Neuwirth and Batt to Co-Host Lortel Awards 5/2

The Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway announce the co-hosts of this year's Ceremony, stars of stage and screen, Bebe Neuwirth and Bryan Batt. The Awards reception will be held on May 2, 2010 at 6 PM EST with the Ceremony beginning at 8 PM EST.

The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at Terminal 5, 610 West 56th Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues in New York City. With the "Off-Broadway Comes Home" theme, this 25th anniversary show features live performances from outstanding talent and shows that started Off-Broadway, including LaChanze, singing "Waiting for Life" from Once On This Island, a special performance by Seth Rudetsky, celebrity presenters, a curated gallery of historic programs, production stills, costumes, props from the last 25 years of Off-Broadway and several surprises.

This year, members of the general public are welcome to view the ceremony that begins at 8 PM. Public tickets are $75 and are available at Ticket Central (212-279-4200) http://www.ticketcentral.com/.

The Nominees' Cocktail Party of the 25th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards will be held on April 19th, 2010, at 5 PM, hosted and generously donated in part by Inside Park at St. Bart's, 325 Park Avenue at 50th Street. The room full of Lortel nominators, presenters, Off-Broadway League members, VIP members of the theatre industry, and of course, the nominees from each category, will dine on special contemporary American dishes imagined by Inside Park's executive chef, Matthew Weingarten. Menu highlights include such tempting morsels as Grilled Leek Canapes with Romesco Sauce of Sourdough Ficelle, "Cacio e Pepe" Spaghetti Squash with Pecorino Romano Foam, Grilled Eggplant Rolls Stuffed with Labne Cheese, Lobster Roll Bites with Tarragon Mayonnaise, and a Farmstead Table with Farmstead Cheeses and Selection of House Cured and Artisanally Sourced Charcuterie, paired with fine wine and beers.

Bebe Neuwirth currently appears as Morticia Addams in the Broadway musical production of The Addams Family. Broadway: A Chorus Line - Sheila, Little Me - Monique, Dancin' - Principal, Sweet Charity - Nickie (Tony Award), Damn Yankees - Lola, Chicago - Velma (Tony Award, Astaire Award,
Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama League Distinguished Performance of the Year) and Roxie, Fosse - Principal. Off-Broadway: Everett Beekin (Lincoln Center), Here Lies Jenny (Zipper Theater), Ashley Montana...(Flea Theater), Writer's Block (Atlantic Theater). Regional: A Chorus Line - Cassie, West Side Story - Anita, The Taming of the Shrew - Katherine. London's West End: Kiss of the Spider Woman - Aurora/SpiderWoman. TV: "Cheers" - Lilith (two Emmy Awards), "Wild Palms" - Tabba Schwartzkopf, "Dash and Lily" - Dorothy Parker (Emmy nomination), "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" - D.A. Kibre, "Bored to Death" - Caroline. Cartoon voices: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (and series), Another Goofy Movie, "Aladdin" (series), various PBS children's shows. Film: Green Card, Summer of Sam, Celebrity, Liberty Heights, Bugsy, Jumanji, The Faculty, Adopt a Sailor, The Paint Job, Fame, etc. Concerts: Bebe Sings Weill and Kander & Ebb, Stories with Piano. Revue:Upstairs at O'Neals', Cabaret: Verboten. Recipient of the 2006 Rolex Dance Award, 2007 Dance Magazine Award. Honorary Ziegfeld Girl.

Bryan Batt who has won two Screen Actors Guild Awards is a native New Orleanian actor, designer, fund-raiser, and civic activist in both New Orleans and New York. He plays Salvatore Romano on AMC's Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody Award-winning drama "Mad Men" and was recently featured on the last two episodes of "Ugly Betty."

His book, She Ain't Heavy, She's My Mother: A Memoir hits stores nation-wide on May 4, 2010, and he is performing a show, Batt on a Hot Tin Roof at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency in the Fall of 2010.

He has had many leading and principal roles in Broadway productions, and he and his partner of 19 years, Tom Cianfichi, own the acclaimed Hazelnut gift and home accessory shop in New Orleans, which has been featured in the New York Times, House Beautiful, InStyle, Southern Accents, and other publications.

For more information on the co-hosts, the Nominees' Cocktail P arty, or the Lortel Awards Ceremony, please contact OW! Onorato Wixom.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi