By Melissa Griegel . . .
The big winners at the 37th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards on May 1st were Kimberly Akimbo and Oratotio for Living Things, both of whom won three awards. The Outstanding Musical award went to Kimberly Akimbo and the Outstanding Play was awarded to Sanaz Toossi’s English. The Lucille Lortel Awards recognizes outstanding achievement for off-Broadway shows in 16 categories. Everyone was happy to finally be able to celebrate in a live ceremony for the first time in three years.
The award show at the NYU Skirball Center were hosted by three pairs of stars from stage and screen: Jared Grimes (Funny Girl) and Jeff Hiller (HBO’s Somebody Somewhere), Krysta Rodriguez (Hercules) and Jelani Alladin (Frozen), and Jennifer Simard (Hello, Dolly!) and Christopher Sieber (Company), The Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by TDF, and is named for Lucille Lortel who is known as being one of Off-Broadway all-time greats.
New this year, the foundation removed the gender from the categories (ie. Outstanding Female Lead) and instead have non-binary categories such as Outstanding Lead in a Musical. Also added this year is a new category recognizing an entire ensemble. The inaugural Outstanding Ensemble award was presented to the cast of Ars Nova’s Oratorio For Living Things. Both Performer in a Musical awards were presented to Kimberly Akimbo – Lead to Victoria Clark and Featured to Bonnie Milligan. The Atlantic Theater Company production with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and Music by Jeanine Tesori, also received the award for Outstanding Musical. Sanaz Toossi’s English, a co-production of Atlantic Theater Company and Roundabout Theatre Company, took home the award for Outstanding Play.
Stephen Sondheim was recognized not only in the In Memoriam section, but was quoted by many on stage. The evening started off with Sondheim’s “Another Hundred People” from Company sung beautifully by Marcy Harriell, who also shared a touching and humorous encounter she had with the musical genius. Bobby Daye sang “Angel Wings”, a song he also wrote, during the In Memorian slideshow. A moving moment during the show that ended in a standing ovation was when Ukrainian violinist Andy Didorenko performed his piece “Aflame” on violin accompanied by fellow Ukrainian Yulia Basis.
All of the award recipients were honored and humbled to be chosen, and most kept their speeches very short. “I like to not talk a lot,” Adam Rigg said upon accepting his award for Outstanding Scenic Design for Sugarland, a category in which he had two nominations. Likewise, Outstanding Projection Design Winner Shawn Duan admitted, “I’m used to being on the other side of the stage.”
Special honorees this year included Deirdre O’Connell, who was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Heidi Schreck, and David Henry Hwang, who was inducted onto the famed Playwrights’ Sidewalk by Jeanine Tesori. Shreck called “Dee Dee” her mentor and a woman with “ferocious intellect who brings depth of character to every role she plays.” In accepting her award, O’Connell said she arrived in NYC in 1975, and “thanks to rent stabilization,” she joked, “I have been able to stay and have long career. Off-Broadway doesn’t pay that well!” She thanked everyone who supported her through the years. “I have learned a lot of lines!”
Many of the winners and honorees took the opportunity to talk about representation in the theater community. David Henry Hwang is the first AAPI playwright to be on the Playwright’s Sidewalk. “I want to accept this award on behalf of the cornucopia, the abundance of talent, who came before me. There has been a dramatic increase of AAPI hate and violence in recent years. Invisibility equals death. Visibility and representation equal life.” Kristina Wong and Shannon Tyo echoed these sentiments. Accepting her award for Outstanding Performer in a Play for The Chinese Lady, Tyo said, “Many Asian people have come up to me for answers. ‘What do we do now?’ they ask. I say: We do ANYTHING we want!” Looking stunning in her floor-length gown, Outstanding Solo Show winner Wong, talked about the support she received during the pandemic with her “Asian Sewing Sisters” which led her to the creation of her show.
For more information and complete list of nominees and winners please see https://www.theaterpizzazz.com/2022-lucille-lortel-award-winners/
Lead Photo: Deirdre O’Connell – David Henry Hwang
