Multiple Tony nominee Raúl Esparza and two-time Tony winner Katie Finneran announce the nominees for the 2014-15 Outer Critics Circle Awards, which celebrate shows, both on Broadway and off, today April 20 at 11 AM at The Friars Club in New York.
The winners will be announced May 11, and the annual Gala Awards Dinner will be held 4 PM May 21 at Sardi's Restaurant.
The Outer Critics Circle is the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway. The Outer Critics Circle nominees are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theatre season.
Outer Critics Circle members are affiliated with more than 90 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, Internet websites, and theatre publications in America and abroad.
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
They will probably be dominated by Hamilton, which won't have any bearing on the Tonys this year. Still, I'm sure the nominators will be able to throw a few whacky surprises our way. They always do!
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
These awards always scream...BROADWAY! BROADWAY! MIDDLEBROW! MIDDLEBROW!
I'm sorry that they completely overlooked the best new play I saw this season, FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 2 & 3). I'm sorrier that the excellent Phillipa Soo was overlooked in the Actress in a Musical (or Featured Actress in a Musical) category.
It baffles me that THE LAST SHIP got a nomination for Best Book. I can understand Score-- some nice tunes. Didn't someone call these awards the Outer Space Critics Awards one year? This year isn't so strange, but there are always bound to be weird omissions. And lots of love for lots of crap.
Let's see what wins. Then we can really be dumbfounded.
No acting nods for Hamilton is truly strange. And with all the love for Something Rotten!, no nod for Brad Oscar, who gets the flashiest number in the show.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
They usually seem to love those bombastic shows in the past (A Tale of Two Cities, Bonnie & Clyde, etc.), so I was surprised to see so little of Dr. Zhivago LOL.
FUN HOME was indeed ineligible this year, as was HAND TO GOD.
Whoever gave the loudest, flashiest performance of their category-- and if they happen to be a big name, even better-- will win the musical acting categories. And SOMETHING ROTTEN! will win everything else because, well...BROADWAY! MIDDLEBROW!
Just an early prediction. I'm far more curious to see what happens with the Pulitzer this afternoon.
Productions: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time An American in Paris Hamilton The Elephant Man Skylight You Can't Take It With You The King & I On the Town Side Show
Directing: Marianne Elliott-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Scott Ellis-The Elephant Man/You Can't Take It With You Casey Nicholaw-Something Rotten! Christopher Wheeldon-An American in Paris
Choreography: Joshua Bergasse-On the Town Casey Nicholaw-Something Rotten! Christopher Wheeldon-An American in Paris
Performances: Bradley Cooper-The Elephant Man Helen Mirren-The Audience Tony Yazbeck-On the Town Kelli O'Hara-The King & I Bryce Pinkham-The Heidi Chronicles Annaleigh Ashford-You Can't Take It With You Paul Alexander Nolan-Doctor Zhivago Megan Fairchild-On the Town
Was FINDING NEVERLAND really completely snubbed? I thought for sure this would be the only awards where that show would rack up several nominations. Unless the Tony nominators sell out/give in...
And it doesn't get more middlebrow than Finding Neverland!!!
Every year when the Outer Space Critics announce their nominations and people are baffled by their selections, I always like to point out that one of their nominators is none other than Corrine. That should tell you all you need to know.
As we enter nominations season, I find myself getting increasingly cranky about 'Something Rotten!'. The show was extremely mediocre. The music sounded like it had been written by a computer program. Every song was pitched at the same intensity, and the actors just were spewing out lines as quickly as possible to keep the energy from just running out. The humor was redundant and childish. And then there was Act 2, which made almost no sense, and didn't even try. This is a show that desperately needs more development and redefining of it's purpose. Extremely disappointing. The fact that there is a nomination for Heidi Blickenstaff makes me wonder if the critics even saw this show. YES she's a terrific singer and actress, but this show gives her NOTHING to do. It's practically an insult, like someone on the development team (which I assume was vast) said - hey wait everyone, there's no women in the show! Can someone add a "wife" or "love interest"? Yeah, thanks.
SOMETHING ROTTEN! is just very tired. At least, I'm tired of shows of its ilk. I hope audiences will give HAMILTON, FUN HOME and THE VISIT a chance. (I'm pretty sure they'll give HAMILTON a chance, at least.) That way, they can learn what a real musical is. Not some self-referntial, loud cartoon with jazz hands and references to other shows every millisecond. Casey Nicholaw has proven himself a competent, often wonderful director at Encores! with FOLLIES, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE and MOST HAPPY FELLA. I wish he'd start directing shows on Broadway of that caliber instead of sticking with his typical bag of tricks. The tricks are getting lame.
Corrine's a nominator? Maybe she can present Best Score to John Kander if he wins...