Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director

The Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director is an award presented annually at the Lucille Lortel Awards to honor excellence in directing for an Off-Broadway musical or play production since 1989.

Daniel J. Sullivan has received the most awards, with four wins from four nominations. He is followed closely by David Cromer, who won three in a row and has received the most nominations, with seven. Anne Kauffman nears his record with five nominations, as well, winning one.

Winners and nominees

Key

1980s

Year	Director	Production	Ref.
1989	John Tillinger	*Love Letters*

1990s

Year	Director	Production
1990	No award given.
1991	John Tillinger	*The Lisbon Traviata*
1992	Daniel Sullivan	*The Substance of Fire*
1993	Christopher Ashley	*Fires in the Mirror*
1994	Lawrence Sacharow	*Three Tall Women*
1995	Jack O’Brien	*Hapgood*
1996	Scott Elliott	*The Monogamist*
1997	Mark Brokaw	**How I Learned to Drive and This Is Our Youth**
1998	Garry Hynes	*The Beauty Queen of Leenane*
1999	Derek Anson Jones	*Wit*

2000s

Year	Director	Production
2000	Susan Stroman	*Contact*
2001
	Daniel Sullivan	*Proof*
	Mark Brokaw	Lobby Hero
	Michael Greif	Dogeaters
	Simon McBurney	Mnemonic
	Marion McClinton	Jitney
2002
	Mary Zimmerman	*Metamorphoses*
	John Rando	Urinetown
	Bartlett Sher	Cymbeline
	Mark Wing-Davey	36 Views
2003
	Joe Mantello	*Take Me Out*
	Jo Bonney	Fifth of July
	Philip Seymour Hoffman	Our Lady of 121st Street
	Nicholas Martin	Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme
	Jason Moore	Avenue Q
2004
	Dexter Bullard	*Bug*
	Christopher Ashley	Valhalla
	Mark Brokaw	The Long Christmas Ride Home
	Doug Hughes	Frozen
	Moisés Kaufman	I Am My Own Wife
2005
	Daniel Sullivan	*Intimate Apparel*
	Jo Bonney	Fat Pig
	Scott Elliott	Hurlyburly
	Doug Hughes	Doubt
	James Lapine	The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
2006
	Harris Yulin	*The Trip to Bountiful*
	Scott Elliott	Abigail's Party
	Scott Ellis	The Little Dog Laughed
	Wilson Milam	The Lieutenant of Inishmore
	Billie Allen	Funnyhouse of a Negro
2007
	Daniel Sullivan	*Stuff Happens*
	Derrick Sanders	King Hedley II
	PJ Paparelli	columbinus
	Michael Mayer	Spring Awakening
	David Warren	The Voysey Inheritance
2008
	David Cromer	*Adding Machine*
	Terrence J. Nolen	Opus
	Bob McGrath	The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
	Elizabeth LeCompte	Hamlet
	Annie Dorsen	Passing Strange
2009
	David Cromer	*Our Town*
	Kate Whoriskey	Ruined
	Garry Hynes	The Cripple of Inishmaan
	Arin Arbus	Othello
	Robert Woodruff	Chair

2000s

Year	Director	Production
2010
	David Cromer	*When the Rain Stops Falling*
	Gordon Edelstein	The Glass Menagerie
	Joe Mantello	The Pride
	Walter Bobbie	Venus in Fur
	Pam MacKinnon	Clybourne Park
2011
	John Collins	*Gatz*
	Joe Mantello	Other Desert Cities
	Joe Mantello	The Other Place
	Anne Kauffman	This Wide Night
	Leigh Silverman	In The Wake
2012
	Sam Gold	*The Big Meal*
	David Cromer	Tribes
	Sam Gold	Look Back in Anger
	Jo Bonney	By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
	John Tiffany	Once
2013
	Ruben Santiago-Hudson	*The Piano Lesson*
	Anne Kauffman	Belleville
	Sam Gold	The Flick
	James MacDonald	Cock
	Tina Landau	A Civil War Christmas
2014
	Alex Timbers	*Here Lies Love*
	Sam Gold	Fun Home
	Moritz von Stuelpnagel	Hand to God
	Lear deBessonet	The Good Person of Szechwan
	Rachel Chavkin	Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
2015
	Thomas Kail	*Hamilton*
	Ken Rus Schmoll	The Invisible Hand
	Ivo van Hove	Scenes from a Marriage
	Austin Pendleton	Between Riverside and Crazy
	Michael Greif	Our Lady of Kibeho
2016
	Liesl Tommy	*Eclipsed*
	Amy Morton	Guards at the Taj
	Anne Kauffman	Marjorie Prime
	Rachel Chavkin	The Royale
	Eric Tucker	Sense and Sensibility
2017
	Bartlett Sher	*Oslo*
	Anne Kauffman	A Life
	Will Davis	Men on Boats
	Lila Neugebauer	The Wolves
	Rebecca Taichman	Indecent
2018
	Anne Kauffman	*Mary Jane*
	Leigh Silverman	Harry Clarke
	Lileana Blain-Cruz	Pipeline
	Michael Greif	The Low Road
	Lila Neugebauer	Miles For Mary
2019
	Lee Sunday Evans	*Dance Nation*
	Lileana Blain-Cruz	Marys Seacole
	Jo Bonney	Mlima's Tale
	John Doyle	Carmen Jones
	Joel Grey	Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish

2020s

Year	Director	Production
2020
	Annie Tippe	*Octet*
	Tina Satter	Is This A Room
	Les Waters	Dana H.
	Danya Taymor	Heroes of the Fourth Turning
	Stephen Brackett	A Strange Loop
2021	No ceremony held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
	Lee Sunday Evans	*Oratorio for Living Things*
	David Cromer	Prayer for the French Republic
	John Doyle	Assassins
	Taibi Magar	Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992
	Whitney White	On Sugarland
2023
	Dustin Wills	*Wolf Play*
	David Cromer	A Case for the Existence of God
	Whitney White	Soft
	Robert O'Hara	A Raisin in the Sun
	Zi Alikhan	On That Day In Amsterdam
2024
	nicHi douglas	*(pray)*
	David Cromer	Dead Outlaw
	Eric Ting	The Comeuppance
	Dustin Wills	Wet Brain
	Daniel Aukin	Stereophonic
2025
	Igor Golyak	*Our Class*
	Zhailon Levingston	Table 17
	Whitney White	Liberation
	Moisés Kaufman	Here There Are Blueberries
	Sam Yates	Vanya
2026
	David Mendizábal	*Mexodus*
	Knud Adams	Cold War Choir Practice
	Shayok Misha Chowdhury	Prince Faggot
	Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin	Kyoto

Keenan Tyler Oliphant	Practice

Multiple wins

4 wins

Daniel Sullivan

3 wins

David Cromer (in a row)

2 wins

John Tillinger
Lee Sunday Evans

Multiple nominations

7 nominations

David Cromer

5 nominations

Anne Kauffman

4 nominations

Daniel Sullivan
Joe Mantello
Jo Bonney
Sam Gold

3 nominations

Scott Elliott
Mark Brokaw
Michael Greif
Whitney White

2 nominations

John Tillinger
Christopher Ashley
Garry Hynes
Bartlett Sher
Doug Hughes
Moisés Kaufman
Leigh Silverman
Rachel Chavkin
Lila Neugebauer
Lileana Blain-Cruz
Lee Sunday Evans
John Doyle

(pray)37th Lucille Lortel Awards38th Lucille Lortel Awards39th Lucille Lortel Awards40th Lucille Lortel Awards41st Lucille Lortel AwardsA Case for the Existence of GodA Life (play)A Raisin in the SunA Strange LoopAbigail's PartyAdding MachineAlex TimbersAmy MortonAnne KauffmanAnnie DorsenAssassins (musical)Austin PendletonAvenue QBartlett SherBelleville (play)Between Riverside and CrazyBillie AllenBob McGrathBug (play)By the Way, Meet Vera StarkCarmen JonesChair (play)Christopher AshleyClybourne ParkCock (play)Cold War Choir PracticeColumbinusContact (musical)COVID-19 pandemicCymbelineDana H.Dance Nation (play)Daniel AukinDaniel J. SullivanDanya TaymorDavid CromerDavid Warren (director)Dead OutlawDogeatersDoubt (play)Doug HughesDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a PlayEclipsed (play)Elizabeth LeCompteEric TuckerFat PigFiddler on the RoofFifth of July (play)Fires in the MirrorFrozen (play)Fun Home (musical)Funnyhouse of a NegroGarry HynesGatzGordon EdelsteinGuards at the TajHamilton (musical)Hand to God (play)Hapgood (play)Harris YulinHarry ClarkeHere Lies LoveHere There Are BlueberriesHeroes of the Fourth TurningHow I Learned to DriveHurlyburlyI Am My Own WifeIgor GolyakIndecent (play)Intimate Apparel (play)Is This A RoomIvo van HoveJack O'Brien (director)James LapineJames Macdonald (director)Jason Moore (director)Jitney (play)Jo BonneyJoe MantelloJoel GreyJohn Doyle (director)John H. Collins (director)John RandoJohn TiffanyJohn TillingerJustin Martin (director)Kate WhoriskeyKing Hedley IIKnud AdamsKyoto (play)Lear deBessonetLee Sunday EvansLeigh SilvermanLes WatersLiberation (play)Liesl TommyLila NeugebauerLileana Blain-CruzLobby HeroLook Back in AngerLove Letters (play)Lucille Lortel AwardLucille Lortel AwardsMarion McClintonMarjorie PrimeMark BrokawMark Wing-DaveyMary Jane (play)Mary ZimmermanMetamorphoses (play)MexodusMichael GreifMichael Mayer (director)Mnemonic (play)Moisés KaufmanMoritz von StuelpnagelNatasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the SommeOctet (musical)Off-BroadwayOnce (musical)Oslo (play)OthelloOther Desert CitiesOur TownOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a MusicalOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a PlayPam MacKinnonPhilip Seymour HoffmanPipeline (play)Practice (play)Prayer for the French RepublicPrince FaggotProof (play)Rachel ChavkinRebecca TaichmanRobert O'HaraRobert Woodruff (director)Ruben Santiago-HudsonRuined (play)Sam GoldSam YatesScenes from a MarriageScott EllisSense and SensibilityShayok Misha ChowdhurySimon McBurneySpring Awakening (musical)Stephen BrackettStephen DaldryStereophonic (play)Stuff HappensSusan StromanTable 17Take Me Out (play)Terrence J. NolenThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeThe Beauty Queen of LeenaneThe ComeuppanceThe Cripple of InishmaanThe FlickThe Glass MenagerieThe Good Person of SzechwanThe Lieutenant of InishmoreThe Lisbon TraviataThe Little Dog LaughedThe Long Christmas Ride HomeThe Low Road (play)The Other Place (play)The Piano LessonThe Pride (play)The Substance of FireThe Trip to BountifulThe Voysey InheritanceThe Wolves (play)This Is Our YouthThomas KailThree Tall WomenTina LandauTina SatterTribes (play)Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992Uncle VanyaUrinetownVenus in FurWalter BobbieWhen the Rain Stops FallingWhitney WhiteWilson MilamWit (play)Wolf PlayZhailon Levingston

Backlinks (41)

(pray)37th Lucille Lortel Awards39th Lucille Lortel Awards40th Lucille Lortel Awards41st Lucille Lortel AwardsA Case for the Existence of GodBug (play)Cold War Choir PracticeDead OutlawDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a PlayHere There Are BlueberriesHeroes of the Fourth TurningHow I Learned to DriveIs This a RoomKnud AdamsKyoto (play)Lear deBessonetLee Sunday EvansLiberation (play)Lucille Lortel AwardsMarjorie Prime (play)MexodusMichael GreifOctet (musical)Opus (play)Oratorio for Living ThingsOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a MusicalOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a PlayOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding DirectorPipeline (play)Practice (play)Prince FaggotShayok Misha ChowdhuryTable 17Terrence J. NolenThe FlickThe Invisible Hand (play)This Is Our YouthWhitney WhiteWolf PlayZhailon Levingston

External links (54)

http://lortelaward.com/

http://www.offbroadway.com/about.php

https://lortelaward.com/19862000-recipients/

https://lortelaward.com/2001-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2002-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2003-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2004-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2005-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2006-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2007-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2008-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2009-nominees/

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https://lortelaward.com/2011-nominees/

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https://lortelaward.com/2013-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2014-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2015-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2016-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2017-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2018-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2019-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2020-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2022-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2023-nominees/

https://lortelaward.com/2024-nominees/

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📊 Wikidata

Subject Facts

QID: Q125749675

Label: Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director

Description: annual Off-Broadway theatre award

Founded: 1989

Official website: https://lortelaward.com/outstanding-director

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Main Menu

Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director

Winners and nominees

1980s

1990s

2000s

2000s

2020s

Multiple wins

Multiple nominations

See also