“Oslo,” the play by J.T. Rogers that’s currently in the running for seven Tony Awards including best play, topped the 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards, snagging four trophies including the top award for outstanding play.
The Lortels honor Off Broadway work, and “Oslo” was eligible in its initial production last summer in Lincoln Center Theater’s Off Broadway space, prior to its transfer this spring to Broadway. At the Lortels, the show also won awards for director (Bartlett Sher), lead actress (Jennifer Ehle) and featured actor (Michael Aronov). Among its competition was “Indecent,” the Paula Vogel play that’s also part of this year’s Tony races.
“The Band’s Visit,” the well-reviewed musical that producers hope to move to Broadway, earned the Lortel for outstanding musical, beating a field of contestants that also included “Dear Evan Hansen,” a current frontrunner for the Tony. Another Tony favorite from that show, Ben Platt of ” Evan Hansen,” won the Lortel for lead actor in a musical.
The small-scale, environmental revival of “Sweeney Todd” notched the honor for outstanding revival, and Anna Deavere Smith’s “Notes From The Field” took the title for solo show.
The 32nd annual Lucille Lortel Awards were handed out May 7 in a ceremony hosted by Taran Killam. The full list of winners follows.
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2017 LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS
Outstanding Play
Oslo
Outstanding Musical
The Band’s Visit
Outstanding Revival
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Outstanding Solo Show
Notes From The Field
Outstanding Director
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Outstanding Choreographer
David Dorfman, Indecent
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Joe Morton, Turn Me Loose
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Michael Aronov, Oslo
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Randy Graff, The Babylon Line
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Joel Perez, Sweet Charity
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Outstanding Scenic Design
Laura Jellinek, A Life
Outstanding Costume Design
Susan Hilferty, Love, Love, Love
Outstanding Lighting Design
Mark Barton, Signature Plays: Edward Albee’s The Sandbox, María Irene Fornés’ Drowning, Adrienne Kennedy’s Funnyhouse of a Negro
Outstanding Sound Design
Mikhail Fiksel, A Life
Outstanding Projection Design
Jared Mezzocchi, Vietgone
HONORARY AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement Award
William Ivey Long
Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee
Lynn Nottage
Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway Award
Harold Wolpert
