Today The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President & CEO) announced the committee of judges and eligibility details for The 71st Annual Obie Awards, the theater industry’s premier award celebrating the best of Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway.
Serving as co-chairs for the second year in a row are Obie-winning director Taylor Reynolds and Obie-winning actor Heather Alicia Simms. Joining them on the committee of judges for the Obie Awards 2026-2027 season are: Obie-winning set designer Afsoon Pajoufar; Obie Lifetime Achievement recipient Carmelita Tropicana; Obie-winning costume designer Oana Botez; Obie-winning director and designer Jared Mezzocchi; Broadway actress Maria-Christina Oliveras; Broadway actress Maechi Aharanwa; founding member the Obie-winning producers Harlem 9 Spencer Scott Barros; and award-winning arts activist Raquel Almazan.
The official 71st Obie Awards season includes Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway shows that open between September 1, 2026, and August 31, 2027. Only in-person work that has taken or will take place during this time period are eligible for consideration. The Obie Awards consider more than 300 productions each season. With the exception of Lifetime Achievement, Best New American Play, the Ross Wetzsteon Award Grant (presented to a theatre that nurtures innovative new plays), the Michael Feingold Award (recognizing achievement in criticism, dramaturgy, translation, scholarship, mentorship, education, or other theatrical contribution), and the Morgan Jenness Award (recognizing a figure in theater that is not traditionally recognized, but champions new voices and has left a lasting impact on generations of theater artists), the Obie Award categories are purposefully informal to create limitless possibilities for recognizing personas and productions worthy of distinction each year. In addition, the committee of judges typically presents multiple Special Citations – now the category with the largest number of grantees – as well as up to four Theatre Grants in recognition of theater companies whose work and mission the judges feel should be supported.
Invites for performances can be sent to obieinvites@americantheatrewing.org, and upcoming productions can be submitted via the 71st Obie Awards Productions Submission form on ObieAwards.com homepage. For more information regarding Obie Award consideration, visit ObieAwards.com.
Eligibility for the 70th Obie Awards, honoring the best of the 2025-2026 off and off-off Broadway season, closed on August 31, 2026. Winners for the 70th Annual Obie Awards will be announced in January 2027.
ABOUT THE OBIE AWARDS:
The American Theatre Wing is official home of the Obie Awards, first created by The Village Voice in 1955 at the suggestion of then editor Jerry Tallmer, to encourage the newly burgeoning Off-Broadway theater movement and to acknowledge its achievements. The Obies are structured with informal categories to recognize artists and productions worthy of distinction in each theatrical year. Over the decades, The Obie Awards played a major role in championing work of innovative and exceptional quality Off- and Off-Off Broadway. The Obies have become a theatrical tradition, a meaningful way to acknowledge the best artistic achievements of downtown theater. The list of actors, writers, directors, and designers who have received Obies at pivotal moments in their careers is a virtual who’s who of contemporary theater. While the categories of the awards have continued to change almost annually, the creative spirit remains the same – The Obie Awards salute a theatrical movement that’s as important and as vibrant today as it was in 1955.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING:
The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President and CEO) invests in brave work, supports creative growth, and celebrates excellence in bringing inclusive stories to our national culture through theatre. Founded by seven suffragists in 1917, on the eve of America’s entry into World War I, the American Theatre Wing has spent a century honoring theatrical achievements and fostering artistry, by providing a platform for strong and fearless voices in the American theatre.
In addition to being the founder and co-presenter of the Tony Awards®, and the home of the OBIE Awards, the American Theatre Wing offers a powerful suite of programs that address all aspects of the national theatre ecology. Venerable programs like The Gavin Creel Fellowships and Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative nurture the work of young artists by providing access to theatre through education; esteemed annual prizes like the Jonathan Larson Grants and National Theatre Company Grants create essential pathways to success for emerging professionals; and unique resources like Master Class, The Playreaders Club, and the Emmy-nominated Working in the Theatre series, offer artists with unparalleled opportunities to connect and learn from industry luminaries. To learn more about the extensive programming and grant opportunities for students, theatre professionals, and audiences, visit AmericanTheatreWing.org. For the latest updates and news, follow the Wing on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
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