Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play

Outer Critics Circle Award for
Best New Broadway Play
Awarded forBest New Broadway Play
LocationNew York City
Presented byOuter Critics Circle
Currently held byJohn Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Bellflower (2025)
WebsiteOuterCritics.org

The Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play is an annual award given to the best new (non-musical) play on Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The award has been given out since 1949-1950 season.

T.S. Eliot won the inaugural award for Outstanding New Broadway Play for The Cocktail Party in 1950.[1] Neil Simon and Tom Stoppard have won the award three times each, the most of any playwright, while Stoppard and August Wilson have received the most nominations, with six each.

Award winners

1950s

  indicates the winner.
Year Production Author Ref.
1950
The Cocktail Party T.S. Eliot [2]
1951
Billy Budd Louis O. Coxe, Robert Chapman [3]
1952
Point of No Return Paul Osborn [4]
1953 No award given
1954
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Herman Wouk [5]
1955
Inherit the Wind Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee [6]
1956
The Diary of Anne Frank Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett [7]
1957
Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene O'Neill [8]
1958
Look Homeward, Angel Ketti Frings [9]
1959
The Visit Friedrich Dürrenmatt [10]

1960s

Year Production Author Ref.
1960
The Miracle Worker William Gibson [11]
1961 No award given
1962 No award given
1963
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee [12]
1964 No award given
1965 No award given
1966 No award given
1967
You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running Robert Anderson [13]
American Hurrah (Three Views of the U.S.A.) Jean-Claude van Itallie [14]
1968
The Price Arthur Miller [15]
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Sam Shepard
1969 No award given

1970s

Year Production Author Ref.
1970
Child's Play Robert Marasco [16]
1971 No award given
1972
Sticks and Bones David Rabe [17]
That Championship Season Jason Miller
1973 No award given
1974
A Moon for the Misbegotten Eugene O'Neill [18]
Noël Coward in Two Key Noël Coward
1975
Equus Peter Shaffer [19]
1976 No award given
1977
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf Ntozake Shange [20]
1978
Da Hugh Leonard [21]
1979
The Elephant Man Bernard Pomerance [22]

1980s

Year Production Author Ref.
1980
Children of a Lesser God Mark Medoff [23]
1981
Amadeus Peter Shaffer [24]
1982
"Master Harold"...and the Boys Athol Fugard [25]
1983
Brighton Beach Memoirs Neil Simon [26]
1984
The Real Thing Tom Stoppard [27]
1985
Biloxi Blues Neil Simon [28]
1986
I'm Not Rappaport Herb Gardner [29]
1987
Fences August Wilson [30]
1988
M. Butterfly David Henry Hwang [31]
1989
The Heidi Chronicles Wendy Wasserstein [32]

1990s

Year Production Author Ref.
1990
The Grapes of Wrath Frank Galati [33]
The Piano Lesson August Wilson
Lettice and Lovage Peter Shaffer
A Few Good Men Aaron Sorkin
1991
Lost in Yonkers Neil Simon [34]
Shadowlands William Nicholson
Six Degrees of Separation John Guare
The Speed of Darkness Steve Tesich
1992
Dancing at Lughnasa Brian Friel [35]
Two Shakespearean Actors Richard Nelson
Two Trains Running August Wilson
Conversations with My Father Herb Gardner
1993
The Sisters Rosensweig Wendy Wasserstein [36]
Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Frank McGuiness
Redwood Curtain Lanford Wilson
1994
Angels in America, Parts I and II: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika Tony Kushner [37]
1995
Love! Valour! Compassion! Terrence McNally [38]
Having Our Say Annie Elizabeth Delany, Sarah Louise Delany, Amy Hill Hearth
Arcadia Tom Stoppard
1996
Master Class Terrence McNally [39]
Moon Over Buffalo Ken Ludwig
Racing Demon David Hare
Seven Guitars August Wilson
1997
The Last Night of Ballyhoo Alfred Uhry [40]
Taking Sides Ronald Harwood
Stanley Pam Gems
An American Daughter Wendy Wasserstein
1998
The Beauty Queen of Leenane Martin McDonagh [41]
Jackie: An American Life Gip Hoppe
Golden Child David Henry Hwang
Art Yasmina Reza
1999
Not About Nightingales Tennessee Williams [42]
Closer Patrick Marber
Amy's View David Hare
The Weir Conor McPherson

2000s

Year Production Author Ref.
2000
Copenhagen Michael Frayn [43]
Waiting in the Wings Noël Coward
True West Sam Shepard
The Green Bird Carlo Gozzi
2001
Judgment at Nuremberg Michael Frayn [44]
Proof David Auburn
The Invention of Love Tom Stoppard
Stones in His Pockets Marie Jones
2002
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Edward Albee [45]
Metamorphoses Mary Zimmerman
Topdog/Underdog Suzan-Lori Parks
Fortune's Fool Ivan Turgenev
2003
Take Me Out Richard Greenberg [46]
Enchanted April Matthew Barber
The Play What I Wrote Hamish McColl, Sean Foley and Eddie Braben
Vincent in Brixton Nicholas Wright
2004
I Am My Own Wife Doug Wright [47]
Sixteen Wounded Eliam Kraiem
Anna in the Tropics Nilo Cruz
Match Stephen Belber
2005
Doubt: A Parable John Patrick Shanley [48]
Gem of the Ocean August Wilson
The Pillowman Martin McDonagh
Democracy Michael Frayn
Brooklyn Boy Donald Margulies
2006
The History Boys Alan Bennett [49]
The Lieutenant of Inishmore Martin McDonagh
Primo Anthony Sher
Festen David Eldridge
2007
The Coast of Utopia Tom Stoppard [50]
Radio Golf August Wilson
Frost/Nixon Peter Morgan
Coram Boy Helen Edmundson
2008
August: Osage County Tracy Letts [51]
The 39 Steps Patrick Barlow
The Seafarer Conor McPherson
Rock 'n' Roll Tom Stoppard
2009
God of Carnage Yasmina Reza [52]
33 Variations Moisés Kaufman
Irena's Vow Dan Gordon
reasons to be pretty Neil LaBute

2010s

Year Production Author Ref.
2010
Red John Logan [53]
Superior Donuts Tracy Letts
Next Fall Geoffrey Nauffts
Time Stands Still Donald Margulies
2011
War Horse Nick Stafford [54]
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo Rajiv Joseph
Good People David Lindsay-Abaire
The Motherfucker with the Hat Stephen Adly Guirgis
2012
One Man, Two Guvnors Richard Bean [55]
Seminar Theresa Rebeck
The Lyons Nicky Silver
Stick Fly Lydia R. Diamond
2013
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Christopher Durang [56]
Grace Mick Gordon, A. C. Grayling
Lucky Guy Nora Ephron
The Nance Douglas Carter Beane
The Testament of Mary Colm Tóibín
2014
All the Way Robert Schenkkan [57]
Act One James Lapine
Casa Valentina Harvey Fierstein
Outside Mullingar John Patrick Shanley
The Realistic Joneses Will Eno
2015
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Simon Stephens [58]
The Audience Peter Morgan
Wolf Hall Parts One & Two Mike Poulton
2016
The Humans Stephen Karam [59]
The Father Florian Zeller
King Charles III Mike Bartlett
Thérèse Raquin Neal Bell
Eclipsed Danai Gurira
2017
Oslo J. T. Rogers [60]
A Doll's House, Part 2 Lucas Hnath
Sweat Lynn Nottage
Indecent Paula Vogel
2018
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Jack Thorne [61]
Farinelli and the King Claire van Kampen
Junk Ayad Akhtar
The Children Lucy Kirkwood
2019
The Ferryman Jez Butterworth [62]
What the Constitution Means to Me Heidi Schreck
Ink James Graham
Network Lee Hall
To Kill a Mockingbird Aaron Sorkin

2020s

Year Production Author Ref.
2020 (Honorees) Grand Horizons Bess Wohl [63]
The Height of the Storm Florian Zeller
The Inheritance Matthew López
Linda Vista Tracy Letts
The Sound Inside Adam Rapp
2021 Ceremony cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022
The Lehman Trilogy Stefano Massini [64]
The Minutes Tracy Letts
Birthday Candles Noah Haidle
Clyde's Lynn Nottage
Skeleton Crew Dominique Morisseau
2023
Leopoldstadt Tom Stoppard [65]
Life of Pi Lolita Chakrabart, Yann Martel
Peter Pan Goes Wrong Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, Jonathan Sayer
Summer, 1976 David Auburn
Good Night, Oscar Doug Wright
2024
Stereophonic David Adjmi [66]
Mother Play Paula Vogel
Jaja's African Hair Braiding Jocelyn Bioh
Patriots Peter Morgan
The Shark Is Broken Ian Shaw, Joseph Nixon
2025
John Proctor is the Villain Kimberly Bellflower [67]
Cult of Love Leslye Headland
The Hills of California Jez Butterworth
Purpose Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Stranger Things: The First Shadow Kate Trefry

Multiple wins

3 wins
2 wins

Multiple nominations

6 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

References

  1. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1949–1950". AboutTheArtists.com.
  2. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1949–1950". AboutTheArtists.com.
  3. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1950–1951". AboutTheArtists.com.
  4. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1951–1952". AboutTheArtists.com.
  5. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1953–1954". AboutTheArtists.com.
  6. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1954–1955". AboutTheArtists.com.
  7. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1955–1956". AboutTheArtists.com.
  8. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1956–1957". AboutTheArtists.com.
  9. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1957–1958". AboutTheArtists.com.
  10. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1958–1959". AboutTheArtists.com.
  11. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1959–1960". AboutTheArtists.com.
  12. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1963". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1967". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1967". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1968". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1970". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1972". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1974". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1975". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1977". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  21. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1978". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1979". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1980". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  24. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1981". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  25. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1982". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  26. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1983". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  27. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1984". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  28. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1985". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  29. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1986". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  30. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1987". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  31. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1988". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  32. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1989". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  33. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1990". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  34. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1991". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  35. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1992". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  36. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1993". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  37. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1994". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  38. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1995". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  39. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1996". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  40. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1997". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  41. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1998". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  42. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1999". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  43. ^ "1999–2000 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  44. ^ "2000–2001 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  45. ^ "2001–2002 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  46. ^ "2002–2003 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  47. ^ "2003–2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  48. ^ "2004–2005 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  49. ^ "2005–2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  50. ^ "2006–2007 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  51. ^ "2007–2008 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  52. ^ "2008–2009 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  53. ^ "2009–2010 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  54. ^ "2010–2011 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  55. ^ "2011–2012 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  56. ^ "2012–2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  57. ^ "2013–2014 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  58. ^ "2014–2015 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  59. ^ "2016–2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  60. ^ "2016–2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  61. ^ "2017–2018 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  62. ^ "2018–2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  63. ^ "2019–2020 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  64. ^ "2021–2022 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  65. ^ "2022–2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  66. ^ "2023–2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  67. ^ "2024–2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards". AboutTheArtists.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.