Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical

The Outer Critics Circle Award for Direction of a Musical, formerly the award for Director of a Musical, is an annual award given to the best director of a new musical on Broadway or Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The award has been given out since the 1992–1993 season, when the Best Direction award split into musical and play categories. In 2024, the award was renamed to Outstanding Direction of a Musical.

Michael Arden has won the most awards with three, for his productions of Spring Awakening, Parade and Maybe Happy Ending, followed by Susan Stroman, Bartlett Sher and Jessica Stone with two award each; Stroman won both awards consecutively in 2000 and 2001. Scott Ellis has the record for most nominations, with seven, followed closely by Susan Stroman and Kathleen Marshall with six and five nominations respectively.

Award winners

Key

1980s

Year	Production	Director	Ref.
1980
1980	*A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine*	Tommy Tune

1990s

Year	Production	Director
1993
1993	*The Who's Tommy*	Des McAnuff
1994
1994	*She Loves Me*	Scott Ellis
1995
1995	*Show Boat*	Harold Prince
1996
1996	*A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*	Jerry Zaks
1997
	*Chicago*	Walter Bobbie
	The Life	Michael Blakemore
	Jekyll and Hyde	Robin Phillips
	Steel Pier	Scott Ellis
	Titanic	Richard Jones
1998
	*The Lion King*	Julie Taymor
	1776	Scott Ellis
	Cabaret	Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall
	Ragtime	Frank Galati
1999
	*Swan Lake*	Matthew Bourne
	You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown	Michael Mayer
	Fosse	Richard Maltby Jr. and Ann Reinking
	The Civil War	Jerry Zaks

2000s

Year	Production	Director
2000
	*Contact and The Music Man*	Susan Stroman
	The Wild Party	Mark Dendy
	Swing!	Lynne Taylor-Corbett
	Kiss Me, Kate	Kathleen Marshall
2001
	*The Producers*	Susan Stroman
	The Rocky Horror Show	Christopher Ashley
	42nd Street	Mark Bramble
	The Full Monty	Jack O'Brien
2002
	*Urinetown*	John Rando
	Thoroughly Modern Millie	Michael Mayer
	Oklahoma!	Trevor Nunn
	Into the Woods	James Lapine
2003
	*Movin' Out*	Twyla Tharp
	Hairspray	Jerry Mitchell
	Flower Drum Song	Robert Longbottom
	Nine	Jonathan Butterell
2004
	*Wonderful Town*	Kathleen Marshall
	The Boy from Oz	Joey McKneely
	Wicked	Wayne Cilento
	Never Gonna Dance	Jerry Mitchell
	Bombay Dreams	Anthony van Laast and Farah Khan
2005
	*Spamalot*	Mike Nichols
	The Light in the Piazza	Bartlett Sher
	Sweet Charity	Walter Bobbie
	Chitty Chitty Bang Bang	Adrian Noble
	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels	Jack O'Brien
2006
	*Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*	John Doyle
	The Pajama Game	Kathleen Marshall
	Jersey Boys	Des McAnuff
	Grey Gardens	Michael Greif
2007
	*Spring Awakening*	Michael Mayer
	Mary Poppins	Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne
	In the Heights	Thomas Kail
	Company	John Doyle
2008
	*South Pacific*	Bartlett Sher
	Gypsy	Arthur Laurents
	Adding Machine	David Cromer
	Young Frankenstein	Susan Stroman
2009
	*Billy Elliot: The Musical*	Stephen Daldry
	Hair	Diane Paulus
	Shrek the Musical	Jason Moore
	Happiness	Susan Stroman
	West Side Story	Arthur Laurents

2010s

Year	Production	Director
2010
	*La Cage aux Folles*	Terry Johnson
	Memphis	Christopher Ashley
	The Scottsboro Boys	Susan Stroman
	Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson	Alex Timbers
2011
	*The Book of Mormon*	Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker
	Sister Act The Musical	Jerry Zaks
	Anything Goes	Kathleen Marshall
	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	Rob Ashford
2012
	*Once*	John Tiffany
	Newsies	Jeff Calhoun
	Evita	Michael Grandage
	Nice Work If You Can Get It	Kathleen Marshall
2013
	*Pippin*	Diane Paulus
	Chaplin: The Musical	Warren Carlyle
	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Scott Ellis
	Kinky Boots	Jerry Mitchell
	Here Lies Love	Alex Timbers
2014
	*A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder*	Darko Tresnjak
	After Midnight	Warren Carlyle
	Fun Home	Sam Gold
	Les Misérables	Laurence Connor and James Powell
	Rocky	Alex Timbers
2015
	*An American in Paris*	Christopher Wheeldon
	Hamilton	Thomas Kail
	Something Rotten!	Casey Nicholaw
	It Shoulda Been You	David Hyde Pierce
	On the Twentieth Century	Scott Ellis
2016
	*Spring Awakening*	Michael Arden
	Bright Star	Walter Bobbie
	She Loves Me	Scott Ellis
	American Psycho	Rupert Goold
	Dear Evan Hansen	Michael Greif
2017
	*Come From Away*	Christopher Ashley
	David Cromer	The Band’s Visit
	Darko Tresnjak	Anastasia
	Matthew Warchus	Groundhog Day
	Jerry Zaks	Hello, Dolly!
2018
	*SpongeBob SquarePants*	Tina Landau
	*My Fair Lady*	Bartlett Sher
	Desperate Measures	Bill Castellino
	Once on This Island	Michael Arden
	Mean Girls	Casey Nicholaw
2019
	*Hadestown*	Rachel Chavkin
	Tootsie	Scott Ellis
	Oklahoma!	Daniel Fish
	Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish	Joel Grey
	The Hello Girls	Cara Reichel

2020s

Year	Production	Director
2020 (Hon.)	A Strange Loop	Stephen Brackett
	Jagged Little Pill	Diane Paulus
	Little Shop of Horrors	Michael Mayer
	Moulin Rouge!	Alex Timbers
	West Side Story	Ivo van Hove
2021	No award given due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
	*Kimberly Akimbo*	Jessica Stone
	Paradise Square	Moisés Kaufman
	MJ	Christopher Wheeldon
	Harmony	Warren Carlyle
	Mrs. Doubtfire	Jerry Zaks
2023
	*Parade*	Michael Arden
	Merrily We Roll Along	Maria Friedman
	Some Like It Hot	Casey Nicholaw
	Shucked	Jack O'Brien
	New York, New York	Susan Stroman
2024
	*Water for Elephants*	Jessica Stone
	Suffs	Leigh Silverman
	The Connector	Daisy Prince
	Days of Wine and Roses	Michael Greif
	Dead Outlaw	David Cromer
2025
	*Maybe Happy Ending*	Michael Arden
	Boop! The Musical	Jerry Mitchell
	Cats: The Jellicle Ball	Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch
	Operation Mincemeat	Robert Hastie
	Death Becomes Her	Christopher Gattelli
2026
	*Ragtime*	Lear deBessonet
	The Lost Boys	Michael Arden
	Oratorio for Living Things	Lee Sunday Evans
	Mexodus	David Mendizábal
	Masquerade	Diane Paulus

Multiple wins

3 wins

Michael Arden

2 wins

Susan Stroman (consecutive)
Bartlett Sher
Jessica Stone

Multiple nominations

7 nominations

Scott Ellis

6 nominations

Susan Stroman

5 nominations

Kathleen Marshall
Michael Arden

4 nominations

Jerry Zaks
Michael Mayer
Jerry Mitchell
Alex Timbers
Casey Nicholaw
Diane Paulus

3 nominations

Walter Bobbie
Jack O'Brien
Bartlett Sher
Michael Greif
Warren Carlyle

2 nominations

Des McAnuff
Matthew Bourne
Christopher Ashley
John Doyle
Thomas Kail
Arthur Laurents
David Cromer
Christopher Wheeldon
Jessica Stone

1776 (musical)2011 Outer Critics Circle Awards2012 Outer Critics Circle Awards2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards2014 Outer Critics Circle Awards2015 Outer Critics Circle Awards2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards2018 Outer Critics Circle Awards2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards2020 Outer Critics Circle Awards2022 Outer Critics Circle Awards2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards42nd Street (musical)A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the UkraineA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumA Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (musical)A Strange LoopAdding Machine (musical)Adrian NobleAfter Midnight (musical)Alex TimbersAmerican Psycho (musical)An American in Paris (musical)Anastasia (musical)Ann ReinkingAnything GoesArthur LaurentsBartlett SherBill RauchBilly Elliot the MusicalBloody Bloody Andrew JacksonBombay DreamsBoop! The MusicalBright Star (musical)Broadway theatreCabaret (musical)Casey NicholawCats (musical)Chaplin (2006 musical)Chicago (musical)Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)Christopher AshleyChristopher GattelliChristopher WheeldonCome From AwayCompany (musical)Contact (musical)COVID-19 pandemicDaniel FishDarko TresnjakDavid CromerDavid Hyde PierceDays of Wine and Roses (musical)Dead OutlawDear Evan HansenDeath Becomes Her (musical)Des McAnuffDesperate Measures (musical)Diane PaulusDirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical)Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a MusicalEvita (musical)Farah KhanFiddler on the RoofFlower Drum Song (musical)Fosse (musical)Frank GalatiFun Home (musical)Grey Gardens (musical)Groundhog Day (musical)Gypsy: A Musical FableHadestown (musical)Hair (musical)Hairspray (musical)Hamilton (musical)Harmony (musical)Harold PrinceHello, Dolly! (musical)Here Lies Love (musical)How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (musical)In the HeightsInto the WoodsIt Shoulda Been YouIvo van HoveJack O'Brien (director)Jagged Little Pill (musical)James LapineJason Moore (director)Jeff Calhoun (choreographer)Jekyll and Hyde (musical)Jerry MitchellJerry ZaksJersey BoysJessica StoneJoel GreyJohn Doyle (director)John RandoJohn TiffanyJonathan ButterellJulie TaymorKathleen MarshallKimberly Akimbo (musical)Kinky Boots (musical)Kiss Me, KateLa Cage aux Folles (musical)Lear deBessonetLee Sunday EvansLeigh SilvermanLes Misérables (musical)Little Shop of Horrors (musical)Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding DirectorLynne Taylor-CorbettMaria FriedmanMark BrambleMary Poppins (musical)Matthew BourneMatthew WarchusMaybe Happy EndingMean Girls (musical)Memphis (musical)Merrily We Roll Along (musical)MexodusMichael ArdenMichael BlakemoreMichael GrandageMichael GreifMichael Mayer (director)Mike NicholsMJ the MusicalMoisés KaufmanMoulin Rouge! (musical)Movin' Out (musical)Mrs. Doubtfire (musical)Musical playMy Fair Lady (musical)Never Gonna DanceNew York CityNew York, New York (musical)Newsies (musical)Nice Work If You Can Get It (musical)Nine (musical)Off-BroadwayOklahoma!On the Twentieth CenturyOnce (musical)Once on This Island (musical)Operation Mincemeat (musical)Oratorio for Living ThingsOuter Critics CircleOuter Critics Circle AwardParade (musical)Paradise Square (musical)Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)Pippin (musical)Rachel ChavkinRagtime (musical)Richard EyreRichard Jones (director)Richard Maltby Jr.Rob AshfordRob MarshallRobert HastieRobert LongbottomRobin PhillipsRocky the MusicalRupert GooldSam GoldSam MendesScott EllisShe Loves MeShow BoatShrek the MusicalShuckedSister Act (musical)Some Like It Hot (musical)Something Rotten!South Pacific (musical)SpamalotSpongeBob SquarePants (musical)Spring Awakening (musical)Steel Pier (musical)Stephen BrackettStephen DaldrySuffsSusan StromanSwan LakeSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSweet CharitySwing!Terry Johnson (dramatist)The Band's Visit (musical)The Book of Mormon (musical)The Boy from OzThe Civil War (musical)The Connector (musical)The Full Monty (musical)The Life (musical)The Light in the Piazza (musical)The Lion King (musical)The Lost Boys (musical)The Music ManThe Mystery of Edwin Drood (musical)The Pajama GameThe Producers (musical)The Rocky Horror ShowThe Scottsboro Boys (musical)The Who's TommyThe Wild Party (Lippa musical)Thomas KailThoroughly Modern Millie (musical)Tina LandauTitanic (musical)Tommy TuneTony Award for Best Direction of a MusicalTootsie (musical)Trevor NunnTrey ParkerTwyla TharpUrinetownWalter BobbieWarren CarlyleWater for Elephants (musical)Wayne CilentoWest Side StoryWicked (musical)Wonderful TownYou're a Good Man, Charlie BrownYoung Frankenstein (musical)Zhailon Levingston

Backlinks (23)

2026 Outer Critics Circle AwardsCasey NicholawChristopher GattelliDays of Wine and Roses (musical)Dead OutlawDeath Becomes Her (musical)Diane PaulusJessica StoneLear deBessonetLee Sunday EvansList of awards and nominations received by Cats (musical)Maybe Happy EndingMJ the MusicalMrs. Doubtfire (musical)Operation Mincemeat (musical)Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding DirectorOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a MusicalOuter Critics Circle AwardsSteel Pier (musical)SuffsThe Connector (musical)The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)Water for Elephants (musical)

External links (74)

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Subject Facts

QID: Q136129493

Label: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Description: annual American theater award

Wikidata Archive Data

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Captured: August 8, 2026 4:20 PM

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Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Award winners

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Multiple wins

Multiple nominations

See also