The ensemble of Rent, the composer of Floyd Collins, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and Valley Song actress Lisa Gay Hamilton were among winners of the 41st annual Obit Awards May 20. The Village Voice Obies are awarded for distinguished Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway achievement without regard for specific categories. Here are the winners of the 1996 Obie Awards:
Distinguished Performance: Julie Archer, "Epidog"
Distinguished Performance: Gerry Bamman, "Nixon's Nixon":
Sustained Excellence of Direction: Ingmar Bergman
Orchestrator for the music of "Floyd Collins": Bruce Coughlin
Scott Elliot: For his Direction and the entire cast of "Curtains": David Cale, Kathleen Claypool, John Henry Cox, Lisa Emery, Laura Esterman, Jayne Haynes, Betty Miller and Frederick Weller
Choreography/Dance: Savion Glover, "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk"
Ain Gordon: For His Play, "Wally's Ghost"
Direction Michael Greif, "Rent"
Composer for the music of "Floyd Collins": Adam Guettel
Distinguished Performance: Lisa Gay Hamilton, "Valley Song"
For his Direction of "The Grey Zone": Dough Hughes
Distinguished Performance: Terri Klausner, "Bed and Sofa"
Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design: Jeffrey S. Koger
Book, Lyrics, Music: Jonathan Larson, "Rent"
For His Play "The Model Apartment": Donald Margulies
Distinguished Performance: Tom McGowan, "The Food Chain"
Distinguished Performance: Mark Nelson, "Picasso at Lapin Agile"
For Her Play "Venus": Suzan-Lori Parks
Sustained Excellence of Set Design: Neil Patel
Composer for the music of "Bed and Sofa": Polly Pen
Distinguished Performance: Barbara Pollitt, "Epidog"
Distinguished Performance: Adina Porter, "Venus"
Distinguished Performance: Mary Pottenger, "City Water Tunnel #3"
Distinguished Performance: Virginia Rambal, "Troya de Merica/La Dama Duende"
Rent Ensemble: Gilles Chiasson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Rodney Hicks,
Kristen Lee Kelly, Jesse L. Martin, Indina Menzel, Aiko Nakasone,
Timothy Britten Parker, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gwen Stewart, Byron Utley, Fredi Walker
Repertorio Espanol: for "!New Voices!"
Distinguished Performance: Rocco Sisto, "Guills"
Distinguished Performance: Steven Skybell, "Antigone in New York
Distinguished Performance: Derek Smith, "The Green Bird"
Sustained Excellence of Performance: Henry Stram
Distinguished Performance: James Urbaniak, "The Universe"
Sustained Excellence of Music: David Van Tieghem
Distinguished Performance: Mary Louise Wilson, "Full Gallop"
Doug Wright for his play "Quills"
GRANTS
New Georges -- $5,000
TEBA Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos -- $5,000
Uta Hagen for Sustained Achievement -- $1,000
Adrienne Kennedy, Best Plays June and Jean in Concert & Sleep Deprivation Chamber -- $1,000
