Theater News

2005-2006 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations Announced

Kelli O'Hara and Harry Connick, Jr.
in The Pajama Game
(Photo © Joan Marcus)
Kelli O’Hara and Harry Connick, Jr.
in The Pajama Game
(Photo © Joan Marcus)

The Outer Critics Circle, an organization of writers and commentators for all media covering New York theater, has announced its award nominees for the 2005-2006 season. Leading the pack is the Broadway revival of The Pajama Game, with eight nominations; other shows that received multiple nominations are Grey Gardens (7), The Drowsy Chaperone (6), Jersey Boys (6), The Color Purple (5), Sweeney Todd (5), and The Woman in White (5). There are 23 nomination categories, and this year marks the first time that the Outer Critics Circle will be giving an award for Outstanding New Score.

The winners will be announced on Monday, May 15 and the awards ceremony will be held on on Thursday, May 25th at Sardi’s Restaurant, beginning at 4pm. The members of the Outer Critics Circle’s executive/nominating committee for this season are Simon Saltzman (acting president), Marjorie Gunner (president emerita), Mario Fratti (vice president), Patrick Hoffman (corresponding secretary), Louis A. Rachow (treasurer), Glenn Loney (historian & member-at-large), and Aubrey Reuben, Rosalind Friedman, and Thomas Gentile (members-at-large).

Among the Broadway shows opening late in the season, Hot Feet, The Wedding Singer, and Shining City received no nominations. Tarzan will be considered for Outer Critics Circle honors in 2006-2007. The full list of this season’s nominees follows.

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OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY
Festen

The History Boys

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Primo

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
Jersey Boys
The Woman in White

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Beauty of the Father

In the Continuum

Stuff Happens

Tryst

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Bernarda Alba
Grey Gardens
See What I Wanna See
Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story


OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
Grey Gardens
See What I Wanna See


OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Awake and Sing!

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

The Constant Wife

The Trip to Bountiful


OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
The Pajama Game
Sweeney Todd
Two Gentlemen of Verona


OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys

Wilson Milam, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Bartlett Sher, Awake and Sing!

Jerry Zaks, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial


OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd
Michael Greif, Grey Gardens
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys


OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY

Graciela Daniele, Bernarda Alba

Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Sergio Trujillo, Jersey Boys


OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
John Lee Beatty , The Color Purple
William Dudley, The Woman in White
David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone
Allen Moyer, Grey Gardens


OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone

William Dudley, The Woman in White

William Ivey Long, Grey Gardens

Martin Pakledinaz , The Pajama Game


OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys
Richard G. Jones, Sweeney Todd
Jeff Nellis, Tryst
Paul Pyant , The Woman in White


OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Gabriel Byrne, A Touch of the Poet

Zeljko Ivanek, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Ian McDiarmid, Faith Healer

David Wilmot, The Lieutenant of Inishmore


OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Cynthia Nixon, Rabbit Hole
Lois Smith, The Trip to Bountiful
Zoë Wanamaker, Awake and Sing!
Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed


OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris, Sweeney Todd

Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game

Hugh Panaro, Lestat

John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys


OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
LaChanze, The Color Purple
Patti LuPone, Sweeney Todd
Kelli O’Hara, The Pajama Game


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Richard Easton, Entertaining Mr. Sloane

Peter Gerety, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Richard Griffiths, The History Boys

Mark Ruffalo, Awake and Sing!


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Frances de la Tour, The History Boys
Hallie Foote, The Trip to Bountiful
Jan Maxwell, Entertaining Mr. Sloane
Lynn Redgrave, The Constant Wife


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Michael Ball, The Woman in White

Peter Benson, The Pajama Game

Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera

Christian Hoff, Jersey Boys


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Megan Lawrence, The Pajama Game
Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone
Mary Louise Wilson, Grey Gardens
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, The Color Purple


OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Steven Fales, Confessions of a Mormon Boy
Marga Gomez , Los Big Names

Jack Holmes, RFK

Antony Sher, Primo


JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Rolin Jones, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow
Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter, In the Continuum
Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter
Rinne Groff, The Ruby Sunrise