Tony Award winner Julie White, currently starring in Off-Broadway's From Up Here, hosted the awards, celebrating excellence in Off-Broadway theatre, at the Union Square Theatre. Nominees were announced March 31.
Adding Machine — the celebrated modernist musical at the Minetta Lane Theatre — won four awards, the most of any show of the season. In addition to the Outstanding Musical prize, the production also picked up awards for Outstanding Director (David Cromer), Outstanding Lead Actor (Joel Hatch) and Outstanding Lighting Design (Keith Parham).
The Outstanding Play winner, Betrayed, is also currently still running. George Packer's drama about three young Iraqis — two men and a woman — has extended its run through June 28 at the Culture Project.
Among those who presented awards were Jeff Bowen, Hunter Bell, Christopher Gattelli, Joanna Gleason, A.R. Gurney, Cheyenne Jackson, John Kelly, Paul Libin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Martha Plimpton, Laila Robins, Anika Noni Rose and Tamara Tunie. The evening featured performances from the casts of Adding Machine, Jump, Next to Normal, Passing Strange, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower) and Wanda's World.
Three special award winners had been previously anounced:
Winners of the 2007-08 Lortel Awards follow (winners names are in bold and are preceded by an asterisk):
Outstanding Play
*Betrayed
Written by George Packer
Produced by Culture Project
Blackbird
Written by David Harrower
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club
The Brothers Size
Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Produced by The Public Theater, in association with The Foundry Theatre
New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656
Written by David Ives
Produced by Classic Stage Company, by special arrangement with Bob Boyett
Opus
Written by Michael Hollinger
Produced by Primary Stages
Outstanding Musical
*Adding Machine Original Music by Joshua Schmidt, Libretto by Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt
Produced by Scott Morfee, Tom Wirtshafter, and Margaret Cotter
Next to Normal
Music by Tom Kitt, Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Produced by Second Stage Theatre
Passing Strange
Book and Lyrics by Stew, Music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Created in Collaboration with Annie Dorsen
Produced by The Public Theater, in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
Libretto and Drawings by Ben Katchor, Music by Mark Mulcahy
Produced by Vineyard Theatre
Wanda's World
Book by Eric H. Weinberger, Music and Lyrics by Beth Falcone, Story by Eric H. Weinberger and Beth Falcone
Produced by Amas Musical Theatre, in association with Terry Schnuck
Outstanding Solo Show
Beyond Glory
Written and Performed by Stephen Lang
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company
Dai (enough)
Written and Performed by Iris Bahr
Produced by Bernie Kukoff, Jonathan Pollard, Jon Cutler in association with Highbrow Entertainment
Liberty City
Written by Jessica Blank and April Yvette Thompson
Performed by April Yvette Thompson
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Tings Dey Happen
Written by Dan Hoyle, Developed with Charlie Varon
Performed by Dan Hoyle
Produced by Culture Project
Outstanding Revival
Beckett Shorts
Written by Samuel Beckett
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Dividing the Estate
Written by Horton Foote
Produced by Primary Stages, in association with Jamie deRoy
The Misanthrope
Written by Molière, Translation by Tony Harrison
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
*Ohio State Murders
Written by Adrienne Kennedy
Produced by Theatre for a New Audience
Seussical
Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Co-Conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Eric Idle, Based on the works of Dr. Seuss
Produced by Theatreworks USA
Outstanding Director
*David Cromer, Adding Machine
Annie Dorsen, Passing Strange
Elizabeth LeCompte, The Wooster Group's HAMLET
Bob McGrath, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
Terrence J. Nolen, Opus
Outstanding Choreographer
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Seussical
*Peter Pucci, Queens Boulevard (the musical)
Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Wanda's World
Outstanding Lead Actor
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
André De Shields, Black Nativity
*Joel Hatch, Adding Machine
Morlan Higgins, Exits and Entrances
Jeremy Strong, New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656
Outstanding Lead Actress
*Elizabeth Franz, The Piano Teacher
Lisa Gay Hamilton, Ohio State Murders
Jayne Houdyshell, The Receptionist
Alison Pill, Blackbird
Lynn Redgrave, Grace
Outstanding Featured Actor
*Francis Jue, Yellow Face
David Margulies, The Accomplices
Brian Murray, Gaslight
Lorenzo Pisoni, Election Day
Aaron Tveit, Next to Normal
Outstanding Featured Actress
Veanne Cox, Paradise Park
Veanne Cox, Spain
Zoe Kazan, 100 Saints You Should Know
Amy Warren, Adding Machine
*Mare Winningham, 10 Million Miles
Outstanding Scenic Design
Scott Bradley, Eurydice
*Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
Derek McLane, 10 Million Miles
Scott Pask, Blackbird
David Zinn, The Four of Us
Outstanding Costume Design
Mara Blumenfeld, The Glorious Ones
*Michael Bottari & Ronald Case, and Jessica Jahn, Die Mommie Die!
Tracy Christensen, Seussical
Kristine Knanishu, Adding Machine
Jenny Mannis, The Drunken City
Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, Passing Strange
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Russell H. Champa, Eurydice
Peter Mumford, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?
*Keith Parham, Adding Machine
Outstanding Sound Design
Geoff Abbas, Joby Emmons, and Matt Schloss, The Wooster Group's HAMLET
Daniel Baker, The Four of Us
*Jorge Cousineau, Opus
Frank Gaeta, Dai (enough)
Darron L. West, Dead Man's Cell Phone
For more information about the awards, named for the late actress, producer, theatre owner and arts advocate, visit www.lortelaward.com.
