Outer Critics Circle Award 2026 Nominations

“The Lost Boys” leads the nominations for the 76th annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, announced this morning by Isa Briones and Sepideh Moafiat the Museum of Broadcasting.

The winners will be announced on May 11, 2026 followed by a private awards ceremony on May 21.

Want to know what other New York theater awards are coming up? Don’t know the difference between the awards of the Outer Critics Circle and the New York Drama Critics Circle? Read mNew York Theater Awards Calendar and Guide 2026

Complete list of nominations, with links to my reviews, when available (several shows haven’t opened yet.)

Outstanding New Broadway Musical
The Lost Boys
Schmigadoon!
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)


Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Beau the Musical
Goddess
Mexodus
Oratorio for Living Things
Saturday Church


Outstanding New Broadway Play
The Balusters
Giant
Little Bear Ridge Road
Oedipus
Punch

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
Angry Alan
Meet the Cartozians

The Monsters
Prince Faggot
The Reservoir

John Gassner Award (for a new American play preferably by a new playwright)
Call Me Izzy by Jamie Wax
Caroline by Preston Max Allen
Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick
Data by Matthew Libby
Well, I’ll Let You Go by Bubba Weiler

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Baker’s Wife
Chess
Masquerade
Ragtime


Outstanding Revival of a Play
Becky Shaw
The Brothers Size
Death of a Salesman

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Marjorie Prime

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play
Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Will Harrison, Punch
Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Christopher Abbott, Death of a Salesman
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Jessica Hecht, Dog Day Afternoon
Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Jessica Vosk, Beaches

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys
Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
Andrew Durand, The Rocky Horror Show
Benjamin Pajak, The Lost Boys
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Micaela Diamond, The Seat of Our Pants
Amber Iman, Goddess
Brian Quijada, Mexodus
Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Matt Rodin, Beau the Musical

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Justin Cooley, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
J. Harrison Ghee, Saturday Church
Judy Kuhn, The Baker’s Wife
Kevin McHale, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Well, I’ll Let You Go
Alana Raquel Bowers, Cold War Choir Practice
André Holland, The Brothers Size
Alani iLongwe, The Brothers Size
Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir
Brian d’Arcy James, Eurydice
River Lipe-Smith, Caroline
Andrea Martin, Meet the Cartozians
Malcolm Mays, The Brothers Size

Outstanding Solo Performance
Sean Hayes, The Unknown
Mary Kate O Flanagan, Making a Show of Myself
Jack Holden, Kenrex
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Jean Smart, Call Me Izzy

Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, The Lost Boys
Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon!
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus

Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Heather Christian, Oratorio for Living Things
Ethan D. Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
The Rescues, The Lost Boys

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Debbie Allen, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Ngozi Anyanwu, The Monsters
Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
Robert Icke, Oedipus
Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman
Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Shibani, The Brothers Size

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Lee Sunday Evans, Oratorio for Living Things
David Mendizábal, Mexodus
Diane Paulus, Masquerade

Outstanding Choreography
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Masquerade
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Darrell Grand Moultrie, Goddess
Darrell Grand Moultrie, Saturday Church
Rickey Tripp, The Monsters

Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Fraser Campbell, Jane Cardona, Ben Moss, Odetta Hartman, John Murchison, Peter Wise, Oratorio for Living Things
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon!
Mikhail Fiksel, Brian Quijada, and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Ethan Popp and The Rescues, The Lost Boys
Michael Thurber, Goddess

Outstanding Scenic Design
James Fluhr, Masquerade
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!
Adam Rigg and Anton Volovsek, Bowl EP
Jason Sherwood, The Baker’s Wife

Outstanding Costume Design
Dede Ayite, Goddess
Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!
Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels
Ryan Park, The Lost Boys
Emilio Sosa, Masquerade

Outstanding Lighting Design
Mextly Couzin, Mexodus
Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Studio Luna, Marcel on the Train

Outstanding Sound Design
Caroline Eng, The Unknown
Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus
Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys
Brett Jarvis, Masquerade
Nick Kourtides, Oratorio for Living Things

Outstanding Video/Projection Design
59 Studio, Ragtime
Akhila Krishnan, Kyoto
Derek McLane, This World of Tomorrow
Johnny Moreno, Mexodus
John Narun, Bughouse

A Note on Eligibility
The following productions were considered in previous seasons, with only new elements eligible during this cycle: Cats: The Jellicle BallLiberation; and Titaníque. The following productions were not eligible for awards this season: Mamma Mia!BeetlejuiceRob Lake Magic with Special Guests The MuppetsAll Out: Comedy About Ambition.

Shows With Multiple Nominations
11 – The Lost Boys
10 – Mexodus
8 – Schmigadoon!
6 – Death of a SalesmanMasqueradeRagtime
5 – The Brothers Size, GoddessOratorio for Living Things
4 – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeBeau the MusicalThe MonstersTwo Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
3 – The Baker’s Wife, Fallen AngelsJoe Turner’s Come and GoneOedipusSaturday Church
2 – Becky ShawCall Me IzzyCarolineChessCold War Choir Practice, GiantMarjorie PrimeMeet the CartoziansPunchThe ReservoirThe Rocky Horror ShowThe UnknownWell I’ll Let You Go

Artists With Multiple Nominations
4 – Brian Quijada, Nygel D. Robinson
2 – Michael Arden, Jim Barne, Kit Buchan, Mikhail Fiksel, Douglas Lyon, Darrell Grand Moultrie, The Rescues

Author: New York Theater

Jonathan Mandell is a 3rd generation NYC journalist, who sees shows, reads plays, writes reviews and sometimes talks with people.

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