Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

Outer Critics Circle Award for
Best New Off-Broadway Play
Awarded forBest New Off-Broadway Play
LocationNew York City
Presented byOuter Critics Circle
Currently held byLiberation by Bess Wohl (2025)
WebsiteOuterCritics.org

The Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Play is an annual award given to the best new (non-musical) play running Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The awards have existed since 1949–1950 season, but this category was added in 1982, when the categories split into Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Charles Fuller's A Soldier's Play won the first award in 1982. Horton Foote and Joshua Harmon have won the most awards with two each. Samuel D. Hunter has received the most nominations with five, followed closely by Bruce Norris with four. Since its inception, ten women have received the award, with the first being Tina Howe in 1984 for Painting Churches.

Award winners

1980s

  indicates the winner.
Year Production Author Ref.
1982
A Soldier's Play Charles Fuller [1]
1983
Extremities William Mastrosimone [2]
1984
Painting Churches Tina Howe [3]
1985
The Foreigner Larry Shue [4]
1986
A Lie of the Mind Sam Shepard [5]
1987
The Common Pursuit Simon Gray [6]
1988
Driving Miss Daisy Alfred Uhry [7]
1989
The Heidi Chronicles Wendy Wasserstein [8]

1990s

Year Production Author Ref.
1990
Prelude to a Kiss Craig Lucas [9]
1991
The Sum of Us David Stephens [10]
Unchanging Love Romulus Linney
Remembrance Graham Reid
Life During Wartime Keith Reddin
1992
Marvin's Room Scott McPherson [11]
Lips Together, Teeth Apart Terrence McNally
Grandchild of Kings Sean O'Casey
Sights Unseen Donald Margulies
1993
Jeffrey Paul Rudnick [12]
Distant Fires Kevin Heelan
Oleanna David Mamet
Wrong Turn at Lungfish Garry Marshall and Lowell Ganz
1994
Three Tall Women Edward Albee [13]
1995
Camping with Henry and Tom Mark St. Germain [14]
Distant Fires Kevin Heelan
London Suite Neil Simon
Vita and Virginia Eileen Atkins
1996
Molly Sweeney Brian Friel [15]
Picasso at the Lapin Agile Steve Martin
Mrs. Klein Nicholas Wright
Nixon's Nixon Russell Lees
The Food Chain Nicky Silver
1997
How I Learned to Drive Paula Vogel [16]
A Question of Mercy David Rabe
Bunny Bunny Alan Zweibel
Stonewall Jackson's House Jonathan Reynolds
1998
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde Moisés Kaufman [17]
Never the Sinner John Logan
Side Man Warren Leight
The Cripple of Inishmaan Martin McDonagh
1999
Wit Margaret Edson [18]
The Mineola Twins Paula Vogel
Stop Kiss Diana Son
Snakebit David Marshall Grant

2000s

Year Production Author Ref.
2000
Dinner with Friends Donald Margulies [19]
An Experiment with an Air Pump Shelagh Stephenson
Dirty Blonde Claudia Shear
2001
Jitney August Wilson [20]
Comic Potential Alan Ayckbourn
Lobby Hero Kenneth Lonergan
Ten Unknowns Jon Robin Baitz
2002
The Dazzle Richard Greenberg [21]
36 Views Naomi Iizuka
The Matchmaker John B. Keane
Franz Kafka's The Castle David Fishelson
2003
The Exonerated Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen [22]
Talking Heads Alan Bennett
Kimberly Akimbo David Lindsay-Abaire
Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme Frank McGuinness
2004
Intimate Apparel Lynn Nottage [23]
Well Lisa Kron
Frozen Bryony Lavery
Bug Tracy Letts
The Beard of Avon Amy Freed
2005
Fat Pig Neil LaBute [24]
Going to St. Ives Lee Blessing
Moonlight and Magnolias Ron Hutchinson
Romance David Mamet
String of Pearls Michele Lowe
2006
Stuff Happens David Hare [25]
Tryst Karoline Leach
Beauty of the Father Nilo Cruz
In the Continuum Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter
2007
Indian Blood A. R. Gurney [26]
The Pain and the Itch Bruce Norris
The Scene Theresa Rebeck
Exits and Entrances Athol Fugard
2008
Dividing the Estate Horton Foote [27]
The Receptionist Adam Bock
The Drunken City
From Up Here Liz Flahive
2009
Ruined Ayad Akhtar [28]
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment Donald Margulies
Why Torture Is Wrong, And The People Who Love Them Christopher Durang
Farragut North Beau Willimon

2010s

Year Production Author Ref.
2010
The Orphans' Home Cycle Horton Foote [29]
The Temperamentals Jon Marans
The Pride Alexi Kaye Campbell
Clybourne Park Bruce Norris
2011
Other Desert Cities Jon Robin Baitz [30]
The Other Place Sharr White
Kin Max Dickins
Blood From a Stone Tommy Nohilly
2012
Sons of the Prophet Stephen Karam [31]
Blood and Gifts JT Rogers
The School for Lies David Ives
Tribes Nina Raine
2013
My Name Is Asher Lev Chaim Potok [32]
The Whale Samuel D. Hunter
Really Really Paul Downs Colaizzo
Cock Mike Bartlett
Bad Jews Joshua Harmon
2014
The Explorers Club Nell Benjamin [33]
Appropriate Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Choir Boy Tarell Alvin McCraney
The Heir Apparent David Ives
Stage Kiss Sarah Ruhl
2015
Between Riverside and Crazy Stephen Adly Guirgis [34]
The City of Conversation Anthony Giardina
The Nether Jennifer Haley
Rasheeda Speaking Joel Drake Johnson
The Village Bike Penelope Skinner
2016
The Christians Lucas Hnath [35]
Familiar Danai Gurira
Gloria Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Hold On to Me Darling Kenneth Lonergan
The Legend of Georgia McBride Matthew Lopez
2017
If I Forget Steven Levenson [36]
Familiar Danai Gurira
Incognito Nick Payne
Linda Penelope Skinner
Love, Love, Love Mike Bartlett
2018
Admissions Joshua Harmon [37]
Mlima's Tale Lynn Nottage
The Low Road Bruce Norris
Cost of Living Martyna Majok
Hangmen Martin McDonagh
2019
White Noise Suzan-Lori Parks [38]
Fairview Jackie Sibblies
The House That Will Not Stand Marcus Gardley
Lewiston/Clarkston Samuel D. Hunter
The Light Loy A. Webb

2020s

Year Production Author Ref.
2020 (Honorees) Cambodian Rock Band Lauren Yee [39]
Greater Clements Samuel D. Hunter
Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven Stephen Adly Guirgis
Make Believe Bess Wohl
Seared Theresa Rebeck
2021 No awards given due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
Prayer for the French Republic Joshua Harmon [40]
Morning Sun Simon Stephens
On Sugarland Aleshea Harris
Sanctuary City Martyna Majok
The Chinese Lady Lloyd Suh
2023
Downstate Bruce Norris [41]
Becomes a Woman Betty Smith
Letters from Max, a Ritual Sarah Ruhl
A Case for the Existence of God Samuel D. Hunter
Chester Bailey Joseph Dougherty
2024
Primary Trust Eboni Booth [42]
King of the Jews Leslie Epstein
Dig Theresa Rebeck
Swing State Rebecca Gilman
King James Rajiv Joseph
2025
Liberation Bess Wohl [43]
Here There Are Blueberries Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich
Grangeville Samuel D. Hunter
The Antiquities Jordan Harrison
Table 17 Douglas Lyons

Multiple wins

2 wins

Multiple nominations

5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

References

  1. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1982". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1983". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  3. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1984". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1985". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1986". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1987". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1988". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1989". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1990". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1991". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1992". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1993". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1994". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1995". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1996". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1997". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1998". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 1999". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2000". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2001". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  21. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2002". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2003". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2004". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  24. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2005". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  25. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2006". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  26. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2007". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  27. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2008". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  28. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2009". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  29. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2010". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  30. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2010-2011". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  31. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2011-2012". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  32. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2012-2013". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  33. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2013-2014". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  34. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2014-2015". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  35. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2015-2016". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  36. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2016-2017". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  37. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2017-2018". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  38. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2018-2019". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  39. ^ Olivia Clement (May 11, 2020). "Moulin Rouge! Leads 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honorees". Playbill.
  40. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2021-2022". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  41. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2022-2023". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  42. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2023-2024". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  43. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2024-2025". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
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