Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2015-16 season in 25 categories.
Broadway’s Marlo Thomas, Alex Sharp, Sheldon Harnick and Victoria Clark will serve as gala award presenters at the upcoming 66th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony on May 26th (3PM) at the legendary Sardis Restaurant.
Celebrating its 66th season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theatre, the Outer Critics Circle, is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, web sites, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad.
(Winners names are in bold preceded by an asterisk. *)
Outer Critics Circle
2015-2016 Award Winners
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
Eclipsed
The Father
* The Humans
King Charles III
Thérèse Raquin
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
American Psycho the Musical
* Bright Star
On Your Feet!
Tuck Everlasting the Musical
Waitress
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
* The Christians
Familiar
Gloria
Hold On to Me Darling
The Legend of Georgia McBride
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Cagney
Daddy Long Legs
* Dear Evan Hansen
Lazarus
Southern Comfort
OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Bright Star
Daddy Long Legs
* Dear Evan Hansen
Lazarus
On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
American Psycho the Musical
* Bright Star
Daddy Long Legs
Dear Evan Hansen
Waitress
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Blackbird
The Crucible
Fool for Love
* Long Day’s Journey Into Night
A View From the Bridge
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Color Purple the Musical
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
* She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Evan Cabnet Gloria
Mike Donahue The Legend of Georgia McBride
Rupert Goold King Charles III
Joe Mantello The Humans
* Ivo van Hove A View From the Bridge
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
* Michael Arden Spring Awakening
Walter Bobbie Bright Star
Scott Ellis She Loves Me
Rupert Goold American Psycho the Musical
Michael Greif Dear Evan Hansen
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Joshua Bergasse Cagney
Spencer Liff Spring Awakening
Josh Rhodes Bright Star
Randy Skinner Dames at Sea
* Sergio Trujillo On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Beowulf Boritt Thérèse Raquin
David Korins Misery
Mimi Lien John
* David Rockwell She Loves Me
Walt Spangler Tuck Everlasting the Musical
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
ESosa On Your Feet!
Jane Greenwood Bright Star
Katrina Lindsay American Psycho the Musical
* Jeff Mahshie She Loves Me
Tom Scutt King Charles III
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Donald Holder She Loves Me
Natasha Katz Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Kenneth Posner On Your Feet!
Ben Stanton Spring Awakening
* Justin Townsend American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Lucy MacKinnon Spring Awakening
Peter Nigrini Grounded
Peter Nigrini Dear Evan Hansen
* Finn Ross American Psycho the Musical
Tal Yarden Lazarus
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Reed Birney The Humans
Gabriel Byrne Long Day’s Journey Into Night
* Frank Langella The Father
Mark Strong A View From the Bridge
Ben Whishaw The Crucible
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jayne Houdyshell The Humans
* Jessica Lange Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Lupita Nyong’o Eclipsed
Nicola Walker A View From the Bridge
Michelle Williams Blackbird
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Alex Brightman School of Rock the Musical
* Danny Burstein Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Creighton Cagney
Ben Platt Dear Evan Hansen
Benjamin Walker American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Benanti She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack Bright Star
* Cynthia Erivo The Color Purple the Musical
Jessie Mueller Waitress
Ana Villafañe On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Sanjit De Silva Dry Powder
Matt McGrath The Legend of Georgia McBride
Jim Norton The Crucible
Robert Sella Sylvia
* Michael Shannon Long Day’s Journey Into Night
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY (TIE VOTE!)
* Pascale Armand Eclipsed
Zainab Jah Eclipsed
* Judith Light Thérèse Raquin
Saycon Sengbloh Eclipsed
Myra Lucretia Taylor Familiar
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Nicholas Barasch She Loves Me
Roger Bart Disaster!
Michael Esper Lazarus
* Christopher Fitzgerald Waitress
Terrence Mann Tuck Everlasting the Musical
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Danielle Brooks The Color Purple the Musical
Andrea Burns On Your Feet!
Sophia Anne Caruso Lazarus
* Jane Krakowski She Loves Me
Heléne Yorke American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Mike Birbiglia Thank God For Jokes
Kathleen Chalfant Rose
Anne Hathaway Grounded
* James Lecesne The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Daphne Rubin-Vega Empanada Loca
JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Lindsey Ferrentino Ugly Lies the Bone
Lauren Gunderson I and You
Martyna Majok Ironbound
* Marco Ramirez The Royale
Anna Ziegler Boy
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
James Houghton Signature Theatre Company
Winners Talley for 3 or more:
She Loves Me – 4; Long Day’s Journey Into Night – 3;
***Please note: The musical “Hamilton” was nominated for and won in several award categories for its Off-Broadway production last season. The previous Off-Broadway productions of “Disaster” and “Blackbird” were considered for nominations by the Outer Critics Circle and therefore were not reconsidered for this year. Only new cast members’ performances in these productions were taken into account for recognition in the 2015-16 season. Due to OCC’s nomination deadline, the producers of the new Broadway musical “Shuffle Along,” asked to be considered with next season’s entries.