Outer Critics Circle Nominations Announced!

The Outer Critics Circle nominations have been announced! The first kudos of the season to reveal nominations, the Outer Critics Circle is comprised of writers who cover New York theatre for out-of-town and national publications. Both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions are eligible for these awards. 

Three shows with big Tony dreams (Fun Home, Disgraced, and Hand to God), were not eligible this year having been eligible for their Off-Broadway runs. Curiously, the new musical Finding Neverland was completely shut out. While the show was dealt a harsh blow by critics, this seemed like the awards body with which it would do best. 

As for shows the group embraced? The new musical Something Rotten! picked up the most citations, 12 in total. The show was followed closely by On the Twentieth Century (9), An American in Paris (8), and Wolf Hall (7). Lin Manuel Miranda'a Off-Broadway smash Hamilton reaped 5 bids (though was mysteriously shut out of the acting categories).  

Given the ineligibility of certain shows, Off-Broadway crossover, and zero overlap of voters, the Outer Critics Circle has a dubious track record in terms of being a Tony precursor. But it is still interesting to see what direction theses voters go, and who they throw weight behind (like the surprise love for It Shoulda Been You). Winners will be announced on May 11th, with a Gala for the winners on May 21st at Sardi's.

Full list of nominations below:

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Audience
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
An American in Paris
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Between Riverside and Crazy
The City of Conversation
The Nether
Rasheeda Speaking
The Village Bike

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
A Christmas Memory
Disenchanted
The Fortress of Solitude
Hamilton
Lonesome Traveler

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
The Heidi Chronicles
Skylight
You Can't Take It With You

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Into the Woods
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Side Show

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Stephen Daldry The Audience
Marianne Elliott The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Scott Ellis The Elephant Man
Scott Ellis You Can't Take It With You
Jeremy Herrin Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Scott Ellis On the Twentieth Century
Thomas Kail Hamilton
Casey Nicholaw Something Rotten!
David Hyde Pierce It Shoulda Been You
Christopher Wheeldon An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Joshua Bergasse On the Town
Andy Blankenbuehler Hamilton
Warren Carlyle On the Twentieth Century
Casey Nicholaw Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Bunny Christie The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Bob Crowley An American in Paris
Scott Pask Something Rotten!
David Rockwell On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan The King and I

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Gregg Barnes Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley The Audience
William Ivey Long On the Twentieth Century
Christopher Orem Wolf Hall
Catherine Zuber The King and I

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Paule Constable The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jeff Croiter Something Rotten!
Rick Fisher The Audience
Natasha Katz An American in Paris
Japhy Weideman The Visit

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Reed Birney I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Bradley Cooper The Elephant Man
Stephen McKinley Henderson Between Riverside and Crazy
Ben Miles Wolf Hall
Alex Sharp The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Greta Gerwig The Village Bike
Jan Maxwell The City of Conversation
Helen Mirren The Audience
Elisabeth Moss The Heidi Chronicles
Tonya Pinkins Rasheeda Speaking

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Borle Something Rotten!
Brian d'Arcy James Something Rotten!
Robert Fairchild An American in Paris
Peter Gallagher On the Twentieth Century
Tony Yazbeck On the Town

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Kristin Chenoweth On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope An American in Paris
Tyne Daly It Shoulda Been You
Kelli O'Hara The King and I
Chita Rivera The Visit

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Paul Jesson Wolf Hall
Richard McCabe The Audience
Alessandro Nivola The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker Wolf Hall
Bryce Pinkham The Heidi Chronicles

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Annaleigh Ashford You Can't Take It With You
Patricia Clarkson The Elephant Man
Francesca Faridany The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Julie Halston You Can't Take It With You
Lydia Leonard Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

John Cariani Something Rotten!
Josh Grisetti It Shoulda Been You
Andy Karl On the Twentieth Century
Paul Alexander Nolan Doctor Zhivago
Max von Essen An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Heidi Blickenstaff Something Rotten!
Victoria Clark Gigi
Megan Fairchild On the Town
Ruthie Ann Miles The King and I 
Mary Louise Wilson On the Twentieth Century

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Joe Assadourian The Bullpen

Jim Dale Just Jim Dale

Tom Dugan Wiesenthal
Cush Jumbo Josephine and I
Benjamin Scheuer The Lion

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Ayad Akhtar The Invisible Hand
Halley Feiffer I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Elizabeth Irwin My Mañana Comes
Markus Potter Stalking the Bogeyman
Benjamin Scheuer The Lion