‘Stereophonic’, ‘Dead Outlaw’ Take Top New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards

David Adjmi’s Stereophonic was named Best Play of the year by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle today, with the Best Musical Award going to the Off Broadway production of Dead Outlaw from the team behind The Band’s Visit.

Stereophonic, currently on Broadway, has received 13 Tony Award nominations, and includes songs written by Will Butler from the indie rock band Arcade Fire. The play tells the story of a fractious 1970s Fleetwood Mac-like rock band recording what will be a massive Rumours-like hit record.

Dead Outlaw, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna and a book by Itamar Moses, is inspired by the life of Elmer McCurdy. The musical, which premiered this year at the Minetta Lane Theatre, was originally conceived by Yazbek and tells the story of an outlaw from the early 20th Century whose corpse became a traveling sideshow exhibit for decades. Long thought to be a Western-themed mannequin at a Southern California amusement park, the body was determined to be the real thing when a crew from The Six Million Dollar Man came to shoot an episode at the park.

Although a Broadway run for Dead Outlaw has not been announced, the prospect grows stronger with every award.

The Critics’ Circle also announced special citations to Heather Christian (composer of the musicals Terce and Oratorio for Living Things), the Broadway revivals of Merrily We Roll Along and Purlie Victorious, and to Maryann Plunkett and Jay O. Sanders for career achievement.

The awards will be presented at a small ceremony on Tuesday, May 21.

Earlier today, the New York-based Outer Critics Circle for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, named Stereophonic the year’s Outstanding New Broadway Play and Suffs the Outstanding Broadway Musical. Other Outer Critics winners were:

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical: Dead Outlaw

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play: Primary Trust

New American Play (preferably by a new playwright): Oh, Mary!

Outstanding Revival of a Musical: I Can Get It for You Wholesale

Outstanding Revival of a Play: Appropriate

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play: Jessica Lange – Mother Play

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play: Kara Young – Purlie Victorious

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical: Kelli O’Hara – Days of Wine and Roses

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical: Kecia Lewis – Hell’s Kitchen

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical: Andrew Durand – Dead Outlaw

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical (tie): Judy Kuhn – I Can Get It For You Wholesale; Thom Sesma – Dead Outlaw

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play (tie): Cole Escola–Oh, Mary!; William Jackson Harper – Primary Trust

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play: Jay O. Sanders – Primary Trust

Outstanding Solo Performance: Patrick Page – All the Devils are Here

Outstanding Book of a Musical: Shaina Taub – Suffs

Outstanding Score: Shaina Taub – Suffs

Outstanding Orchestrations Marco Paguia – Buena Vista Social Club

Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Jessica Stone – Water for Elephants

Outstanding Direction of a Play: Daniel Aukin – Stereophonic

Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway): Justin Peck — Illinoise

Outstanding Scenic Design (tie): David Zinn – Stereophonic; Paul Tate dePoo III – The Great Gatsby

Outstanding Costume Design: Linda Cho – The Great Gatsby

Outstanding Lighting Design: Brian MacDevitt – The Outsiders

Outstanding Sound Design: Ryan Rumery – Stereophonic

Outstanding Video/Projections: Peter Nigrini – The Who’s Tommy

The Outer Critics Circle awards ceremony for the winners will be held on Thursday, May 23, in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center’s New York Public Library for The Performing Arts.