Abigail's Party Leads 2006 Lucille Lortel Nominations

The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers announced the nominees for the 21st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards today. Topping the list of honorees is Abigail's Party with eight nominations. The biggest omission from the nominations list is probably Christine Ebersole, whose work in Playwrights Horizons' Grey Gardens has earned unanimous acclaim.

The Lucille Lortel Awards will be presented on May 1 at New World Stages. During the ceremony, in addition to the announcement of the winners in competitive categories, there will be tributes to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Wendy Wasserstein who passed away earlier this year, Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee John Patrick Shanley, Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence recipient Betty Corwin and Outstanding Body of Work winner the Atlantic Theater Company.

A complete list of 2006 Lucille Lortel Award nominees follows:

Outstanding Play
The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh Producer: Atlantic Theater Company
The Paris Letter by Jon Robin Baitz Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company
Red Light Winter by Adam Rapp Producer: Scott Rudin/Paramount Pictures, Robyn Goodman, Roger Berlind and Stuart Thompson
The Ruby Sunrise by Rinne Groff Producer: The Public Theater

Outstanding Musical
Bernarda Alba; Words & Music by Michael John LaChiusa Producer: Lincoln Center Theater
Grey Gardens; Book by Doug Wright, Music by Scott Frankel, Lyrics by Michael Korie Producer: Playwrights Horizons
See What I Wanna See; Words & Music by Michael John LaChiusa Producer: The Public Theater
The Seven by Will Power Producer: New York Theatre Workshop

Outstanding Revival
Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh Producer: The New Group
Celebration and The Room by Harold Pinter Producer: Atlantic Theater Company
Funnyhouse of a Negro by Adrienne Kennedy Producer: The Classical Theater of Harlem
Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw Producer: Irish Repertory Theatre
The Trip to Bountiful by Horton Foote Producer: Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actor
Christopher Denham, Red Light Winter
Conor Donovan, Privilege
John Glover, The Paris Letter
Michael Stuhlbarg, Measure for Pleasure
David Wilmot, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Outstanding Lead Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Abigail's Party
S. Epatha Merkerson, Birdie Blue
Lois Smith, The Trip to Bountiful
Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed
Dianne Wiest, Third

Outstanding Featured Actor
Charles Durning, Third
Domhnall Gleeson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Darren Goldstein, Abigail's Party
Logan Marshall-Green, Dog Sees God
David Pittu, Celebration and The Room

Outstanding Featured Actress
Meghan Andrews, The Trip to Bountiful
Helena Carroll, Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Lisa Emery, Abigail's Party
Hallie Foote, The Trip to Bountiful
Mary Louise Wilson, Grey Gardens

Outstanding Director
Billie Allen, Funnyhouse of a Negro
Scott Elliott, Abigail's Party
Scott Ellis, The Little Dog Laughed
Wilson Milam, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Harris Yulin, The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding Choreographer
Michael Berresse, [title of show]
Graciela Daniele, Bernarda Alba
Bill T. Jones, The Seven

Outstanding Scenic Design
Beowulf Boritt, The Other Side
David Korins, Swimming in the Shallows
Eugene Lee, The Ruby Sunrise
Derek McLane, Abigail's Party
Allen Moyer, Grey Gardens

Outstanding Costume Design
Eric Becker, Abigail's Party
William Ivey Long, Grey Gardens
Deborah Newhall, The Ruby Sunrise
Martin Pakledinaz, The Trip to Bountiful
Anita Yavich, The Wooden Breeks

Outstanding Lighting Design
Aaron Black, Funnyhouse of a Negro
Jane Cox, Apparition
John McKernon, The Trip to Bountiful
Stephen Strawbridge, Bernarda Alba
David Weiner, The Seven

Outstanding Sound Design
Scott Killian, A Picasso
Brian Ronan, Grey Gardens
Ken Travis, Abigail's Party
Darron L. West, Apparition
Darron L. West, The Seven

Shows with Multiple Nominations:
Abigail's Party - 8
The Trip to Bountiful - 7
Grey Gardens - 5
The Lieutenant of Inishmore - 4
The Seven - 4
Bernarda Alba - 3
Funnyhouse of a Negro - 3
The Ruby Sunrise - 3
Apparition - 2
Celebration and The Room - 2
The Little Dog Laughed - 2
The Paris Letter - 2
Red Light Winter - 2
Third - 2