The 21st Annual Lucille Lortel nominations announced

Abigail�s Party leads the nominations With 8 nominations, The Trip To Bountiful follows With 7 nominations and Grey Gardens earns 5 nominations.

The winners of the Lucille Lortel Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on the 1 May 2006 at New World Stages (fka Dodger Stages).

Four special awards will also be presented at the ceremony:

• Lifetime Achievement Award to Wendy Wasserstein,
• Playwrights� Sidewalk Inductee Award to John Patrick Shanley
  
• The Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence to Betty Corwin
• Outstanding Body of Work Award to Atlantic Theater Company.

Outstanding Play:

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

Outstanding Musical:

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

Outstanding Revival:

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

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 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 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
• Stpehen 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

Ptoductions that received multiple nominations:

The 2006 Lucille Lortel Awards voting committee is appointed by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres & Producers, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, Actors� Equity Association, and the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers, and includes journalists, educators, and members of the Off-Broadway community.

Awarded since 1986, the Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the League by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation. Additional support is provided by Theatre Development Fund. Major Sponsors: Ruth�s Chris Steak House, Ketel One Vodka, Pepper Bridge Winery, HX Magazine, and Discover Card; Additional Sponsors: Broadway World, TheMenEvent.Com, HotNYCDeals.