2006 Obie Award winners announced

The winners of the 51st Annual Obie Awards were announced yesterday evening (15 May) at a ceremony held at NYU's Skirball Center. The Obie's have been honoring the Off-Broadway community since 1956 and are considered Off-Broadway's highest honor.

The event was hosted by Lili Taylor and Eric Bogosian and the presenters of the awards included Edward Hibbert, Douglas Carter Beane, Phylicia Rashad, and Oskar Eustis.

The lifetime acheivemet award was presented to 90 ear old Eric Bentley, for his many years of dedication to the theatre.

The judging panal was made up of Village Voice Theatre Editor and Obie Chairperson Jorge Morales, Village Voice theare critics Michael Feingold and Alexis Soloski, and this years five guest judges: David Herskovits , Eduardo Machado, Lynn Nottage, Deidre O'Connell and Marc Robinson.

The winners of the 2006 Obie Awards are:
There are no nominations or categories for the Obies.

Performance:

• Reed Birney: sustained excellence of performance
• Michael Cumpsty: Hamlet
• Christine Ebersole: Grey Gardens
• Ari Fliakos: Poor Theater: A Series of Simulacra
• Edwin Lee Gibson: The Seven
• Peter Francis James: Stuff Happens
• Byron Jennings: Stuff Happens
• Marin Ireland: Cyclone
• Dana Ivey: Mrs. Warren's Profession
• Meg MacCary: What Then
• S. Epatha Merkerson: Birdie Blue
• Euan Morton: Measure for Pleasure
• Sherie Rene Scott: Landscape of the Body
• Scott Shepherd: Poor Theater: A Series of Simulacra
• Lois Smith: The Trip to Bountiful
• Julie White: The Little Dog Laughed
• Gary Wilmes Red Light Winter

Direction

• John Clancy: sustained excellence of direction
• Daniel Sullivan: Stuff Happens

Playwriting

• Rolin Jones: The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow
• Martin McDonagh: The Lieutenant Of Inishmore

Design

• Allen Moyer: sustained excellence of set design
• The National Theater of the United States of America: Abacus Black Strikes Now! The Rampant Justice of Abacus Black
• Anita Yavich: sustained excellence of costume design

Special Citation

• Hunter Bell, Michael Berresse, Jeff Bowen: [title of show]
• Ricky Ian Gordon, Jane Moss, Jon Nakagawa, Doug Varone: Orpheus and Euridyce
• Danai Gurira, Robert O'Hara, Nikkole Salter: In the Continuum
• Adam Rapp: Red Light Winter

The Ross Wetzsteon Memorial Award

• Soho Repertory Theater

Lifetime Achievement

• Eric Bentley

Theater Grants

• Billie Holiday Theatre: $3,000
• Edge Theater Company: $3,000
• Red Bull Theater: $3,000

Emerging Playwright Grants

• Neena Beber: $1,000
• Rinne Groff: $1,000