Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
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Awarded forBest New Off-Broadway Play
LocationNew York City
Presented byOuter Critics Circle
Currently held byLiberation by Bess Wohl (2025)
| Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Play | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best New Off-Broadway Play |
| Location | New York City |
| Presented by | Outer Critics Circle |
| Currently held by | Liberation by Bess Wohl (2025) |
| Website | OuterCritics.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.[1]
Charles Fuller's A Soldier's Play won the first award in 1982.[2] 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.
1980s
- Key
and bold indicates the winner.
| Year | Production | Author | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | |||
| A Soldier's Play | Charles Fuller | [3] | |
| 1983 | |||
| Extremities | William Mastrosimone | [4] | |
| 1984 | |||
| Painting Churches | Tina Howe | [5] | |
| 1985 | |||
| The Foreigner | Larry Shue | [6] | |
| 1986 | |||
| A Lie of the Mind | Sam Shepard | [7] | |
| 1987 | |||
| The Common Pursuit | Simon Gray | [8] | |
| 1988 | |||
| Driving Miss Daisy | Alfred Uhry | [9] | |
| 1989 | |||
| The Heidi Chronicles | Wendy Wasserstein | [10] |
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Production | Author | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (Honorees) | Cambodian Rock Band | Lauren Yee | [68] |
| 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 | [69] | |
| Morning Sun | Simon Stephens | ||
| On Sugarland | Aleshea Harris | ||
| Sanctuary City | Martyna Majok | ||
| The Chinese Lady | Lloyd Suh | ||
| 2023 | |||
| Downstate | Bruce Norris | [70] | |
| 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 | [71] | |
| King of the Jews | Leslie Epstein | ||
| Dig | Theresa Rebeck | ||
| Swing State | Rebecca Gilman | ||
| King James | Rajiv Joseph | ||
| 2025 | |||
| Liberation | Bess Wohl | [72][73] | |
| Here There Are Blueberries | Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich | ||
| Grangeville | Samuel D. Hunter | ||
| The Antiquities | Jordan Harrison | ||
| Table 17 | Douglas Lyons | ||
| 2026 | Angry Alan | Penelope Skinner | [74] |
| Meet the Cartozians | Talene Monahon | ||
| The Monsters | Ngozi Anyanwu | ||
| Prince Faggot | Jordan Tannahill | ||
| The Reservoir | Jake Brasch | ||
Multiple wins
- 2 wins