Feingold, Rapp, Etc. on Obie Panel; Ceremony Held 5/21

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced today the new Obie Chairman and judges panel for the 2006-2007 52nd Annual Village Voice Obie Awards.  

For 2006-2007, the Obie Awards committee will be chaired by Michael Feingold, who welcomes Obie Award winning playwright-director Adam Rapp, two-time OBIE winning director and writer Ain Gordon, New York Magazine Theater Critic Jeremy McCarter, Executive Director of PS 122 Ann Dennin, Obie Award winning playwright-composer Kirsten Childs and Village Voice theater critic Alexis Soleski.  Liz Lawler will again serve as the Secretary to the Committee. 

"For the past half-century, the The Village Voice Obie Awards have honored the best of Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway," according to press materials. "Structured with informal categories that change annually, The Village Voice Obie Awards recognize persons and productions of excellence.  Unlike most theater awards, The Village Voice Obie Awards do not have nominations. In the conviction that creativity is not competitive, the judges may give several Obies in each category, and may even invent new categories to reward artistic merit."

Feingold, presently the Village Voice's chief theater critic, has been a contributor to the paper since 1971 and a staff  writer since 1980. A graduate of Columbia University and the Yale School of Drama, he sustains an ongoing second career in the theater as a playwright, translator, director and dramaturg. His translations of plays and operas, which now number over 50, have been heard on and off-Broadway, in resident theaters across the country, and in major opera houses.  A Pulitzer Prize finalist in Criticism, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Senior Fellow of the National Arts Journalism Program, Feingold has received the coveted George Jean Nathan Award for his Voice reviews.

Holladay, performing and visual arts ad sales account executive for the Village Voice, has been named Director of External Marketing for the Obies. Holliday originated Off-Stage Voice networking events for the theater community and will now oversee promotions, product placement opportunities and the Program book for the Obies.

Eileen Phelan, who has produced and directed the Obie Awards since 1994 will again manage the event and ceremony.

The awards ceremony will be held on May 21, 2007 in New York City.

"Founded in 1955, The Village Voice introduced free form, high-spirited and passionate journalism into the public discourse. Writing and reporting on local and national politics, arts, music, film, dance, and theater, the Voice has foreshadowed virtually every important cultural and political trend. The recipient of three Pulitzer prizes and scores of other awards for reporting and criticism, the Voice is known for its groundbreaking investigations."

Visit www.villagevoice.com for more information.