‘Oslo,’ ‘The Band’s Visit’ Score 2017 Obie Awards (Full List)
“Oslo” scored yet another playwriting trophy — as well as an ensemble acting honor — on its way to the Tonys, taking one of two 2017 Obie Awards for best new American theater work at a ceremony held in downtown Manhattan May 22. Other winners at the Off Broadway-centric awards included Lynn Nottage and her play “Sweat” (another new play competitor at the Tony Awards) as well as actors Matthew Broderick (“Evening at the Talk House”), Bobby Cannavale (“The Hairy Ape”), Amy Ryan (“Love, Love, Love) and Michael Urie (“Homos, or Everybody in America”).
The win for “Oslo,” which scored the Obie (sharing the prize with Jennifer Kidwell and Scott R. Sheppard’s “Underground Railroad Game”) for its initial Off Broadway staging last year, adds further momentum to the play in advance of the Tonys. The show also scored top play awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle, the Lucille Lortels and the Outer Critics.
The top musical theater Obie went to the Atlantic Theater Company’s well-received production of “The Band’s Visit.” Special citations given to Anna Deavere Smith (“Notes From the Field”) and Taylor Mac (“A 24-Decade History of Popular Music”), while Paula Vogel, nominated for a Tony for her play “Indecent,” earned the lifetime achievement prize.
Founded by the Village Voice and now co-presented with the American Theater Wing (the co-producer of the Tonys), the Obie Awards were hosted by Lea DeLaria. The full list of winners follows.
62nd Annual Obie Awards Winners
Best New American Theater Work ($500 prize each)
Jennifer Kidwell and Scott R. Sheppard, Underground Railroad Game (Ars Nova)
J.T. Rogers, Oslo (Lincoln Center Theater)
Playwriting
Christopher Chen, Caught (The Play Company at La MaMa)
Lynn Nottage, Sweat (The Public Theater)
Musical Theater
Itamar Moses (book) and David Yazbek (music & lyrics), The Band’s Visit
Directing
Arin Arbus, The Skin of Our Teeth (Theatre for a New Audience)
Lileana Blain-Cruz, Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World (Signature Theatre Company)
David Cromer, The Band’s Visit (Atlantic Theater Company)
Jack Cummings III, Picnic (Transport Group)
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent (Vineyard Theatre)
Ensemble
Bartlett Sher (director) and the cast of Oslo (Lincoln Center Theater) Michael Aronov, Anthony Azizi, Adam Dannheisser, Jennifer Ehle, Daniel Jenkins, Dariush Kashani, Jeb Kreager, Jefferson Mays, Christopher McHale, Daniel Oreskes, Angela Pierce, Henny Russell, Joseph Siravo, T. Ryder Smith
Lila Neugebauer (director) and the cast of The Wolves (The Playwrights Realm) Kate Arrington, Mia Barron, Brenna Coates, Jenna Dioguardi, Samia Finnerty, Midori Francis, Lizzy Jutila, Sarah Mezzanotte, Tedra Millan, Lauren Patten, Susannah Perkins
Performance
Matthew Broderick, Evening at the Talk House (The New Group) and Shining City (Irish Repertory Theatre)
Bobby Cannavale, The Hairy Ape (Park Avenue Armory)
Kevin Geer, Sustained Excellence [in memoriam]
Kecia Lewis, Marie and Rosetta (Atlantic Theater Company) and The Skin of Our Teeth (Theatre for a New Audience)
Heather MacRae, Come Back, Little Sheba (Transport Group)
Amy Ryan, Love, Love, Love (Roundabout Theatre Company)
Pete Simpson, Sustained Excellence
Michael Urie, Homos, or Everyone in America (Labyrinth Theater Company)
Design
Riccardo Hernandez, Sustained Excellence of Set Design
Dane Laffrey, Sustained Excellence of Set and Costume Design
Jared Mezzocchi, Projection Design, Vietgone (Manhattan Theatre Club)
Ryan Rumery, Sustained Excellence of Sound Design
Scott Zielinski, Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design
Special Citations
Anna Deavere Smith, Notes from the Field (Second Stage Theater)
Taylor Mac, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (St. Ann’s Warehouse)
Obie Grants ($4,000 prize each)
Irish Repertory Theatre
Pearl Theatre Company
The Playwrights Realm
The Ross Wetzsteon Award ($3,000 prize)
Theatre for a New Audience
Lifetime Achievement Award
Paula Vogel
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