The Off-Off-Broadway Review, known as OOBR (pronounced OO-ber), was scheduled to present its fourth annual awards on June 22 at the Union Square Theatre (100 E. 17th St.) in Manhattan. The ceremony honors the OOBR critics' favorite shows of the 1997-98 Off-Off-Broadway season.
Here's the list of 1998 OOBR winners:
American Globe Theatre's The Three Musketeers
Monster(less) Actors' Tales of the Lost Formicans
Esperance Theatre Company's Zzoomm Zzoomm The Magic Clown
Perkasie Productions' Wonderful Tennessee
Third Eye Rep's Hair
Two Rivers Theatre Collective's Pillow Talk
Turnip Theatre Company's Featured Artists Series
Waterfront Ensemble's True Stories of Imaginary People - Program B
Westside Repertory's The Marriage of Figaro
A special award went to playwright and producer John Glines, who has been instrumental in making gay theatre a major part of the NY cultural scene. Glines' plays include Men Of Manhattan and the historical drama Butterflies and Tigers currently Off-Off-Broadway. His producing credits include As Is and Torch Song Trilogy.
Asked about the award, Glines told Playbill On-Line (June 12), "I'm very honored. It came as a complete surprise. I suppose it's for making gay plays a viable subject for the theatre. For instance, Torch Song started Off-Off, then it moved Off-Broadway, then it moved to Broadway. But after that, I remained in the Off-Off-Broadway area, because I still believe theatre is two boards and a passion. I'm very committed to that learning and growing process."
A buffet dinner catered by Katz's Delicatessen, "along with numerous networking opportunities," were to follow the 7 PM ceremony. For information, call (212) 242-1648. -- By Robert Simonson
and David Lefkowitz