Drama alumnus K. Todd Freeman wins Lucille Lortel Award

K. Todd Freeman, an alumnus of the School of Drama (B.F.A. ’87), has won a Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding lead performer in a play for “Downstate.”

In “Downstate,” which was also nominated for outstanding play, Freeman portrays Dee, a man convicted of having a prior sexual relationship with an underage boy. “Downstate” was produced by Playwrights Horizons and written by Bruce Norris.

Freeman previously appeared in the production with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater Company, where he has been a longtime ensemble member. He received a Joseph Jefferson Award for the role there.

Freeman was up against Kyle Beltran, “A Case For the Existence of God”; Marylouise Burke, “Epiphany; Ryan J. Haddad, “Dark Disabled Stories”; Bill Irwin, “Endgame”; Tonya Pinkins, “A Raisin in the Sun”; and John Douglas Thompson, “Endgame.” The Lortel Awards added nongendered performance and ensemble award categories last year. 

Freeman has been nominated for two Tony Awards thus far in his career: in 2015, for best featured actor in a play as Sissy Na Na in “Airline Highway” and in 1993, for best actor in a play for his leading role in “The Song of Jacob Zulu.” He won a Drama Desk Award for "Airline Highway." He was most recently seen on Broadway in Tracy Letts’ “The Minutes.”

In addition to his stage work, Freeman has been seen extensively on camera. Film credits include “Grand Canyon,” “Eraser,” “Grosse Point Blank,” “The Cider House Rules” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” His TV credits include “Dangerous Minds,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” “God Friended Me” and “FBI: Most Wanted.”

The Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were handed out Sunday night, May 7. The awards were created in 1985 by the Off-Broadway League and are produced by the Off-Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Special honorees at the Lortel Awards this year included UNCSA Drama alumnus Stephen McKinley Henderson (B.F.A. ’72), who received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Henderson was recently nominated for a Tony Award for best actor in a play for his role as Walter “Pops” Washington in “Between Riverside and Crazy.” The special Lortel Award was previously announced. 

Contact Media Relations

Get the best news, performance and alumni stories from UNCSA.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)