By Sandi Durell . . .

On May 25,2023 the OCC handed out awards to all the Winners, previously announced, making it so much easier and surely filled with less performer angst waiting to hear if they won.

It’s a delightful afternoon at Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center as voting members of OCC, guests and OCC winners mix and mingle before the ceremony of handing out the Awards begins. The exceptionally talented Michael Lavine always ready with an appropriate song, was at the piano.

President David Gordon and Board member V.P Richard Ridge began the festivities thanking the event producer Lauren Yarger and introducing the first presenter Lea Salonga who presented the Outstanding Director of a Musical to Michael Arden for Parade; Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play to Sean Hayes in Good Night,Oscar who considers himself “an unconventional guy, an outer circle . . . own whatever circle you are in.” Next Award went to Jodie Comer for Outstanding Solo Performance in Prima Facie – “it’s terrifying and exhilarating.” Outstanding Scenic Design went to Beowulf Boritt for New York, New York who talked about the 30+ hand painted backdrops done for this production.

Outstanding Sound Design went to Joshua D. Reid for A Christmas Carol with Jefferson Mays. The Outstanding Video or Projection Design went to Andrzej Goulding for Life of Pi; Outstanding Lighting Design to Tim Lutkin for Life of Pi; Outstanding Costume Design to Gregg Barnes for Some Like It Hot. A special Lifetime Achievement Award went to B.H. Barry one of the world’s foremost fight directors for 6 decades capped off with recent production of Camelot at Lincoln Center.

Next presenter Matt Doyle (currently in Little Shop of Horrors), presented the John Gassner Award for New American Play to playwright James IJames for Fat Ham. James wrote his first play when he was 14, learning how to write creating community around an idea. Outstanding Book of a Musical went to Robert Horn for Shucked, explaining how it took 12 years to bring the show to life and “open your heart to people different than you are.” A tie: Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play to K. Todd Freeman in Downstate and to Bill Irwin in Endgame saying that Beckett’s language is filled with exhilaration and terror. Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play was awarded to Bruce Norris for Downstate.

Outstanding Featured Performer in an off-Broadway Musical went to Lindsay Mendez in Merrily We Roll Along at New York Theatre Workshop who also accepted for Jonathan Groff who won for that same production Outstanding Lead Performer in an off-Broadway Musical (he’s in London and Lindsay read his acceptance speech before accepting her own Award.)

The amazingly talented Suzi-Lori Parks took two Awards – Outstanding Revival of a Play Topdog/Underdog as well as Outstanding New off-Broadway Musical The Harder They Come (book and add’l songs by Suzan-Lori Parks, songs by Jimmy Cliff). She thanks James Baldwin, her creative writing teacher for her career.  Outstanding Orchestrations were awarded to Bryan Carter and Charlie Rosen for Some Like it Hot followed by Outstanding New Score going to Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for that production.

Bonnie Milligan was the next presenter who presented Alex Newell for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical in Shucked; A very emotionally moved J. Harrison Ghee received Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical for Some Like It Hot – “so grateful sharing love and expansion-shaping culture seeing society moving forward.” Receiving his very first award was Brandon Uranowitz for his performance as Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play Leopoldstadt who thanked Director Patrick Marber for recognizing something in Brandon and how proud he is to reclaim humanity of the Jewish People. Patrick Marber received Outstanding Director of a Play award for Leopoldstadt saying he’s actually a writer whose sideline is directing!

Alfred Uhry accepted the award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical as book writer for Parade (music/lyrics Jason Robert Brown; co-conceived by Harold Prince). Outstanding New Broadway Play award went to Tom Stoppard for Leopoldstadt and accepting for Tom was Patrick Marber who said he often thinks about Mike Nichols, as he read notes from Tom. The last award – The Marjorie Gunner Award for Outstanding New Broadway Musical went to Some Like It Hot accepted by lead producers Neal Meron and Robert Wankle.

The OCC Awards, as always, a special place to be where just about all winners happily show up!

Photos: Sandi Durell