Dark Disabled Stories and Downstate Among 67th Obie Winners

Francis Guinan and K. Todd Freeman
in Downstate.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Dark Disabled Stories, Downstate, and The Comeuppance were among the winners of the 67th annual Obie Awards, presented by the American Theater Wing on Jan. 27 for excellence in Off and Off-Off-Broadway theater. The official 67^th Obie Awards season includes shows that opened between September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023. 

This year instead of a live ceremony, the Obies were presented on NY-1's On Stage program. In lieu of the annual awards ceremony, the American Theatre Wing dedicated funds to the support and growth of the artists, by bestowing winners with grants ranging from $1,000-5,000.

The winners of The 67^th Obie Awards are:

 
BEST NEW AMERICAN PLAY

• Ryan J. Haddad, Dark Disabled Stories (The Bushwick Starr | The Public Theater)

PLAYWRITING

• Hansol Jung, Wolf Play (MCC Theater | Soho Rep | Ma-Yi Theater Company)
• Bruce Norris, Downstate (Playwrights Horizons | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |National Theatre)

DIRECTION

• Dustin Wills, Montag (Soho Rep), Wet Brain (Playwrights Horizons and MCC Theater), and Wolf Play (MCC Theater | Soho Rep | Ma-Yi Theater Company)
• Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Public Obscenities (Soho Rep | National Asian American Theatre Company)
• Faye Driscoll, Weathering (New York Live Arts)

 
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

• Eric Ting, The Far Country (Atlantic Theater Company) and The Comeuppance (Signature Theatre Company)
• Pam MacKinnon, Downstate (Playwrights Horizons | Steppenwolf Theatre Company| National Theatre)

Political Catch-Up: Nikki Haley's History Lesson

Nikki Haley denies history

Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, former UN ambassador and still-clinging-on presidential candidate, put her foot in her mouth again earlier this week by saying the US has never been a racist country. Just to repeat--She didn't say it's not a racist country now, but that we had NEVER been a racist country. She made a fine distinction, stating that she herself had faced racism as a woman of color and the daughter of Indian immigrants, but that the country itself was not racist. 

Her demure was understandable, but cowardly. Earlier she screwed up by bunting on a softball question at a town hall about the cause of the Civil War and never mentioning slavery. As the governor of a former Confederate state she did not want to risk offending a large swath of potential supporters. With her never-racist answer, she hopes to curry favor with history-deniers and to emphasize America's good points and ignore or minimize its past transgressions. She says that there has been racism in our country, but that we are basically a "good" people at our core and in our founding there was the intent of everybody being treated equally. She is under the mistaken impression that we can all move forward without truly acknowledging our shameful past. 

Off-B'way Update: Obies on NY-1

Obie judge/Costume designer
Dede Ayite

The Obie Awards, presented for distinguished work in Off- and Off-Off-Broadway theater will forgo their usual ceremony and will present their 67th annual prizes instead on NY-1's On Stage program with Emmy winner Frank DeLella hosting on Sat. Jan. 27 at 7:30 pm. The awards were originally presented by the Village Voice and are now under the aegis of the American Theater Wing. Since the Wing is saving money by not staging a ceremony, the awards will be accompanied by grants ranging from $1,000-$5,000. Select winners will be announced in the categories of Playwriting, Direction and Performance for the 2022-23 Off and Off-Off-Broadway season. There will also be an in-depth look at the Obies' history and appearances by Tony Award nominee and Obie Award winner Kara Young (Purlie Victorious, Cost of Living); President and CEO of The American Theatre Wing Heather Hitchens; and Tony & Obie Award-winning playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang, who is also a former Chair of The American Theatre Wing.

B'way Update: Outer Critics and Chita Rivera Dates Announced

While the Oscars have been busy announcing their noms, the music industry has been gearing up for the Grammys and the NFL is readying itself for the Super Bowl, two New York theater awards have announced their dates. The Outer Critics Circle will give out their nominations for the best of the Broadway and Off-Broadway 2023-24 season on April 22 (the same day the Drama League puts out their noms) via press release. The winners will be announced on May 13 and the awards will be presented on May 23 at a location to be announced. 

Led by its current President, David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Harry Haun, Cynthia Allen, Dan Rubins, Janice Simpson, and Doug Strassler.  Simon Saltzman is President Emeritus.  Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant.  The Board of Directors also serves as the Nominating Committee. Lauren Yarger serves as the Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony executive producer.

Oscar Nomination Reaction and Early Predix

Barbieheimer dominated the
Oscar nominations.

The Oscar nominations held few surprises--Oppenheimer and Barbie, the two blockbusters of last summer which brought audiences back into the theaters following the pandemic, reaped the most nominations. Oppenheimer is the probable Oscar champ--a big, three-hour epic of an historical personage. There has been some grousing about Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie being overlooked for Best Director and Actress, but they have received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and as a producer for a Best Picture candidate respectively. 

This movie year has been an exciting one because I've been able to see most of the nominated films before the nominations came out. It was easier this year because big films reaped many nominations in multiple categories. In previous years, the field was dominated by smaller films like Nomadland, CODA, and Parasite which got fewer citations. Plus many of the acting categories featured performers whose nominations were the only ones for their films--I still haven't seen some of last year's nominees. 

B'way Update: Patriots to Open at the Barrymore

Will Kean as Vladimir Putin in
Patriots which will open at the Barrymore
Credit: Marc Brenner

Well, that was fast. No sooner did I report about the rumor yesterday that Peter Morgan's Patriots would open at either the now available Barrymore or Belasco, then it's announced today the play about Vladmir Putin's rise to power would be going into the Barrymore (where Harmony is about to close) for a limited, 12-week engagement starting with previews on April 1 and opening April 22. This will make for an extremely crowded final week before the Tony eligibility cut-off of April 25. The Heart of Rock and Roll, the Huey Lewis jukebox musical, will also be opening on April 22.

Tony nominee Michael Stuhlbarg (The Pillowman, A Serious Man, The Shape of Water) will play the lead role of Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky and repeating his Olivier Award-winning role of Putin will be Will Kean. 

B'way Update: Ohio Closes; What Will Move into the Belasco or Barrymore?

The cast of How to Dance in Ohio
Credit: Curtis Brown

Another new show has announced its closing. How to Dance in Ohio will join the soon-to-shutter Harmony and play its final performance at the Belasco Theater on Feb. 11 after 27 previews and 72 regular performances. The musical inspired by Alexandra Shiva's documentary on autistic young adults preparing for a dance at their center, opened on  Dec. 10.

"Developing new work is always a risk, but producing this show was an endeavor we eagerly accepted,” said the producers in a statement. “We're incredibly proud that this original, joyful, and life-affirming musical has deeply moved countless audience members at the Belasco Theatre and beyond. Broadway has been changed forever because of How to Dance in Ohio and all the artists involved. We look forward to seeing its legacy continue in new and exciting ways."