Frontmezzjunkies reports: 40th Annual Lucille Lortel Award Nominations Announced
Nominations for the 40th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – the only New York theatre award to exclusively honor Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway – were announced this past week by Francis Jue, star of Broadway’s Yellow Face, and Krysta Rodriguez, currently appearing in Smash on Broadway. The 2025 Awards will be presented at the annual ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2025, at NYU Skirball beginning at 7:00pm. The event is open to the public, with tickets available for purchase at tickets.nyu.edu or at the NYU Skirball box office Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm–6pm. The Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by TDF.
Receiving six nominations each, both Drag: The Musical and Signature Theatre Company’s Three Houses lead the field with the most musical nominations, including Outstanding Musical, while Our Class also received six nominations, including Outstanding Revival. New York Theatre Workshop and Tectonic Theater Project’s Here There Are Blueberries, Roundabout Theatre Company’s Liberation by Bess Wohl, and Sumo, produced by Ma-Yi Theater Company and The Public Theater, each received five nominations, including Outstanding Play. The 2024 – 2025 Off-Broadway season featured 70 eligible productions, 32 of which were recognized with a nomination in at least one category.
As previously announced, special honorees this year include Playwrights’ Sidewalk inductee Alice Childress, Outstanding Body of Work recipient New Federal Theatre, and the Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway will be presented to Carol Fishman.
2025 LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Play
Here There Are Blueberries: Produced by New York Theatre Workshop and Tectonic Theater Project
Written by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich
Liberation: Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company
Written by Bess Wohl
Sumo: Ma-Yi Theater Company and The Public Theater present a La Jolla Playhouse and Ma-Yi Theater Company production
Written by Lisa Sanaye Dring
The Antiquities: Produced by Playwrights Horizons, Vineyard Theatre, Goodman Theatre
Written by Jordan Harrison
We Had a World: Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club
Written by Joshua Harmon
Outstanding Musical
Drag: The Musical: Produced by Tomas Costanza, Scott Prisand, Matthew Weaver, Paolo & Jodie Coppola, Aron & Gabe Alves-Tomko, Nicholas Kaiser, Willette & Manny Klausner, Tristan Schukraft, Janet Billig Rich, Hillary Weaver, Producer Entertainment Group, Jackie Huba, 1145 Ventures, Peter Crawford/Pieter Van Meeuwen, Bruce Robert Harris/Jack W. Batman, Drama Club, Concord Theatricals, Rob Kolson, Sarina Neer, Liesl Wilke, Daitch/Busch, and Liza Minnelli
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Tomas Costanza, Justin Andrew Honard, and Ashley Gordon
Medea: Re-Versed: Produced by Red Bull Theater and Bedlam in a co-production with Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
Written by Luis Quintero, Adapted from Euripides
The Big Gay Jamboree: Produced by Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Luckychap, Jillian Robbins, Hillary Wyatt, Indian Paintbrush, Runyonland, Ashley Melone And Nick Mills, Ilana Woldenberg, Paul Wachter And Tom Werner, Ld Entertainment, Annapurna Theatre, John Gore Organization, Nederlander Presentations, Madison Wells Live, Jane Bergère, Jana Bezdek And Jen Hoguet, Crooked Letter, Allie Sandler, Lloyd Tichio Productions, Winkler And Smalberg, Jennifer Lahl, Stella La Rue, Meena Harris And Jess Foung, Eastern Standard Time/Josh Altman, Wessex Grove
Book By Marla Mindelle and Jonathan Parks-Ramage, Music and Lyrics by Marla Mindelle and Philip Drennen
Three Houses: Produced by Signature Theatre Company
Music, Lyrics, and Book by Dave Malloy
We Live in Cairo: Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Book, Music, and Lyrics by The Lazours
Outstanding Revival
Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave: Produced by Irish Repertory Theatre
Written by Samuel Beckett
Ghosts: Produced by Lincoln Center Theater
Written by Henrik Ibsen, with a new version by Mark O’Rowe
Hold on to Me Darling: Produced by Seaview, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins, Stella La Rue, Hillary Wyatt, Richard Batchelder, Jane Bergere, Fentybaer, Lamf Protozoa, LD Entertainment, Lucille Lortel Theatre, Madison Wells Live, Oren Michels, Benjamin Nelson, Roth-Manella Productions, Cynthia Stroum, David Thomas Tao, Tom Tuft, Bruce & Peggy Wanta, Karen Brooks, Wessex Grove
Written by Kenneth Lonergan
Our Class: Produced by MART Foundation and Arlekin Players Theatre, in association with Jadow Productions
Written by Tadeusz Słobodzianek, Adapted by Norman Allen
Wine in the Wilderness: Produced by Classic Stage Company
Written by Alice Childress
Outstanding Solo Show
300 Paintings: Produced by Vineyard Theatre
Written and Performed by Sam Kissajukian
A Knock on the Roof: Produced by New York Theatre Workshop & piece by piece productions, in association with Under the Radar
Written and Performed by Khawla Ibraheem
Vanya: Produced by Wessex Grove, Gavin Kalin Productions, Kater Gordon, Roast Productions, Aleri Entertainment, Eilene Davidson Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, Grace Street Creative, Jim Kierstead, Lucille Lortel Theatre, Tilted, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Winkler & Smalberg, Executive Producers Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins
Co-Created by Andrew Scott, Simon Stephens, Sam Yates, and Rosanna Vize, Adapted by Simon Stephens
Performed by Andrew Scott
Outstanding Director
gor Golyak – Our Class
Moisés Kaufman – Here There Are Blueberries
Zhailon Levingston – Table 17
Whitney White – Liberation
Sam Yates – Vanya
Outstanding Choreographer
Connor Gallagher – The Big Gay Jamboree
Spencer Liff – Drag: The Musical
Or Schraiber – Our Class
Lynne Taylor-Corbett – Distant Thunder
Annie Tippe – Three Houses
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play
Adam Driver – Hold on to Me Darling
Madison Ferris – All of Me
Susannah Flood – Liberation
Lily Rabe – Ghosts
Paul Sparks – Grangeville
Marisa Tomei – Babe
Kara Young – Table 17
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
Betsy Aidem – Liberation
Stephanie Berry – Staff Meal
Ahmad Kamal – Sumo
Julia Lester – All Nighter
Michael Rishawn – Table 17
Olivia Washington – Wine in the Wilderness
Frank Wood – Hold on to Me Darling
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical
Marla Mindelle – The Big Gay Jamboree
J.D. Mollison – Three Houses
Mia Pak – Three Houses
Lauren Patten – The Lonely Few
Margo Seibert – Three Houses
Alaska Thunderfuck – Drag: The Musical
Sarin Monae West – Medea: Re-Versed
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical
Jujubee – Drag: The Musical
Eddie Korbich – Drag: The Musical
Jacob Ming-Trent – Medea: Re-Versed
Paris Nix – The Big Gay Jamboree
Helen J Shen – The Lonely Few
Natalie Walker – The Big Gay Jamboree
Outstanding Ensemble
Here There Are Blueberries: Scott Barrow, Nemuna Ceesay, Kathleen Chalfant, Jonathan Raviv, Erika Rose, Elizabeth Stahlmann, Charlie Thurston, Grant James Varjas
Our Class: Gus Birney, Andrey Burkovskiy, José Espinosa, Tess Goldwyn, Will Manning, Stephen Ochsner, Alexandra Silber, Richard Topol, Ilia Volok, Elan Zafir
We Live in Cairo: Ali Louis Bourzgui, Drew Elhamalawy, John El-Jor, Nadina Hassan, Michael Khalid Karadsheh, Rotana Tarabzouni
Outstanding Scenic Design
dots – Three Houses
Christopher Ford and Dakota Rose – The Beastiary
Derek McLane – Here There Are Blueberries
Jan Pappelbaum – Our Class
Matt Saunders – Jordans
Outstanding Costume Design
Oana Botez – Orlando
Qween Jean – Liberation
Marco Marco – Drag: The Musical
Rodrigo Muñoz – Sally & Tom
Mariko Ohigashi – Sumo
Outstanding Lighting Design
Stacey Derosier – Grangeville
Michael Gottlieb – Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave
Tyler Micoleau – The Antiquities
Ben Stanton – Table 17
Japhy Weideman – Ghosts
Outstanding Sound Design
Nick Kourtides – Travels
Fabian Obispo – Sumo
Matt Otto – All of Me
Matt Otto – Medea: Re-Versed
Ryan Rumery and M. Florian Staab – Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave
Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali – Here There Are Blueberries
David Bengali – We Live in Cairo
Eric Dunlap, Igor Golyak, and Andreea Mincic – Our Class
Hana S. Kim – Sumo
Brian Pacelli – Scarlett Dreams
HONORARY AWARDS
Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee: Alice Childress
Outstanding Body of Work: New Federal Theatre
Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway: Carol Fishman
NOMINATIONS BY SHOW
The Off-Broadway League’s Lortel Awards Administration Committee (Jeremy Adams, Alana Canty-Samuel, Tisa Chang, Carol Fishman, George Forbes, Kenneth Naanep, Ralph Peña, Catherine Russell, Michael Sag, Jonathan Whitton, Casey York, and Jeffrey Shubart, Chair) and the Lucille Lortel Theatre (George Forbes, Jeffrey Shubart, Nancy Hurvitz, Alana Canty-Samuel, Maura Le Viness, Karla Liriano, and Rascher Alcasid) produce the Lortel Awards Ceremony. Acclaimed writer/director Michael Heitzman directs the Lortel Awards. Representatives of the Off-Broadway League, the Lucille Lortel Theatre, Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, United Scenic Artists, in addition to theatre journalists, academics and other Off-Broadway professionals, serve on the Voting Committee.
ABOUT THE LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS
The Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were created in 1985 by the Off-Broadway League. The Lortel Awards recognize excellence in Off-Broadway by honoring the invaluable contribution of artists to the theatre community. Representatives of the Off-Broadway League, Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, United Scenic Artists, the Lucille Lortel Theatre, in addition to theatre journalists, academics and other Off-Broadway professionals, serve on the Voting Committee. Awards may be given in the following categories: Play, Musical, Solo Show, Revival, Alternative Theatrical Experience, Director, Choreographer, Lead Performer in a Play and Musical, Featured Performer in a Play and Musical, Ensemble, Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound, and Projection Design. The following honorary awards may also be given: Lifetime Achievement Award, Body of Work (awarded to an institution), Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway Award, and induction onto the Playwrights’ Sidewalk in front of the historic Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City. For more information, please see www.LortelAwards.org.
