The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway.
They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newspapers, digital and national publications, and other media beyond Broadway.
In the early 1960s, the awards and forums of the OCC were supervised by Broadway veteran Charles K. Freeman and Joseph Kay, Manhattan reporter/critic for the Kansas City Star.
Simon Saltzman, a New Jersey–based theater critic, served as President until 2018, when he was succeeded by David Gordon of TheaterMania.
In addition to Gordon (president) and Saltzman (now President Emeritus), the Board of Directors currently includes Richard Ridge (Vice President), Joseph Cervelli (Recording Secretary), Patrick Hoffman (Corresponding Secretary), David Roberts (treasurer), Harry Haun (Historian), Cynthia Allen (Web Editor), Janice Simpson (Member), Doug Strassler (member), Dan Rubins (member), and Stanley L. Cohen (advisor).
The John Gassner Award (presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright) was won by Gina Gionfriddo for Becky Shaw, and the Special Achievement Award was given to the three actors who share the role of Billy Elliot, David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish in Billy Elliot the Musical.
The Special Achievement Awards were also announced: Ellen Barkin, Outstanding Broadway Debut in The Normal Heart; and Adrian Kohler with Basil Jones for Handspring Puppet Company Puppet Design, Fabrication and Direction for War Horse.
Three plays tied for the John Glassner Award: Eric Dufault, Year of the Rooster; Madeleine George, The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence; and Steven Levenson, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin.
– 12, On the Twentieth Century – 9, An American in Paris – 8, Wolf Hall – 7, It Shoulda Been You – 6, The Audience – 6, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – 6, Hamilton – 5, The Elephant Man – 5, The King and I – 5, The Visit – 5, On The Town – 4, You Can't Take It with You – 4, The Heidi Chronicles – 3 and The Last Ship – 3.
– 7; Dear Evan Hansen – 6; Eclipsed, Lazarus, Long Day's Journey Into Night and Spring Awakening – 5; and The Humans, A View From the Bridge and Waitress – 4.
– 10; The Band's Visit and Come from Away – 7; Groundhog Day – 5; A Bronx Tale – 4; Falsettos, Holiday Inn, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 – 3; and Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard – 1.
The John Gassner Award winner was Bess Wohl for Small Mouth Sounds.
[18] The nominees included SpongeBob SquarePants – 11; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – 10; My Fair Lady – 9; Mean Girls – 8; Angels in America, Carousel, and Once on This Island – 6; Three Tall Women – 5; Frozen and Prince of Broadway – 4; Farinelli and the King and Travesties – 3.