Date and Judges Set for 2019 Obie Awards

The 64th annual Obie Awards, honoring Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway productions and artists, will take place May 20, 2019, at Terminal 5. Next year’s ceremony, founded by the Village Voice and co-presented with the American Theatre Wing, will mark the first since the Village Voice ended publication.

Serving as judges this season will be Village Voice critic Michael Feingold, New York Stage Review critic Jesse Oxfeld, and a series of previous Obie winners: director Arin Arbus, set designers Rachel Hauck and Riccardo Hernandez, playwright Rajiv Joseph, and actor Kecia Lewis.

Unlike most theatre awards, the Obies do not present accolades in traditional categories or nominating processes. Instead, the judging panel convenes to determine honors worthy of distinction based on that particular season. "It's reflective of the 'wild child' nature of Off-Broadway," ATW President and CEO Heather Hitchens has told Playbill. "I think of them as the Sundance of the theatre world. Sundance is where everybody goes to see what's going to be happening next—what's on the ground floor."

Additional information, including a host and presenters, will be announced at a later date.