2011 Obie Award winners

The winners of the 56th Annual Obie Awards were announced on 17 May 2011 at a ceremony held at Webster Hall in Manhattan. The Obie's have been honoring the Off-Broadway community since 1956 and are considered Off-Broadway's highest honor.

The event was co-hosted by S. Epatha Merkerson and David Hyde Pierce, and the awards were presented by Alec Baldwin, Andrew Rannells, Arian Moayad, Frank Wood, Jim Parsons, John Larroquette, Liev Schreiber, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mamie Gummer, Margaret Colin, Nina Arianda, Patina Miller and Rose Hemingway. Anthony Rapp, of the original cast of the Obie Award-winning musical 'Rent' and his band from the musical 'Without You' performed at the ceremony.

The judging panal was chaired by Village Voice Theatre Critic and Obie Chairperson Michael Feingold. His fellow judges included Alexis Soloski, Hilton Als, David Henry Hwang, Evan Yionoulis and criticAndy Propst.

The winners of the 2011 Obie Awards are:
There are no nominations or categories for the Obies.

The Sustained Achievement Award

• F. Murray Abraham

Best New American Play (includes a $1000 prize)

• The Elaborate Entrance Of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz

Performance:

• André Braugher: The Whipping Man (Manhattan Theatre Club)
• Michael Chernus: In the Wake (Public Theater)
• Ethan Hawke: Blood from a Stone (The New Group)
• Hamish Linklater: The School for Lies (Classic Stage Company)
• Laurie Metcalf: The Other Place (Manhattan Theatre Club)
• Thomas Sadoski: Other Desert Cities (Lincoln Center Theater)
• Scott Shepherd: Gatz (Elevator Repair Service / Public Theater)
• Brenda Wehle: The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide... (Signature Theatre / Public Theater)
• Charlayne Woodard: The Witch of Edmonton (Red Bull Theater)

Playwriting

• Samuel D. Hunter: A Bright New Boise (Partial Comfort Productions)
• Jonas Hassen Khemiri: Invasion! (The Play Company)

Directing

• Austin Pendleton: Three Sisters (Classic Stage Company)
• Roger Rees and Alex Timbers: Peter and the Starcatcher (New York Theatre Workshop)
• Leigh Silverman: In the Wake (Public Theater) and Go Back to Where You Are (Playwrights Horizons)

Design

• Jill BC Du Boff: Sustained excellence of sound design
• Donyale Werle: Sustained excellence of set design

Special Citations

• Design and choreography: Sleep No More (Punchdrunk Theatre)
• Felix Barrett, Livi Vaughan, Beatrice Minns, Maxine Doyle, Stephen Dobbie, Euan Maybank, and David Israel Reynoso Young Jean Lee: We're Gonna Die (13P / Joe's Pub)
• Debbie Tucker Green and Leah C. Gardiner: Born Bad (Soho Rep)

OBIE Grants ($2,500 prize)

• Metropolitan Playhouse

The Ross Wetzsteon Award ($1,000 prize)

• Belarus Free Theatre

Lifetime Achievement Award

• René Buch and Repertorio Espanol