Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
American theatre award for Broadway actors
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The Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play was an annual award given to the best actress in a non-musical play on Broadway or Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The award was first given out in 1977, preceded by a "Best Performance" category.
| Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play | |
|---|---|
LaChanze, 2022 winner | |
| Awarded for | Outstanding Actress in a Play |
| Location | New York City |
| Presented by | Outer Critics Circle |
| Status | Retired |
| Currently held by | LaChanze, Trouble in Mind (2022) |
| Website | OuterCriticsCircle.org |
The award was preceded by an award for Best Performance, but the newly gendered award for musical performance was first given out the 1987–1988 season through the season. The award was retired in 2022 and replaced by Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play and Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play in gender-neutral performance categories.[1]
Cherry Jones won the award the most times, with four wins out of four nominations. Following her, both Mercedes Ruehl and Viola Davis won the award twice each. Laura Linney has received the most nominations, with six, winning once.
Awards winners
- Key
1970s
| Year | Actor | Work | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | ||||
| Liv Ullmann | Anna Christie | Anna Christie | [2] | |
| 1978 | ||||
| Nancy Snyder | Fifth of July | Shirley Talley | [3] | |
| Vicki Frederick | Dancin | Ensemble | ||
| 1979 | No award given. | |||
1980s
| Year | Actor | Work | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | No award given. | |||
| 1981 | ||||
| Swoosie Kurtz | Fifth of July | Gwen Landis | [4] | |
| 1982 | ||||
| Amanda Plummer | Agnes of God / A Taste of Honey | Agnes / Jo | [5] | |
| 1983 | ||||
| Kathy Bates | 'night, Mother | Jessie Cates | [6] | |
| Jessica Tandy | Foxfire | Annie Nations | ||
| 1984 | ||||
| Marian Seldes | Painting Churches | Fay Chatham | [7] | |
| 1985 | ||||
| Rosemary Harris | Pack of Lies | Maggie Hunt | [8] | |
| 1986 | ||||
| Lily Tomlin | The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe | Various | [9] | |
| 1987 | ||||
| Linda Lavin | Broadway Bound | Kate Jerome | [10] | |
| 1988 | ||||
| Dana Ivey | Driving Miss Daisy / Wenceslas Square | Miss Daisy / Various | [11] | |
| 1989 | ||||
| Pauline Collins | Shirley Valentine | Shirley Valentine | [12] | |
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Actor | Work | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (Hon.) | Eileen Atkins | The Height of the Storm | Claire | [68] |
| Judith Ivey | Greater Clements | Cora | ||
| Joaquina Kalukango | Slave Play | Kaneisha | ||
| April Matthis | Toni Stone | Toni Stone | ||
| Mary-Louise Parker | The Sound Inside | Portia Stew | ||
| 2021 | No award given due to COVID-19 pandemic. | |||
| 2022 | ||||
| LaChanze | Trouble in Mind | Wiletta Mayer | [69][70] | |
| Betsy Aidem | Prayer for the French Republic | Marcelle Salomon Benhamou | ||
| Stephanie Berry | On Sugarland | Evelyn | ||
| Edie Falco | Morning Sun | Charley | ||
| Debra Messing | Birthday Candles | Ernestine Ashworth | ||
Multiple wins
Multiple nominations
- 6 nominations
- 4 nominations
- 3 nominations
- 2 nominations