The first important theater nominations are out, from the hard working Outer Critics Circle. They cover Broadway and off Broadway, so it’s pretty comprehensive. The OCC didn’t nominate Hollywood stars Alec Baldwin and Scarlett Johansson, the revival of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Motown. But they were fairly discerning in everything. I’m glad to see they liked Tom Hanks and “Lucky Guy,” really went for “Vanya Sonia,” and nominated a mother and daughter– Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson– each for Best Actress in a Play. I was also happy to see two of my favorite performers, Keala Settle (Hands on a Hard Body) and Richard Kind (The Big Knife) got nods. The awards will be handed out May 23rd at Sardi’s.
Outstanding New Broadway Play
Grace
Lucky Guy
The Nance
The Testament of Mary
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Outstanding New Broadway Musical
Chaplin
A Christmas Story, The Musical
Hands on a Hardbody
Kinky Boots
Matilda
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
Bad Jews
Cock
My Name is Asher Lev
Really Really
The Whale
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
February House
Dogfight
Giant
Here Lies Love
Murder Ballad
Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Cinderella
Chaplin
Dogfight
Kinky Boots
Matilda the Musical
Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Chaplin
Dogfight
Hands on a Hardbody
Here Lies Love
Kinky Boots
Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Golden Boy
Orphans
The Piano Lesson
The Trip to Bountiful
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Annie
Cinderella
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Passion
Pippin
Outstanding Director of a Play
Pam MacKinnon Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Jack O’Brien The Nance
Bartlett Sher Golden Boy
Michael Wilson The Trip to Bountiful
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Warren Carlyle Chaplin
Scott Ellis The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus Pippin
Alex Timbers Here Lies Love
Outstanding Choreographer
Warren Carlyle Chaplin
Peter Darling Matilda the Musical
Jerry Mitchell Kinky Boots
Josh Rhodes Cinderella
Chet Walker Pippin
Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical)
John Lee Beatty The Nance
Rob Howell Matilda the Musical
David Korins Here Lies Love
Scott Pask Pippin
Michael Yeargan Golden Boy
Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical)
Amy Clark & Martin Pakledinaz Chaplin
Gregg Barnes Kinky Boots
Dominique Lemieux Pippin
William Ivey Long Cinderella
William Ivey Long The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical)
Ken Billington Chaplin
Paul Gallo Dogfight
Donald Holder Golden Boy
Kenneth Posner Cinderella
Kenneth Posner Pippin
Outstanding Actor in a Play
Tom Hanks Lucky Guy
Shuler Hensley The Whale
Nathan Lane The Nance
Tracy Letts Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Outstanding Actress in a Play
Tracee Chimo Bad Jews
Amy Morton Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Vanessa Redgrave The Revisionist
Joely Richardson Ivanov
Cicely Tyson The Trip to Bountiful
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Bertie Carvel Matilda the Musical
Santino Fontana Cinderella
Rob McClure Chaplin
Billy Porter Kinky Boots
Matthew James Thomas Pippin
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Lilla Crawford Annie
Valisia LeKae Motown: The Musical
Lindsay Mendez Dogfight
Patina Miller Pippin
Laura Osnes Cinderella
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Danny Burstein Golden Boy
Richard Kind The Big Knife
Jonny Orsini The Nance
Tony Shalhoub Golden Boy
Tom Sturridge Orphans
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Cady Huffman The Nance
Judith Ivey The Heiress
Judith Light The Assembled Parties
Kristine Nielsen Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Vanessa Williams The Trip to Bountiful
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Will Chase The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Dan Lauria A Christmas Story, The Musical
Raymond Luke Motown: The Musical
Terrence Mann Pippin
Daniel Stewart Sherman Kinky Boots
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark Cinderella
Charlotte d’Amboise Pippin
Andrea Martin Pippin
Keala Settle Hands on a Hardbody
Outstanding Solo Performance
Bette Midler I’ll Eat You Last
Martin Moran All the Rage
Fiona Shaw The Testament of Mary
Holland Taylor Ann
Michael Urie Buyer & Cellar
John Gassner Award (Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Ayad Akhtar Disgraced
Paul Downs Colaizzo Really Really
Joshua Harmon Bad Jews
Samuel D. Hunter The Whale
Aaron Posner My Name is Asher Lev
Special Achievement Award Irish Repertory Theatre Charlotte Moore, artistic director and Ciarán O’Reilly, producing director in recognition of 25 years of producing outstanding theatre.
*The Nominating Committee attended all of this season’s Broadway productions prior to the OCC Award cutoff date. The Other Place was considered and nominated last season when it was produced Off-Broadway.
Celebrating its 63rd season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theatre, the Outer Critics Circle’s members are affiliated with more than 90 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, Internet and theatre publications in America and abroad.
