Arturo Luís Soria has landed the mother of all honors…
The Brazilian, Ecuadorian and Dominican American actor is among the recipients of the 66th Obie Awards, which honor Off and Off-Off Broadway productions.
Soria will be recognized for his performance in Ni Mi Madre, which he performed at the downtown theatre company Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.
Soria stars in his solo show about the stormy relationship between a Brazilian woman and her queer son. Steeped in the tradition of Umbanda ritual, and featuring the music of Gloria Estefan, Cher and Maria Bethânia, Ni Mi Madre examines themes of family, citizenship and identity as a queer Latino.
The play, which began as an improvisational one act, was developed into a full-length presentation through the partnership of Rattlestick Directing Fellow Danilo Gambini.
Presented by the American Theatre Wing, the Obies will be handed out Monday evening in a ceremony at Manhattan’s Terminal 5 venue. Sustained and Lifetime Achievement winners will accept their awards during the ceremony, while remarks of all other winners will premiere on the American Theatre Wing’s YouTube channel.
“For this OBIES, the judges reviewed over 400 productions over the last three seasons including digital and audio works made during the pandemic,” said Heather Hitchens, President & CEO, in a statement. “We look forward to finally gathering in person to celebrate the artistic excellence and resilience of the amazing artists and theatre companies that make up the Off- and Off-Off- Broadway community.”
Here is the complete list of Obies winners:
BEST NEW AMERICAN PLAY
- Sanaz Toossi, English (Atlantic Theater Company, Roundabout Theatre Company)
PLAYWRITING
- Martyna Majok, Sanctuary City (New York Theater Workshop)
DIRECTION
- Taylor Reynolds, Man Cave (Page 73) and Tambo & Bones (Playwrights Horizons)
- Awoye Timpo, Wedding Band (TFNA) and her work as founder of Classix
- Matt Ray (Music Direction and Composition) The Hang (HERE)
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
- Saheem Ali, Nollywood Dreams (MCC); Merry Wives (The Public); Romeo y Julieta (The Public); and Fat Ham (The Public | National Black Theater – NBT)
- David Brimmer, Wolf Play (SoHo Repertory)
PERFORMANCE
- Stephanie Berry and Lizan Mitchell, On Sugarland (NYTW)
- Brittany Bradford, Wedding Band (Theatre For a New Audience)
- Kara Young, Twelfth Night (Classical Theatre of Harlem)
- Arturo Luís Soria, Ni Mi Madre (Rattlestick)
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE
- Billy Eugene Jones for On Sugarland (NYTW) and Fat Ham (The Public)
- Andrea Patterson, for Cullud Wattah (Public Theater); Confederates (Signature); and Seize the King (The Classical Theatre of Harlem)
DESIGN
- Reza Behjat (Lighting Design), for English (Atlantic Theater Company, Roundabout Theatre Company) and Wish You Were Here (Playwrights Horizons)
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN
- Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew (Lighting Design) for Cullud Wattah (The Public), Oratorio for Living Things (Ars Nova), The Nosebleed (Lincoln Center Theater), Golden Shield (MTC), Snow in Midsummer (CSC), Fairycakes (Greenwich House), and What You Are Now (EST)
- Nikiya Mathis (Hair and Wig Design) for Nollywood Dreams (MTC)
- Machine Dazzle (Set and Costume Designer)
SPECIAL CITATIONS
- Heather Christian (Composer, Vocal Arrangements, Orchestration); Ben Moss (Music Director, Orchestration); Nick Kourtides (Sound Design); and the musical team of Oratorio For Living Things (Ars Nova)
- Creative Team and Ensemble of Fat Ham (The Public) James Ijames (Playwright), Saheem Ali (Director); Maruti Evans (Set Design); Dominique Fawn Hill (Costume Design); Stacey Derosier (Lighting Designer); Mikaal Sulaiman (Sound Design); Darrell Grand Moultrie (Choreographer); Earon Chew Nealey (Hair and Wig Design); Skylar Fox (Illusions Design); Nikki Crawford, Chris Herbie Holland, Billy Eugene Jones, Adrianna Mitchell, Calvin Leon Smith, Marcel Spears, and Benja Kay Thomas (ensemble)
- Creative Team and Ensemble of English (The Atlantic Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company) Knud Adams (Directing), Marsha Ginsberg (Set Design), Enver Chakartash (Costume Design), Reza Behjat (Lighting Design), Sinan Refik Zafar (Sound Design) Tala Ashe, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Pooya Mohseni, Marjan Neshat, and Hadi Tabbal (Ensemble)
- Aya Ogawa for the Creation, Writing, and Direction of The Nosebleed (Lincoln Center Theater | Japan Society)
- Qween Jean (Costume Designer) for Corsicana (Playwrights Horizons), Soft (MCC), Wedding Band (TFNA), Black No More (The New Group), The Fever (Audible | The New Group), What To Send Up When it Goes Down (Playwrights Horizons), and Semblance (NYTW)
- Digital+Virtual+Hybrid Production: Michael Breslin, Patrick Foley, Ariel Sibert, Cat Rodríguez and Rory Pelsue (Creators, Writers, Director) in collaboration with David Bengali (Video Designer) Circle Jerk (Fake Friends and Jeremy O. Harris)
- Laurie Woolery (Director) and Shaina Taub (Music and Lyrics) for their collaboration in the adaptation of As You Like It (The Public)
- Alex Edelman (Creator and Performer), Just For Us (Mike Birbiglia | Greenwich House Theater)
- Digital+Virtual+Hybrid Production: Modesto Flako Jimenez (Creator and Writer) Taxilandia (Oye Group | NYTW | Bushwick Starr | The Tank)
- Digital+Virtual+Hybrid Production: Sarah Gancher (Writer), Jared Mezzocchi and Elizabeth Williamson (Directors) Russian Troll Farm (The Civilians, Theater Works Hartford, and TheatreSquared)
- Richard Nelson (Playwright), for the completion and producing of The Rhinebeck Panorama
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
- Ping Chong (Director, Choreographer, Video + Installation Artist, and Founder of Ping Chong and Company)
- Anne Bogart (Director and co-Founder of SITI Company)
- Ralph Lee and Casey Compton (Artistic and Managing Director, Mettawee River Theatre Company)
THEATRE COMPANIES
- The Sol Project
- Theatre in Quarantine
- See Lighting Foundation
- Anticapitalism for Artists
ROSS WETZSTEON AWARD
- The Classical Theatre of Harlem
MICHAEL FEINGOLD AWARD
- Maestra Music
