Outer Critics Circle Awards 2015: Winners Announced!

The Outer Critics Circle announced the winners of their 65th annual kudos today. The winners will be celebrated at a special ceremony at Sardi's on May 21st.

The Outer Critic's Circle honors productions both on and off Broadway. Several of this year's leading Tony contenders were feted at these awards. But, it is important to note that some of the biggest Tony competition (Fun Home, Hand to God, Disgraced) were not eligible for these awards, having already competed for their Off-Broadway runs. The OCC is also not bound to Tony eligibility rulings so some performers compete in other categories at these kudos (ie: Christian Borle in Lead instead of Featured).

The big winners were The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, An American in Paris, and Off-Broadway sensation Hamilton. Without Fun Home standing in it's path, An American in Paris took four awards including the Best Broadway Musical Prize (and double wins for Christopher Wheeldon).

The King and I picked up three wins including Best Revival of a Musical, but leading lady Kelli O'Hara lost to her fiery competitor Kristin Chenoweth. Will the same outcome repeat itself at the Tonys?

The Featured Acting (Play) races are particularly tough to predict for the Tonys. The OCC lineup includes many of the front-runners. Featured Actress went to Annaleigh Ashford, who prevailed over Tony competition Patricia Clarkson and Lydia Leonard. With the men: Richard McCabe won featured actor over Nathaniel Parker and Alessandro Nivola. Can these two featured performers continue their winning streaks and clear up these confusing categories?  While there is zero overlap between voting bodies, any amount of buzz can help in races this tight.

Complete list of winners below:

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

BEST BROADWAY PLAY
The Audience
*Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Wolf Hall

BEST OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
A Christmas Memory
Disenchanted
Fortress of Solitude
*Hamilton
Lonesome Traveler

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

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Into the Woods
*The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Side Show

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
The Heidi Chronicles
Skylight
*You Can't Take it With You

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
*Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

BEST SCORE
*Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

BEST ACTOR (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, Curious Incident...

BEST ACTRESS (PLAY)
Greta Gerwig, The Village Bike
Jan Maxwell, The city of Conversation
*Helen Mirren, The Audience
Elizabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Tonya Pinkins, Rasheeda Speaking

BEST ACTOR (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

BEST ACTRESS (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

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY)
Paul Jesson, Wolf Hall
*Richard McCabe, The Audience
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall
Bryce Pinkham, The Heidi Chronicles

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY)
*Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take it With You
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Francessca Faridany, Curious Incident...
Julie Halston, you Can't Take it With You
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (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

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (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

BEST DIRECTOR (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

BEST DIRECTOR (PLAY)
Stephen Daldry, The Audience
*Marianne Elliott, Curious Incident...
Scott Ellis, The Elephant Man
Scott Ellis, You Can't Take it With You
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall

BEST 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

BEST SET DESIGN
*Bunny Christie, Curious Incident
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Scott Pask, Something Rotten!
David Rockwell, On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan, The King and I

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Gregg Barnes, Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley, The Audience
William Ivey Long, On the Twentieth Century
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall
*Catherine Zuber, The King and I

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
*Paule Constable, Curious Incident...
Jeff Croiter, Something Rotten!
Rick Fisher, The Audience
Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Japhy Weidemen, The Visit

BEST 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 (for an American play)
*Ayad Akhtar, The Invisible Hand
Halley Feiffer, I'm Gonna Pray for You so Hard
Elizabeth Irwin, My Manana Comes
Markus Potter, Stalking the Bogeyman
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion