Stereophonic continues to dominate the 2023-24 theater award season. David Adjmi's play about a Fleetwood Mac-like group won four categories from the Outer Critics Circle. In addition to Outstanding New Broadway Play,
Stereophonic won for Outstanding Director of a Play (Daniel Aukin), Scenic Design (David Zinn in a tie with
Paul Tate dePoo III, for The Great Gatsby) and Sound Design (Ryan Rumery). Suffs, the musical chronicling the Women's Suffrage Movement received three awards including Outstanding Broadway Musical, Book and Score (both by Shaina Taub). Off-Broadway’s Dead Outlaw and Primary Trust also scored three wins each, and the 2024 John Gassner Award for New American Play went to Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary! Escola also won Outstanding Lead Performance in an Off-Broadway Play in a tie with William Jackson Harper of Primary Trust. Winners were announced on Mon. May 13 and the awards will be presented on May 23 in a ceremony at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the Lincoln Center NY Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Later the same day, the New York Drama Critics Circle voted Stereophonic Best Play and Dead Outlaw Best Musical (those awards will be covered in a separate blog post.)
The Outer Critics Circle is composed of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications. The OCC has separate awards for on and Off-Broadway in some categories and considers both venues together in others. Last year, the performance categories were made gender-neutral.
Stereophonic is now the leading contender for Best Play at the Drama Desks and Tonys. Suffs may have a leg-up for the Tonys, but Hell's Kitchen, The Outsiders and Illinoise still look strong.
Founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John Gassner, The Outer Critics Circle is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad. Led by its current President David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Cynthia Allen, Harry Haun, Dan Rubins, Janice Simpson and Doug Strassler. Simon Saltzman is President Emeritus & Board Member (Non-nominating) and Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant & Board Member (Non-nominating). Lauren Yarger serves as the Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony executive producer.
Here's a list of the winners:
Outstanding New Broadway Play
Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Jocelyn Bioh
Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions, Paula Vogel
Patriots, Peter Morgan
WINNER - Stereophonic, David Adjmi
The Shark Is Broken, Joseph Nixon and Ian Shaw