Mario Cantone to host 35th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards

The 35th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards ceremony will be presented online on Sunday, May 3 at 7pm.

It has now been confirmed that New York stage favorite, comedian and "Sex and the City" standout Mario Cantone will officially host The 35th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards, celebrating 'Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway' during the 2019-2020 season.

Aside from his celebrated role as Anthony Marentino on the "Sex and the City" television shown and subsequent films, Cantone has previously starred in the Broadway productions of Laugh Whore (2004), Assassins (2004), The Violet Hour (2003), The Tempest (1995), and Love! Valour! Compassion! (1995). Other Broadway credits include Celebrity Autobiography (2018) and An Evening With Mario Cantone (2002), and Off-Broadway, he has starred in The New Group's production of Steve (2015) and the "Shakespeare in the Park" production of The Taming of the Shrew (1999).

In addition, presenters for this year's (virtual) ceremony have also been announced, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Debra Messing, Marisa Tomei, Michael Urie, Rachel Dratch, Jordan Fisher, Jeremy Pope, Condola Rashad, Jelani Alladin, Tatiana Maslany, Andy Karl, Orfeh, Krysta Rodriguez, Steven Pasquale, Phillipa Soo, Lauren Patten, Jackie Hoffman, Nyambi Nyambi, Sonya Tayeh, and Alison Pill.

The previously reported Special Awards also have confirmed presenters now with Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth inducting Anna Deavere Smith onto the famed Playwrights Sidewalk and Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Playwrights Horizons' Artistic Director Tim Sanford.

Finally, Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell is scheduled to make a speech on behalf of The Actors Fund, whilst three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane is set to present the In Memoriam section of the ceremony to honor those who have passed away during this past season.

The 35th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards will be presented as an online event on Sunday, May 3, 2020 beginning 7pm at www.lortelawards.org. It will also serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund and donations can be made at http://actorsfund.org/lortel.

Due to the current circumstances and in an attempt to be as flexible as possible, affected Off-Broadway shows that opened after February 16 were offered the option to be considered as part of either the Lortel Awards' 2020 or 2021 season. A full list of this year's nominees can be found here.

Founded in 1986, the Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Theatre Foundation and supported by TDF.