Lucille Lortel Awards
The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers instituted the Lucille Lortel Awards to recognize excellence in the Off-Broadway arena and to honor Lucille Lortel's devotion to Off-Broadway. Awarded annually since 1986, the Lortel Awards are produced by the League in association with the Lucille Lortel Foundation. Additional support is provided by Theatre Development Fund.
Past recipients of Lortel Awards include: Edward Albee, Jane Alexander, Alan Bates, Charles Durning, Uta Hagen, Ed Harris, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Eileen Heckart, Cherry Jones, Tony Kushner, Nathan Lane, John Leguizamo, Julianna Margulies, Arthur Miller, Mary Louise Parker, Parker Posey, Gloria Reuben, Jason Robards, Anika Noni Rose, Mark Ruffalo, Anna Devere Smith, Susan Stroman, Eli Wallach and Mare Winningham.
The Lucille Lortel Awards nominating/voting committee includes representatives of the Off-Broadway League, the Lortel Foundation, Actors' Equity Association, Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, journalists, educators, and other artistic contributors to Off-Broadway.
LORTEL AWARDS ELIGIBILITY
Rules of Eligibility for Nomination:
- Legitimate Theatrical Off-Broadway Productions, which must officially register an opening date with the League, in a season that runs from April 1st to March 31st
- Production must have a minimum run of 21 performances in an eligible Off-Broadway theatre, inclusive of previews, and nominating committee must be invited to at least 8 performances, and offered a pair of complimentary tickets.
- Production must be presented in an eligible Off-Broadway theatre, with seating between 100 and 499.
- Production must be a League Member in good standing.
- The foregoing notwithstanding, any production may be nominated for eligibility by a majority of the Nominating Committee with the approval of the Administration Committee. The Lortel Awards Administration Committee determines rules and questions of eligibility, and is comprised of members of the Board of Directors of the League and other League members, with rules subject to approval by The Lucille Lortel Foundation.
The Nominating & Voting Committee ideally will be comprised of 16-20 people, who must see all eligible productions, by invitation:
2 AEA Representatives chosen by AEA
2 SDC Representatives chosen by SDC
2 Critics/Journalists chosen by the Lucille Lortel Foundation
3 Lortel Foundation Representatives chosen by the Lucille Lortel Foundation
3 League Board of Directors Members chosen by the League BOD
2-6 Theatre Professionals including, but not limited to, writers and designers chosen by the Lortel Awards Administration Committee.
2 Representatives of Local Academia, of which one will be chosen by League Board of Directors, and the other chosen by the Lucille Lortel Foundation.
The Categories (any of which may be eliminated in a given season):
- Outstanding Play
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Revival
- Outstanding Solo Show
- Outstanding Direction
- Outstanding Choreography
- Lead Actor
- Lead Actress
- Featured Actor
- Featured Actress
- Outstanding Scenic Design
- Outstanding Costume Design
- Outstanding Lighting Design
- Outstanding Sound Design
- Alternative Theatrical Experience
- Body of Work (awarded to an Institution)
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence (awarded to an Individual)
- Service to Off-Broadway Award