Detroit, Grimly Handsome, Eisa Davis, John Rando, Shuler Hensley, And More Are Obie Winners

	Shuler Hensley in The Whale. Photo: Joan Marcus

The 58th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, celebrating achievement in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theatre, were presented on May 20 at Webster Hall. The awards were hosted by The Assembled Parties co-stars Jessica Hecht and Jeremy Shamos, while other presenters included Bobby Cannavale, Cyndi Lauper, Judith Light, and Meryl Streep, among others.

The Obies were judged by a committee that included theater critic Michael Feingold as chairman, Voice critic Alexis Soloski as secretary, and guest judges Obie Award-winning playwright Erin Courtney; director-performer Mia Katigbak, co-founder of NAATCO; critic and magazine editor Tom Sellar; and Obie Award-winning director Leigh Silverman.

In a tie vote, the judges accorded the award for Best New American Play to Lisa d'Amour's Detroit (Playwrights Horizons) and Julia Jarcho's Grimly Handsome (Incubator Arts Project), with each playwright receiving a $500 cash prize.

Performance awards were presented to Brandon J. Dirden for The Piano Lesson (Signature Theatre), Shuler Hensley for The Whale (Playwrights Horizons), Paul Thureen for Blood Play (The Debate Society/Bushwick Starr), and Eisa Davis and Matthew Maher for sustained excellence.

Playwriting Awards were presented to Ayad Akhtar for Disgraced (LCT3) and Annie Baker for The Flick (Playwrights Horizons).

Awards for direction were given to Lear deBessonet for The Good Person Of Szechuan (Foundry Theatre/La MaMa), John Rando for All In The Timing (Primary Stages), Ruben Santiago-Hudson for The Piano Lesson (Signature Theatre), and Eric Ting for We Are Proud To Present A Presentation... (Soho Rep).

Design awards were presented to Laura Jellinek for sustained excellence of set design and Clint Ramos for sustained excellence of costume design.

Special Citations were given to David Levine and Marsha Ginsberg for Habit (Crossing the Line Festival/FIAF and PS122), Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Ars Nova), and Nature Theater of Oklahoma for Life and Times: Episodes 1-4 (Public Theater/SoRep). David Byrne and Fatboy Slim were recognized for their music and lyrics in Here Lies Love (Public Theater).

Clubbed Thumb received The Ross Wetzsteon Award and a check for $1,000. Two other $1,000 grants were given to Fulcrum Theater and Half Straddle.

Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to Lois Smith and Frances Sternhagen.