory)
The 1491s - Dallas Goldtooth, Sterlin Harjo, Migizi Pensoneau, Ryan RedCorn, and Bobby Wilson - (Creators) and Ensemble of Between Two Knees (Perelman Performing Arts Center) Rachel Crowl, Derek Garza, Justin Gauthier, Irma-Estel Laguerre, Shyla Lefner, Wotko Long, Jessica Ranville, James Ryen, John Scott-Richardson, Kholan Studi, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Sheila Tousey, and Ryan Anthony Williams (Ensemble)
Becca Blackwell and Amanda Duarte (Creators) and Jess Barbagallo (Director), Snatch Adams & Tainty McCracken Present It's That Time of The Month (SoHo Rep)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Charles Busch (Writer), Ibsen's Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy (Primary Stages | George Street Playhouse | Daryl Roth | Ted Snowdon | Jamie deRoy)
Kristin Marting, Founding Artistic Director Emeritus of HERE