Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
The Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Musical is an annual award given to the best new musical playing Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The awards have existed since 1949-1950 season, but this category was added in 1983.
Little Shop of Horrors won the inaugural award in 1983. The follow composers and writers have won the award two times:James Lapine, William Finn, Jonathan Larson, Joe DiPietro, Jeanine Tesori, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Itamar Moses, with Tesori as the only woman to win twice. She is also tied with Michael John LaChiusa for the most nominations, with four each.
Award winners
- Key
1980s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1983 |
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Little Shop of Horrors |
Howard Ashman |
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken |
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1984 |
No award given. |
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1985 |
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Kuni-Leml |
Nahma Sandrow |
Raphael Crystal and Richard Engquist |
||
1986 |
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Nunsense |
Dan Goggin |
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1987 |
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Stardust |
Various |
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1988 |
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Oil City Symphony |
Various |
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Romance/Romance |
Barry Harman |
Barry Harman and Keith Herrmann |
||
1989 |
No award given. |
|||
1990s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 |
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Closer Than Ever |
Various |
Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire |
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1991 |
||||
Falsettoland |
James Lapine |
William Finn |
||
Smoke on the Mountain |
Connie Ray |
Various |
||
1992 |
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Song of Singapore |
Allan Katz, Erik Frandsen, Robert Hipkens, Michael Garin and Paula Lockheart |
Erik Frandsen, Robert Hipkens, Michael Garin and Paula Lockheart |
||
Opal |
Robert Lindsey-Nassif |
|||
Pageant |
Bill Russell and Frank Kelly |
Albert Evans, Bill Russell and Frank Kelly |
||
Return to the Forbidden Planet |
Bob Carlton |
Various |
||
1993 |
||||
Ruthless! |
Joel Paley |
Marvin Laird and Joel Paley |
||
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah! |
Allan Sherman and Lou Busch |
|||
Putting It Together |
Stephen Sondheim and Julia McKenzie |
Stephen Sondheim |
||
Scapin |
Bill Irwin and Mark O'Donnell |
Rusty Magee |
||
1994 |
||||
Annie Warbucks |
Thomas Meehan |
Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin |
||
1995 |
||||
Jelly Roll! |
Vernel Bagneris |
|||
Jack's Holiday |
Mark St. Germain |
Randy Courts |
||
That's Life |
Various |
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1996 |
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Rent |
Jonathan Larson |
|||
Floyd Collins |
Tina Landau |
Adam Guettel |
||
Cowgirls |
Betsy Howie |
Mary Murfitt |
||
Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk |
Reg E. Gaines |
Daryl Waters, Zane Mark, Ann Duquesnay, George C. Wolfe and Reg E. Gaines |
||
Bed & Sofa |
Laurence Klavan |
Polly Penn and Laurence Klavan |
||
1997 |
||||
Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly |
Howard Crabtree and Mark Waldrop |
|||
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change |
Joe DiPietro |
Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts |
||
The Green Heart |
Charles Busch |
Rusty Magee |
||
Violet |
Brian Crawley |
Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori |
||
1998 |
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Hedwig and the Angry Inch |
John Cameron Mitchell |
Stephen Trask |
||
Dinah Was |
Oliver Goldstick |
Various |
||
The Last Session |
Jim Brochu |
Steve Schalchlin, John Bettis and Marie Cain |
||
The Show Goes On |
N/A |
Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones |
||
1999 |
||||
A New Brain |
William Finn and James Lapine |
William Finn |
||
Captains Courageous |
Patrick Cook |
Patrick Cook and Frederick Freyer |
||
Rollin' on the T.O.B.A. |
Ronald "Smokey" Stevens and Jaye Stewart |
|||
Woody Guthrie's American Song |
Peter Glazer |
Woody Guthrie |
||
2000s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 |
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The Wild Party |
Andrew Lippa |
|||
The Bomb-itty of Errors |
Jordan Allen-Dutton, Jason Catalano, GQ, and Erik Weiner |
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Jolson & Co. |
Stephen Mo Hanan, Jay Berkow |
|||
2001 |
||||
Bat Boy: The Musical |
Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming |
Laurence O'Keefe |
||
Newyorkers |
N/A |
Stephen Weiner and Glenn Slater |
||
Pete 'n' Keely |
James Hindman |
Mark Woldrop, Patrick Brady, others |
||
Suburb |
David Javerbaum |
David Javerbaum and Robert S. Cohen |
||
2002 |
||||
Tick, Tick... Boom! |
Jonathan Larson |
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The Spitfire Grill |
James Valcq and Fred Alley |
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The Last Five Years |
Jason Robert Brown |
|||
Summer of '42 |
Hunter Foster |
David Kirshenbaum |
||
2003 |
||||
A Man of No Importance |
Terrence McNally |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
||
Avenue Q |
Jeff Whitty |
Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx |
||
Hank Williams: Lost Highway |
Randal Myler and Mark Harelik |
Hank Williams |
||
Radiant Baby |
Ira Gasman, Stuart Ross and Debra Barsha |
|||
Zanna, Don't! |
Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris |
|||
2004 |
||||
Johnny Guitar |
Nicholas van Hoogstraten |
Joel Higgins and Martin Silvestri |
||
The Thing About Men |
Joe DiPietro |
Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts |
||
Fame on 42nd Street |
Jose Fernandez |
Steve Margoshes and Jacques Levy |
||
2005 |
||||
Altar Boyz |
Kevin Del Aguila |
Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker |
||
Dessa Rose |
Lynn Ahrens |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
||
Lone Star Love |
John L. Haber and Robert Horn |
Jack Herrick |
||
2006 |
||||
Grey Gardens |
Doug Wright |
Scott Frankel and Michael Korie |
||
Bernarda Alba |
Michael John LaChiusa |
|||
See What I Wanna See |
||||
Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story |
Stephen Dolginoff |
|||
2007 |
||||
In the Heights |
Quiara Alegría Hudes |
Lin-Manuel Miranda |
||
Evil Dead The Musical |
George Reinblatt |
George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla and Melissa Morris |
||
Floyd and Clea |
David Cale |
David Cale and Jonathan Kreisberg |
||
Gutenberg! The Musical! |
Scott Brown and Anthony King |
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2008 |
||||
Adding Machine |
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt |
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Make Me a Song -- The Music of William Finn |
Rob Ruggiero |
William Finn |
||
Next to Normal |
Brian Yorkey |
Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt |
||
The Glorious Ones |
Lynn Ahrens |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
||
2009 |
||||
The Toxic Avenger |
Joe DiPietro |
Joe DiPietro and David Bryan |
||
Happiness |
John Weidman |
Scott Frankel and Michael Korie |
||
Rooms: a Rock Romance |
Paul Scott Goodman and Miriam Gordon |
Paul Scott Goodman |
||
What’s That Smell? The Music of Jacob Sterling |
David Pittu |
David Pittu and Randy Redd |
||
2010s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 |
||||
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson |
Alex Timbers |
Michael Friedman |
||
The Scottsboro Boys |
David Thompson |
John Kander and Fred Ebb |
||
The Tin Pan Alley Rag |
Mark Saltzman |
Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin |
||
Yank! |
David Zellnik |
David Zellnik and Joseph Zellnik |
||
2011 |
||||
The Kid |
Michael Zam |
Andy Monroe and Jack Lechner |
||
Freckleface Strawberry |
Gary Kupper and Rose Caiola |
Gary Kupper |
||
In Transit |
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth |
|||
Tomorrow Morning |
Laurence Mark Wythe |
|||
2012 |
||||
Queen of the Mist |
Michael John LaChiusa |
|||
Death Takes a Holiday |
Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan |
Maury Yeston |
||
Play it Cool |
Martin Casella and Larry Dean Harris |
Mark Winkler and Phillip Swann |
||
Lucky Guy |
Willard Beckham |
|||
2013 |
||||
Here Lies Love |
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim |
|||
February House |
Seth Bockley |
Gabriel Kahane |
||
Dogfight |
Peter Duchan |
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
||
Giant |
Sybille Pearson |
Michael John LaChiusa |
||
Murder Ballad |
Julia Jordan |
Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash |
||
2014 |
||||
Fun Home |
Lisa Kron |
Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori |
||
Murder for Two |
Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian |
|||
Storyville |
Toni Morrison, Donald McKayle and Dorothea Freitag |
|||
What's it All About? Bacharach Reimagined |
David Lane Seltzer and Kyle Riabko |
Bacharach and Hal David |
||
Far From Heaven |
Richard Greenberg |
Scott Frankel and Michael Korie |
||
2015 |
||||
Hamilton |
Lin-Manuel Miranda |
|||
A Christmas Memory |
Duane Poole |
Larry Grossman and Carol Hall |
||
Lonesome Traveler: A Journey Down the Rivers and Streams of American Folk |
James O'Neil |
Dan Wheetman |
||
The Fortress of Solitude |
Itamar Moses |
Michael Friedman |
||
Disenchanted! |
Dennis T. Giacino |
|||
2016 |
||||
Dear Evan Hansen |
Steven Levenson |
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
||
Cagney |
Robert Creighton and Peter Colley |
Robert Creighton and Christopher McGovern |
||
Southern Comfort |
Dan Collins |
Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis |
||
Lazarus |
Enda Walsh |
David Bowie |
||
Daddy Long Legs |
John Caird |
Paul Gordon |
||
2017 |
||||
The Band's Visit |
Itamar Moses |
David Yazbek |
||
Himself and Nora |
Jonathan Brielle |
|||
Hadestown |
Anaïs Mitchell |
|||
Spamilton |
Gerard Alessandrini |
|||
Kid Victory |
Greg Pierce |
Greg Pierce and John Kander |
||
2018 |
||||
Desperate Measures |
Peter Kellogg |
David Friedman and Peter Kellogg |
||
Cruel Intentions: The Musical |
Roger Kumble, Lindsey Rosin and Jordan Ross Schindler |
Various |
||
Jerry Springer: The Opera |
Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee |
|||
Miss You Like Hell |
Quiara Alegría Hudes |
Erin McKeown and Quiara Alegría Hudes |
||
2019 |
||||
Girl from the North Country |
Conor McPherson |
Bob Dylan |
||
The Beast in the Jungle |
David Thompson |
John Kander |
||
Black Light |
Daniel Alexander Jones |
Jomama Jones |
||
The Hello Girls |
Peter Mills and Cara Reichel |
Peter Mills |
||
2020s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 (Honorees) |
Darling Grenadine |
Daniel Zaitchik |
||
Octet |
Dave Malloy |
|||
The Secret Life of Bees |
Lynn Nottage |
Duncan Sheik and Susan Birkenhead |
||
Soft Power |
David Henry Hwang |
David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori |
||
A Strange Loop |
Michael R. Jackson |
|||
2021 |
Awards cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
|||
2022 |
||||
Kimberly Akimbo |
David Lindsay-Abaire |
Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire |
||
Black No More |
John Ridley |
Tariq Trotter, Anthony Tidd, James Poyser and Daryl Waters |
||
Harmony |
Bruce Sussman |
Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow |
||
Intimate Apparel: A New Opera |
Lynn Nottage |
Ricky Ian Gordon |
||
Little Girl Blue |
Laoina Michelle, Devanand Janki |
|||
2023 |
||||
The Harder They Come |
Suzan-Lori Parks |
|||
The Bedwetter |
Sarah Silverman and Joshua Harmon |
Sarah Silverman, Adam Schlesinger and David Yazbek |
||
Between the Lines |
Timothy Allen McDonald |
Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson |
||
Only Gold |
Andy Blankenbuehler and Ted Malawer |
Kate Nash |
||
Without You |
Anthony Rapp |
|||
2024 |
||||
Dead Outlaw |
Itamar Moses |
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna |
||
Buena Vista Social Club |
Marco Ramirez |
Various |
||
The Connector |
Jonathan Marc Sherman and Daisy Prince |
Jason Robert Brown |
||
Teeth |
Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson |
|||
Illinoise |
Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury |
Sufjan Stevens |
||
2025 |
||||
Drag: The Musical |
Tomas Costanza, Justin Andrew Honard and Ash Gordon |
|||
The Big Gay Jamboree |
Marla Mindelle and Jonathan Parks-Ramage |
Marla Mindelle, Jonathan Parks-Ramageand, and Philip Drennen |
||
We Live in Cairo |
Daniel Lazour, Patrick Lazour |
|||
2026 |
||||
Mexodus |
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson |
|||
Goddess |
Saheem Ali |
Michael Thurber |
||
Beau the Musical |
Douglas Lyons |
Douglas Lyons and Ethan D. Pakchar |
||
Oratorio for Living Things |
Heather Christian |
|||
Saturday Church |
Damon Cardasis and James Ijames |
Sia, Honey Dijon, Damon Cardasis and James Ijames |
||
Multiple wins
- 2 wins
- James Lapine
- William Finn
- Jonathan Larson
- Joe DiPietro
- Jeanine Tesori
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Itamar Moses
Multiple nominations
- 4 nominations
- Jeanine Tesori
- Michael John LaChiusa
- 3 nominations
- William Finn
- Joe DiPietro
- Stephen Flaherty
- Lynn Ahrens
- Scott Frankel
- Michael Korie
- John Kander
- Itamar Moses
- 2 nominations
- James Lapine
- Rusty Magee
- Thomas Meehan
- Jonathan Larson
- Daryl Waters
- Jimmy Roberts
- Jason Robert Brown
- Quiara Alegría Hudes
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Michael Friedman
- Benj Pasek
- Justin Paul
- David Thompson
- Lynn Nottage
- Michael R. Jackson
See also
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
- Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical