The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers announced on Monday, March 31, the nominations for the 23rd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. Opus received the following nominations which honor the Primary Stages production:

• Outstanding Play for Michael Hollinger
• Outstanding Director for Terrence J. Nolen
• Outstanding Sound Design for Jorge Cousineau

Opus, written by Michael Hollinger, was produced at Primary Stages in New York City from July 24 through September 1, 2007. It went on to become Primary Stages highest single ticket grossing play in the theatre's 20-year history.

• Michael Hollinger is a Philadelphia-based playwright whose plays include An Empty Plate in the Caf´ du Grand Boeuf, Incorruptible, Red Herring, and Tooth and Claw, all of which premiered at Arden Theatre Company. Opus premiered at the Arden in the 2005/06 season and was recognized with a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play.
  
  
• Terrence J. Nolen is the Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Arden Theatre Company. Terry has directed all six of Hollinger's full length world premieres.
  
  
• Jorge Cousineau is a Philadelphia-based designer who designed sound for the world premiere of Opus at the Arden and the New York premiere at Primary Stages. Jorge has worked on over 30 productions at the Arden and highlights include Wittenberg, Assassins, Opus, Sweeney Todd, and Caroline, or Change.

The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in Off-Broadway Theatre and are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation, with additional support from the Theatre Development Fund. The awards will be presented on Monday, May 5th at the Union Square Theatre (100 East 17th Street) in New York City. For more information on the Lucille Lortel Foundation or the Lucille Lortel Awards, please visit www.lortel.org/llf.cfm.

Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary season, Arden Theatre Company is dedicated to bringing to life the greatest stories by the greatest storytellers of all time. The Arden draws from any source that is inherently dramatic and theatrical – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, music and drama. The Arden presents programs for the diverse greater Philadelphia community that arouse, provoke, challenge, illuminate and inspire. Arden Theatre Company is located at 40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Primary Stages was founded in 1984 as a New York State non-profit theater company with the mission of producing new plays and fostering the artistic development of emerging and established playwrights. By offering an environment where writers are encouraged to explore the scope of their creative vision, Primary Stages has been instrumental in developing the skills of hundreds of young artists as well as helping to create a library of new works for the American theater. Primary Stages is located at 307 West 38th Street, New York, NY.