(l-r) Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk in The Band’s Visit

Michael Aronov, Jefferson Mays, and Anthony Azizi in the play

The Sweeney Todd Off-Broadway takes place in a theater transformed into a British pie shop – complete with the pies—and theatergoers sitting on benches around picnic tables. At one moment, Jeremy Secomb as Sweeney Todd stuck his hardened face right up against a theatergoer sitting at the end of one of the benches, and barked: “Move.” The man scooted over, so that Sweeney would have room on the bench right next to him to strangle the beggar woman. Opened in March.

Notes from the Field

Ben Platt as Evan Hansen

In “A Life,” David Hyde Pierce as Nate has been sitting in his New York apartment assessing his life when suddenly that life changes for good — and the walls of Nate’s apartment slowly turn from vertical to horizontal, set designer Laura Jellinek’s inspired transition from Nate’s apartment to the city morgue.

The Band’s Visit won best musical and Oslo the best play in the 32nd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway.

Outstanding Play: 

Oslo

Outstanding Musical:

The Band’s Visit 

Outstanding Revival:  Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Solo Show: Notes From The Field (Anna Deavere Smith)

Outstanding Director: Bartlett Sher, Oslo

Outstanding Choreographer: David Dorfman, Indecent

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play: Joe Morton, Turn Me Loose

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play: Jennifer Ehle, Oslo

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical: Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Michael Aronov, Oslo

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:  Randy Graff, The Babylon Line

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Joel Perez, Sweet Charity.

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen

Outstanding Scenic Design: Laura Jellinek, A Life

Outstanding Costume Design: Susan Hilferty, Love Love Love

Outstanding Lighting Design:  Mark Barton, Signature Plays

Outstanding Sound Design: Mikhail Fiksel, A Life

Outstanding Projection Design: Jared Mezzochi, Vietgone

HONORARY AWARDS

Lifetime Achievement Award: William Ivey Long

Playwrights Sidewalk Inductee: Lynn Nottage

Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway Award: Harold Wolpert.

See list of 2017 Lucille Lortel nominees

Check out my 2017 Guide to New York Theater Awards