Irish play “Lippy” received two top-honor off-Broadway awards in NYC for their production in the Irish Arts Center and Abrons Arts Center. Irish artist Bush Moukarzel and contemporary theater company Dead Centre received two OBIE awards for their production during the Irish Arts Center’s Fall 2014 season.

The OBIES are presented by the Village Voice and the American Theater Wing, who also present the Tony Awards. Village Voice Editor-in-Chief Tom Finkel awarded the OBIE Special Citation to Moukarzel and the Dead Centre at the 60th annual OBIE event in New York on Monday evening.

“Lippy,” a haunting investigation into why we tell stories in the face of tragedy, premiered at Dublin Fringe Festival in 2013 and has been widely acknowledged as the most extraordinary piece of theater to emerge from Ireland in that year.

At Dublin Fringe Festival 2013 it was awarded The Irish Times Theater Award for Best Production before going to Edinburgh and then coming to New York.

Speaking at the event Dead Centre Founder Bush Moukarzel said: “Why is it that you feel more nervous collecting an award than going on stage to perform? Because you feel you deserve to be on stage but you do not deserve to be awarded. It is a humbling experience that acknowledges the many people who go into making a work work.”

Also in attendance was IAC Executive Director Aidan Connolly. He said: “We are proud beyond words to celebrate this OBIE with Bush, Dead Centre and our friends at Abrons Arts Center. This award highlights the incredible innovation happening below the surface in Irish theater, and shows what's possible when two insurgent New York cultural forces join hands to achieve something special."