ANNOUNCING SPECIAL HONORS RECIPIENTS FOR THE 70TH ANNUAL
OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS
COMMEMORATING THE 2019-20 BROADWAY
& OFF-BROADWAY SEASON
Musicals Moulin Rouge!, Jagged Little Pill, and The Secret Life of Bees lead with most honors, with
The Sound Inside, The Inheritance, and The Height of the Storm among top awarded plays
(NEW YORK, NY – Monday, May 11, 2020) The Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, present the recipients of this year’s special honors for the 2019-2020 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. Past OCC Award honorees Kristin Chenoweth, Bryan Cranston, Patti LuPone, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Patrick Stewart, announced this season’s honorees by video feed today, Monday May 11, 2020.
In light of the current and unprecedented period of suspension for live arts across the nation, the organization’s milestone 70th Anniversary is dedicated to celebrating widespread excellence in New York theater this season. In lieu of selecting traditional nominees with one winner from each category, the 70th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards is celebrating up to five honorees in each of its technical categories, and up to six honorees in acting categories. In addition, four artists receive the annual John Gassner Award this season, commemorating works by new American playwrights. The OCC is also making a donation to The Actors’ Fund in support of its emergency relief efforts.
![[IMG_0892]_Mary-Louise Parker in THE SOUND INSIDE, Photo by Jeremy Daniel, 2019](https://frontmezzjunkies.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/img_0892_mary-louise-parker-in-the-sound-inside-photo-by-jeremy-daniel-2019.jpg?w=723&h=533)
Leading the pack with the most honors of the season are Moulin Rouge! and Jagged Little Pill with eleven and eight awards, respectively, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical. The Secret Life of Bees follows with seven honors, including Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. The most recognized play of the season is The Sound Inside with seven honors, closely followed by The Inheritance and The Height of the Storm, garnering five each.
The annual John Gassner Award — for an American play, preferably by a new playwright — will be presented to four recipients this season, each of whom will be awarded a monetary prize: Catya McMullen, for Georgia Mertching Is Dead; Will Arbery, for Heroes of the Fourth Turning; Alexis Scheer, for Our Dear Dead Drug Lord; and Eboni Booth, for Paris.
Click on any highlighted title to read the review on frontmezzjunkies.com an Outer Critics Circle voting member.
The 2019-2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honorees are:
![[3667] The Cast of THE INHERITANCE, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade, 2019](https://frontmezzjunkies.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/3667-the-cast-of-the-inheritance-photo-by-matthew-murphy-for-murphymade-2019.jpg?w=723&h=557)
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
Written by Bess Wohl
Produced by Second Stage Theater
Developed in association with Williamstown Theatre Festival
Written by Florian Zeller
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club, Simon Friend, Mark Goucher, Harold Panter, and Scott Landis
Written by Matthew Lopez
Produced by Tom Kirdahy, Sonia Friedman Productions, Hunter Arnold, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, 1001 Nights Productions, Robert Greenblatt, Mark Lee, Peter May, Scott Rudin, Richard Winkler, Bruce Cohen, Mara Isaacs, Greg Berlanti & Robbie Rogers, Brad Blume, Burnt Umber Productions, Shane Ewen, Greenleaf Productions, Marguerite Hoffman, Oliver Roth, Joseph Baker/Drew Hodges, Stephanie P. McClelland, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Caiola Productions, Mary J. Davis, Kayla Greenspan, Fakston Productions, FBK Productions, Sally Cade Holmes, Benjamin Lowy, MWM Live, Lee & Alec Seymour, Lorenzo Thione, Sing Out, Louise! Productions, AB Productions/Julie Boardman, Adam Zell & Co./ZKM Media, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler, DeSantis-Baugh Productions/Adam Hyndman, Gary DiMauro/Meredith Lynsey Schade, John Goldwyn/Silva Theatrical Group, Deborah Green/Christina Mattsson, Cliff Hopkins/George Scarles, Invisible Wall Productions/Lauren Stein, Sharon Karmazin/Broadway Factor NYC, Brian Spector/Madeleine Foster Bersin, Undivided Productions/Hysell Dohr Group, UshkowitzLatimer Productions/Tyler Mount, and The Young Vic
Written by Tracy Letts
Produced by Second Stage Theater and Steppenwolf Theatre Company, in association with Center Theatre Group
Written by Adam Rapp
Produced by Jeffrey Richards, Lincoln Center Theater, Rebecca Gold, Evamere Entertainment, Eric Falkenstein, Salman Vienn Al-Rashid, Spencer Ross, Filmnation Entertainment/Faliro House, Iris Smith, Jane Bergère, Caiola Productions, Mark S. Golub and David S. Golub, Ken Greiner, Gemini Theatrical Investors, LLC, Scott H. Mauro, Jayne Baron Sherman, Czekaj Productions, Wendy Morgan-Hunter, Kristin Foster, Brian Moreland, Sonia Mudbhatkal, Jacob Soroken Porter, and Williamstown Theatre Festival); Associate Producer: Haley McIntosh
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Music by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard
Lyrics by Alanis Morissette
Book by Diablo Cody
Produced by Vivek J. Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David, Eva Price, Caiola Productions, Level Forward & Abigail Disney, Geffen Playhouse-Tenenbaum-Feinberg, James L. Nederlander, Dean Borell Moravis Silver, Stephen G. Johnson, Concord Theatricals, Bard Theatricals, M. Kilburg Reedy, 42nd.club, Betsy Dollinger, Sundowners, The Araca Group, Jana Bezdek, Len Blavatnik, BSL Enterprises, LLC, Burnt Umber Productions, Darren DeVerna & Jeremiah Harris, Daryl Roth, Susan Edelstein, FG Productions, Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Harmonia, John Gore Theatrical Group, Melissa M. Jones & Barbara H. Freitag, Stephanie Kramer, Lamplighter Projects, Christina Isaly Liceaga, David Mirvish, Spencer B. Ross, Bellanca Smigel Rutter, Iris Smith, Jason Taylor & Sydney Suiter, Rachel Weinstein, W.I.T. Productions/Gabriel Creative Partners, Independent Presenters Network, Jujamcyn Theaters, and The American Repertory Theatre
Book by John Logan
Based on the 2001 Twentieth Century Fox Motion Picture written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
Produced by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry Ryan, Global Creatures, Bill Damaschke, Aaron Lustbader, Hunter Arnold, Darren Bagert, Erica Lynn Schwartz/Matt Picheny/Stephanie Rosenberg, Adam Blanshay Productions/Nicolas & Charles Talar, Iris Smith, Aleri Entertainment, CJ ENM, Sophie Qi/Harmonia Holdings, Baz & Co./Len Blavatnik, AF Creative Media International Theatre Fund, Endeavor Content, Tom & Pam Faludy, Gilad-Rogowsky/InStone Productions, John Gore Organization, MEHR-BB Entertainment GmbH, Spencer Ross, Nederlander Presentations/IPN, Eric Falkenstein/Suzanne Grant, Jennifer Fischer, Peter May/Sandy Robertson, Triptyk Studios, Carl Daikeler/Sandi Moran, DeSantis-Baugh Productions, Red Mountain Theatre Company/42nd.club, Candy Spelling/Tulchin Bartner, Roy Furman and Jujamcyn Theaters; By special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical
Book by Katori Hall
With Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins
Produced by Stage Entertainment, James L. Nederlander, Tali Pelman, Feste Investment B.V., David Mirvish, Nattering Way, TEG Dainty, Katori Hall, Mark Rubinstein LTD, Warner Chappell, Peter May, Eva Price, No Guarantees, Caiola Productions, Jamie deRoy, Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Marc Levine, Carl Moellenberg, Al Nocciolino, Catherine Adler, Tom Perakos, Iris Smith, Candy Spelling, Anita Waxman, Daryl Roth, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group; Produced in association with Tina Turner
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Cambodian Rock Band
Written by Lauren Yee
Produced by Signature Theatre Company
Written by Samuel D. Hunter
Produced by Lincoln Center Theatre
Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company and LAByrinth Theater Company
Written by Bess Wohl
Produced by Second Stage Theatre
Written by Theresa Rebeck
Produced by MCC Theater
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Darling Grenadine
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Daniel Zaitchik
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Dave Malloy
Produced by Signature Theatre Company
Book by Lynn Nottage
Music by Duncan Sheik
Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead
Based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company
Book and Lyrics by David Henry Hwang
Music and Additional Lyrics by Jeanine Tesori
Produced by the Public Theater and Center Theatre Group
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael R. Jackson
Produced by Playwrights Horizons in association with Page 73 Productions
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Written by Harold Pinter
Produced by Ambassador Theatre Group, Benjamin Lowy Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Glass Half Full Productions, Annapurna Theatre, Hunter Arnold, Burnt Umber Productions, Rashad V. Chambers, Eilene Davidson Productions, KFF Productions, Dominick LaRuffa Jr., Antonio Marion, Stephanie P. McClelland, Richard Winkler/Alan Shorr, and The Jamie Lloyd Company
Written by Anna Deavere Smith
Produced by Signature Theatre
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Written by Ntozake Shange
Produced by the Public Theater
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Written by Terrence McNally
Produced by Hunter Arnold, Debbie Bisno, Tom Kirdahy, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Caiola Productions, FedermanGold Productions, Invisible Wall Productions, John Gore Organization, Mike Karns, Kilimanjaro Theatricals, Peter May, Tyler Mount, Seriff Productions, Silva Theatrical Group, Cliff Bleszinski/GetterLazarDaly, Jamie deRoy/Gary DiMauro, Suzi Dietz & Lenny Beer/Sally Cade Holmes, Barbara H. Freitag/Ken Davenport, Barry & Kimberly Gowdy/Mabee Family Office, Kayla Greenspan/Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf, John Joseph/Broadway Factor, Tilted Windmills/John Paterakis, and The Shubert Organization
A Soldier’s Play
Written by Charles Fuller
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Music by Alan Menken
Produced by Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Caiola Productions, Curt Cronin, John Joseph, DDM Productions, DeSantis-Baugh Productions, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Deborah Green, Kayla Greenspan, Marguerite Hoffman, Sally Cade Holmes, Latitude Link, Seriff Productions, Silva Theatrical Group, Eric Gelb/Oliver Roth
Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Book and New Lyrics by Dick Scanlan
Based on the Original Book by Richard Morris
Music Adapted by Michael Rafter
Produced by Transport Group
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Arthur Laurents
Based on a Conception by Jerome Robbins
Produced by Scott Rudin, Barry Diller, David Geffen, Eli Bush, Adam Rodner, and James L. Nederlander
JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Georgia Mertching Is Dead by Catya McMullen
Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery
Our Dear Dead Drug Lord by Alexis Scheer
Paris by Eboni Booth
OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Diablo Cody, Jagged Little Pill
David Henry Hwang, Soft Power
Michael R. Jackson, A Strange Loop
Lynn Nottage, The Secret Life of Bees
Mark Saltzman, Romeo and Bernadette
OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Susan Birkenhead and Duncan Sheik, The Secret Life of Bees
Ross Golan, The Wrong Man
Michael R. Jackson, A Strange Loop
Dave Malloy, Octet
Jeanine Tesori and David Henry Hwang, Soft Power
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
David Cromer, The Sound Inside
Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
Kenny Leon, A Soldier’s Play
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
John Ortiz, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop
Michael Mayer, Little Shop of Horrors
Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill
Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge!
Ivo van Hove, West Side Story
![[TTM SetUp-231] The cast of TINA THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, Photo by Manuel Harlan, 2019](https://frontmezzjunkies.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/ttm-setup-231-the-cast-of-tina-the-tina-turner-musical-photo-by-manuel-harlan-2019.jpg?w=723&h=544)
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Sidi Larbi Cherakoui, Jagged Little Pill
Raja Feather Kelly, A Strange Loop
Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge!
Anthony Van Laast, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Travis Wall, The Wrong Man
OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS
Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill
Alex Lacamoire, The Wrong Man
Justin Levine, with Matt Stine, Katie Kresek, and Charlie Rosen, Moulin Rouge!
Christopher Nightingale, A Christmas Carol
Duncan Sheik and John Clancy, The Secret Life of Bees
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Ian Barford, Linda Vista
Edmund Donovan, Greater Clements
Raúl Esparza, Seared
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Will Hochman, The Sound Inside
Jonathan Pryce, The Height of the Storm
![[IMG_0850]_Will Hochman, Mary-Louise Parker in THE SOUND INSIDE, Photo by Jeremy Daniel, 2019](https://frontmezzjunkies.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/img_0850_will-hochman-mary-louise-parker-in-the-sound-inside-photo-by-jeremy-daniel-2019.jpg?w=723&h=533)
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eileen Atkins, The Height of the Storm
Judith Ivey, Greater Clements
Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play
April Matthis, Toni Stone
Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Portia, Stew
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance
Samuel H. Levine, The Inheritance
John-Andrew Morrison, Blues for an Alabama Sky
Chris Perfetti, Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Liza Colón-Zayas, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
Montego Glover, All the Natalie Portmans
Marsha Mason, Little Gem
Krysta Rodriguez, Seared
Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Jennifer Van Dyck, The Confession of Lily Dare
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
David Cale, We’re Only Alive For a Short Amount of Time
Laura Linney, My Name Is Lucy Barton
Aedin Moloney, Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom
Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H.
Michael Benjamin Washington, Fires in the Mirror
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jonathan Groff, Little Shop of Horrors
Joshua Henry, The Wrong Man
Adam Kantor, Darling Grenadine
Larry Owens, A Strange Loop
Isaac Powell, West Side Story
Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge!
Beth Malone (center) and the cast of The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Photo by Carol Rosegg.
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Beth Malone, The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Janelle McDermoth, We’re Gonna Die
Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge!
Shereen Pimentel, West Side Story
Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill
Adrienne Warren, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Borle, Little Shop of Horrors
Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge!
Gus Halper, Sing Street
Jay Armstrong Johnson, Scotland, PA
Francis Jue, Soft Power
Daniel J. Watts, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Eisa Davis, The Secret Life of Bees
Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill
LaChanze, The Secret Life of Bees
Judy McLane, Romeo & Bernadette
Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Saycon Sengbloh, The Secret Life of Bees
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Tim Mackabee, Seared
Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge!
Clint Ramos, Grand Horizons
Anthony Ward, The Height of the Storm
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Vanessa Leuck, Emojiland
Jeff Mahshie, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Mark Thompson, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Rachel Townsend & Jessica Jahn, The Confession of Lily Dare
Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge!
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Isabella Byrd, Heroes of the Fourth Turning
Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!
Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol
Hugh Vanstone, The Height of the Storm
Annie Golden in Broadway Bounty Hunter. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Luke Halls, West Side Story
Brad Peterson, Broadway Bounty Hunter
Lisa Renkel and Possible Productions, Emojiland
Aaron Rhyne, The Sound Inside
Hannah Wasileski, Fires in the Mirror
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Mikhail Fiksel, Dana H.
Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge!
Lee Kinney and Sanae Yamada, Is This A Room
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside
Jacqueline B. Arnold as La Chocolat, Robyn Hurder as Nini, Holly James as Arabia and Jeigh Madjus as Baby Doll in Moulin Rouge!. Photos: © Matthew Murphy, 2019
Productions with Multiple Honors
11: Moulin Rouge!
7: The Secret Life of Bees, The Sound Inside
5: The Inheritance, The Height of the Storm, A Strange Loop, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, West Side Story
4: A Christmas Carol, Little Shop of Horrors, Seared, Soft Power, The Wrong Man
3: Greater Clements, Fires in the Mirror
2: Betrayal, The Confession of Lily Dare, Dana H., Darling Grenadine, Grand Horizons, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, Linda Vista, Octet, Romeo and Bernadette, The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Artists with Multiple Honors:
David Henry Hwang (Soft Power book and score)
Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop book and score)
Hugh Vanstone (lighting for A Christmas Carol and The Height of the Storm)
Bess Wohl (Grand Horizons, Make Believe)
70th Anniversary Season Honorees Announced Today By
Kristin Chenoweth, Bryan Cranston, Patti LuPone, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Patrick Stewart
Watch the Announcement Here: https://youtu.be/jifQPNv1vJY
——
With an eligibility cutoff of March 6, 2020, nearly 150 Off-Broadway productions were considered for the honors, in addition to the following eligible Broadway productions: Betrayal, A Christmas Carol, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Grand Horizons, The Great Society, The Height of the Storm, The Inheritance, Jagged Little Pill, The Lightning Thief, Linda Vista, Moulin Rouge!, My Name Is Lucy Barton, The Rose Tattoo, A Soldier’s Play, The Sound Inside, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and West Side Story. Only new elements were considered for the following Broadway productions, which were eligible in previous seasons: Girl From the North Country, Sea Wall/A Life and Slave Play.
OCC President David Gordon said, “The Outer Critics Circle has thought long and hard about a way to honor the nearly 200 productions that opened this year, while also respecting those shows that were canceled, postponed, or forced to close shortly after opening. This format allows us to celebrate the truncated theater season, and our 70th anniversary, by creating a sense of communal joy at a time when we all need it most.”
Founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John Gassner, The Outer Critics Circle is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad. Led by its current president David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Simon Saltzman, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Harry Haun, Cynthia Allen, Richard Ridge, Janice Simpson and Stanley L. Cohen.
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