DEAR EVAN HANSEN, GUARDS AT THE TAJ & More Win at the 61st Annual Obie Awards!

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President) and The Village Voice (Peter Barbey, Owner) have announced the winners of the 61st Annual Obie Awards. Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj, produced by the Atlantic Theater Company, received the Obie Award® for Best New American Play, which is accompanied by a $1,000 prize. Legendary actor/dancer/choreographer Carmen De Lavallade and renowned playwright A.R. Gurney each received a special Obie Award® for Lifetime Achievement. Obie and Screen Actors Guild® Award-winning actress Lea DeLaria returned as host of this year's ceremony, which was held at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street). A complete list of the awards is given below.

This year's presenters included Obie Award® winner Colman Domingo, Obie Award® winner Danai Gurira, Maura Tierney, Kate Burton, Obie Award® winner Savion Glover, three-time Obie Award® winner Elizabeth Marvel, Carrie Preston, Norm Lewis, Obie Award® winner Tovah Feldshuh, Marlo Thomas, two-time Obie Award® winner Lisa Kron, three-time Obie Award® winner David Henry Hwang, Jordan Roth, and Natasha Katz.

The evening's festivities also included an opening number featuring Obies host Lea DeLaria and her "Orange Is the New Black" cast mates Emily Althaus, Lori Tan Chinn, Joel Marsh Garland, Kimiko Glenn, Annie Golden, Vicky Jeudy, Emma Myles, Dascha Polenco, and Dale Soules, as well as Stephen Wallem. In addition, special performances were given by 2016 Tony Award® nominee Leslie Odom, Jr. who honored the 20th Anniversary of Rent by performing "Without You," and by Dear Evan Hansen star Ben Platt performing "Waving Through a Window," accompanied by a band including composer Justin Paul on piano.

Playwriting
Lucas Hnath, The Christians (Playwrights Horizons) and Red Speedo (New York Theatre Workshop)
Stephen Karam, The Humans (Roundabout Theatre Company)

Musical Theater
Steven Levenson (book), Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (music & lyrics), Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage Theatre)

Direction
Rachel Chavkin, The Royale (Lincoln Center Theater) Michael Leibenluft, I'll Never Love Again (Bushwick Starr)

Performance
Khris Davis, The Royale (Lincoln Center Theater)
Emily Donahoe, The Christians (Playwrights Horizons)
Georgia Engel, John (Signature Theatre Company)
Ensemble, Eclipsed (The Public Theater): Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah, Lupita Nyong'o, Saycon Sengbloh
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans (Roundabout Theatre Company)
Omar Metwally and Arian Moayed, Guards at the Taj (Atlantic Theater Company) Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage Theatre)
Lucas Caleb Rooney, Red Speedo (New York Theatre Workshop)
Tamara Tunie, Familiar (Playwrights Horizons)

Design
Rachel Hauck, Sustained Excellence of Set Design
Jason Lyons, Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design
James Ortiz, Puppet Design, The Woodsman (New World Stages) Bray Poor, Sustained Excellence of Sound Design
Kaye Voyce, Sustained Excellence of Costume Design

Special Citations: Collaboration
Annie Baker (playwright), Sam Gold (director), and the design team of John

(Signature Theatre Company): Mark Barton (lighting), A?sta Bennie Hostetter (costumes), Mimi Lien (set), Noah Mease (props), Bray Poor (sound) Dominique Morisseau (playwright) and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (director), Skeleton

Crew (Atlantic Theater Company)

Obie Grants ($4,000 prize to each theater)

Bedlam Theatre
Noor Theatre
Prospect Theatre Company

The Ross Wetzsteon Award ($3,000 prize)

NAATCO/National Asian American Theatre Company

Best New American Play ($1,000 prize)
Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph (Atlantic Theatre Company

Lifetime Achievement Award

Carmen De Lavallade
A.R. Gurney

The Obie Award judges panel for this season, headed by Village Voice columnist and longtime Obie chairman Michael Feingold, included Obie-winning actress Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Obie-winning director Oliver Butler, Obie-winning costume designer Clint Ramos, Obie-winning actress Juliet Rylance, Variety senior critic Marilyn Stasio, and freelance theatre critic Michael Sommers.

For more information, visit www.ObieAwards.com.

Photo Credit: Jessica Fallon Gordon