Lucille Lortel Awards


The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation, with additional support from the Theatre Development Fund.
Other awards for off-Broadway theatre include the Drama League Award, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama Desk Awards and the Obie Awards, as well as the Henry Hewes Design Awards presented by the American Theatre Wing.

Voting committee

The voting committee is composed of representatives from the Off-Broadway League, Actors' Equity Association, Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, as well as theatre journalists, academics, and other Off-Broadway professionals.

Ceremonies

The awards ceremony for the 2008–2009 season was held on May 3, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel ; the nominations were announced on April 2.
The nominations for the 2009–2010 season were announced on April 1, 2010, and the winners were announced at a ceremony on May 2, 2010, held at Terminal 5 in New York City.
The nominations for the 2010–2011 season were announced on March 31, 2011, and the winners were announced on May 1, 2011, at the NYU Skirball Center, with hosts Zach Braff and Samantha Bee. Special Awards were given to Lynne Meadow ; Gary Glaser ; Gatz – Produced by The Public Theater.
The nominees for the 2011–2012 season were announced on March 29, 2012; the award ceremony was held on May 6, 2012, at the Skirball Center with host Mario Cantone. Special awards were announced: Richard Frankel ; Richard Foreman ; Fire Department of the City of New York ; and Voca People – Produced by Doron Lida, Revital Kalfo, Leeorna Solomons and Eva Price.
The awards for the 2012–2013 season were announced on May 5, 2013, with hosts Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. Special Awards were presented to: Todd Haimes, Lifetime Achievement Award; Neil LaBute, Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee; Theatre Development Fund, Outstanding Body of Work Award; and Old Hats by Bill Irwin and David Shiner, Outstanding Alternative Theatrical Experience.
The awards for the 2013–2014 season were announced on May 4, 2014, with hosts Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. Special Awards were presented to: producer Robyn Goodman, Lifetime Achievement Award and Richard Nelson, Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee.
The award nominations for the 2014–15 season were announced on April 2, 2015. Special Awards were given to Terrence McNally, Jeanine Tesori and general manager Nancy Nagel Gibb. The winners were announced on May 10, 2015, with Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Anna Chlumsky hosting.
The 2015–2016 awards were announced on May 8, 2016, at the NYU Skirball Center. Special Awards were presented to: Oskar Eustis, Lifetime Achievement Award; The Wooster Group, Outstanding Body of Work Award.
The 2016–2017 awards were announced on May 7, 2017. Special Awards were presented to: David Hyde Pierce, Lifetime Achievement Award; Elevator Repair Service, Outstanding Body of Work Award.
The 2017–2018 awards were announced on May 6, 2018. Special Awards were presented to: Kathleen Chalfant, Lifetime Achievement Award; The York Theatre Company, Outstanding Body of Work Award.
The 2018–2019 awards were announced on May 5, 2019. Special Awards were presented to: Edward Albee, Lifetime Achievement Award; Page 73 Productions, Outstanding Body of Work Award.
The 2019–2020 awards were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the widespread impact on the theater industry.
The 2020–2021 awards were held virtually, recognizing the adaptation of theater to digital platforms during the pandemic.
The 2021–2022 awards returned to an in-person format, recognizing a full season of live performances.
The 2022–2023 awards were held on May 7, 2023, recognizing ongoing contributions to Off-Broadway theater as it continues to recover and innovate.

Categories

At the beginning, the Lead Actor/Actress and Featured Actor/Actress awards encompassed both plays and musicals. Starting in 2014, the acting awards were split into separate play and musical categories.
Starting in the 2022 awards, the acting categories were made gender-neutral.

Current categories

Awards are given in the following categories:
  • Outstanding Play
  • Outstanding Musical
  • Outstanding Revival
  • Outstanding Solo Show
  • Outstanding Alternative Theater Experience
  • Outstanding Director
  • Outstanding Choreographer
  • Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play
  • Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
  • Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical
  • Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical
  • Outstanding Ensemble
  • Outstanding Scenic Design
  • Outstanding Costume Design
  • Outstanding Lighting Design
  • Outstanding Sound Design
  • Outstanding Projection Design

    Retired Categories

  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
  • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
  • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

    Award winners in key categories

Source:

Production Awards

Outstanding Play

  • 1987: The Common Pursuit
  • 1989: The Cocktail Hour
  • 1991: Aristocrats
  • 1992: Lips Together, Teeth Apart
  • 1993: The Destiny of Me
  • 1994: Three Tall Women
  • 1995: Camping with Henry & Tom
  • 1996: Molly Sweeney
  • 1997: How I Learned to Drive
  • 1998: Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
  • 1999: Wit
  • 2000: Dinner With Friends
  • 2001: Proof
  • 2002: Metamorphoses
  • 2003: Take Me Out
  • 2004: Bug
  • 2005: Doubt
  • 2006: The Lieutenant of Inishmore
  • 2007: Stuff Happens
  • 2008: Betrayed
  • 2009: Ruined
  • 2010: The Orphans' Home Cycle
  • 2011: The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
  • 2012: Sons of the Prophet
  • 2013: The Whale
  • 2014: Bad Jews
  • 2015: Between Riverside and Crazy
  • 2016: Guards at the Taj
  • 2017: Oslo
  • 2018: Cost of Living and School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
  • 2019: Pass Over
  • 2020: Heroes of the Fourth Turning
  • 2022: English
  • 2023: Wolf Play
  • 2024: The Comeuppance
  • 2025: ''Here There Are Blueberries''

    Outstanding Musical

  • 1991: Falsettoland
  • 1992: And the World Goes Round…
  • 1993: Forbidden Broadway
  • 1994: Wings
  • 1995: Jelly Roll!
  • 1996: Floyd Collins
  • 1997: Violet
  • 2000: James Joyce’s The Dead
  • 2001: Bat Boy: The musical
  • 2002: Urinetown
  • 2003: Avenue Q
  • 2004: Caroline, or Change
  • 2005: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
  • 2006: The Seven
  • 2007: In the Heights and Spring Awakening
  • 2008: Adding Machine
  • 2009: Fela! A New Musical
  • 2010: The Scottsboro Boys
  • 2011: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
  • 2012: Once
  • 2013: Dogfight
  • 2014: Fun Home
  • 2015: Hamilton
  • 2016: FUTURITY
  • 2017: The Band's Visit
  • 2018: KPOP
  • 2019: Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
  • 2020: Octet
  • 2022: Kimberly Akimbo
  • 2023: Titanique
  • 2024:
  • 2025: ''Three Houses''

    Outstanding Revival

  • 1991: Measure For Measure
  • 1992: Boesman and Lena
  • 1993: Henry V
  • 1994: Owners, Traps
  • 1995: Merrily We Roll Along
  • 1996: Entertaining Mr. Sloan
  • 1997: June Moon
  • 1998: All My Sons
  • 1999: The Mystery of Irma Vep
  • 2000: The Torch-Bearers
  • 2001: Tiny Alice
  • 2002: Cymbeline
  • 2003: Fifth of July
  • 2005: Counsellor-At-Law
  • 2006: The Trip to Bountiful
  • 2007: Two Trains Running
  • 2008: Ohio State Murders
  • 2009: Our Town
  • 2010: The Glass Menagerie
  • 2011: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes/Part 1: MillenniumApproaches, Part 2: Perestroika
  • 2012: The Cherry Orchard
  • 2013: The Piano Lesson
  • 2014: Good Person of Szechwan
  • 2015: Into the Woods
  • 2016: The Robber Bridegroom
  • 2017: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  • 2018: Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train
  • 2019: Carmen Jones
  • 2020: for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
  • 2022: Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992
  • 2023: A Raisin in the Sun
  • 2024: Translations
  • 2025: ''Our Class''

    Honorary Awards

Outstanding Lifetime Achievement