Abigail's Party and The Trip to Bountiful Top 2006 Lortel Award Nominations

The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers announced the nominees for the 21th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards today. Topping the list of honorees, with eight nominations was the New Group's Abigail's Party, with Signature Theatre Company's The Trip to Bountiful following with seven. With five nominations, Grey Gardens was the most honored off-Broadway musical, although star Christine Ebersole, who received unanimous acclaim, was a notable ommision. Four special awards will also be presented at the Lortel Award ceremony: Betty Corwin will receive the Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence, the Atlantic Theater Company will be honored for Outstanding Body of Work, late playwright Wendy Wasserstein will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and John Patrick Shanley will be this year's Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee.

The Lucille Lortel Awards will be presented on May 1 at the New World Stages.

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