The 2009 Outer Critics Circle Awards winners were announced on May 21, 2009, recognizing excellence in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions during the 2008–09 season. Nominations were announced on April 20, 2009, with Billy Elliot and Shrek the Musical leading the nominations with ten each. Following close behind was 33 Variations with five nominations.

Billy Elliot won the most awards of the ceremony, winning seven including Outstanding New Broadway Musical. Close behind were Shrek the Musical with four wins, and both God of Carnage and The Norman Conquests with two wins each.

Winners and nominees

The nominees were announced on April 20, 2009 by actors and married couple Rebecca Luker and Danny Burstein. These included ten nominations for both Billy Elliot and Shrek the Musical, the most of any productions. Winners were announced on May 21, 2009 in an awards ceremony at Sardi's hosted by Tyne Daly and Donna Murphy, with Billy Elliot winning the most awards, at seven wins.

Category

Winners and nominees

Outstanding New Broadway Play

* God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza

  • Irena's Vow by Irena Gut
  • reasons to be pretty by Neil Labute
  • 33 Variations by Moisés Kaufman

Outstanding New Broadway Musical

*Billy Elliot

  • Rock of Ages
  • Shrek the Musical
  • A Tale of Two Cities

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

* Ruined by Lynn Nottage

  • Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo
  • Farragut North by Beau Willimon
  • Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told By Himself) by Donald Margulies
  • Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them by Christopher Durang

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical

* The Toxic Avenger

  • Happiness
  • Rooms: A Rock Romance
  • What's That Smell? The Music of Jacob Sterling

Outstanding Revival of a Play

* The Norman Conquests by Alan Ayckbourn

  • Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward
  • The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh
  • Joe Turner's Come and Gone by August Wilson
  • Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

* Hair

  • Enter Laughing
  • Pal Joey
  • West Side Story

Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

* Elton John and Lee Hall - Billy Elliot

  • Scott Frankel - Happiness
  • Paul Scott Goodman - Rooms: A Rock Romance
  • Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire - Shrek the Musical

Outstanding Director of Play

* Matthew Warchus - The Norman Conquests

  • Garry Hynes - The Cripple of Inishmaan
  • Anthony Page - Waiting for Godot
  • Bartlett Sher - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
  • Moisés Kaufman - 33 Variations

Outstanding Director of a Musical

* Stephen Daldry - Billy Elliot

  • Arthur Laurents - West Side Story
  • Jason Moore - Shrek the Musical
  • Diane Paulus - Hair
  • Susan Stroman - Happiness

Outstanding Solo Performance

* Lorenzo Pisoni - Humor Abuse

  • Mike Birbiglia - Sleepwalk With Me
  • Mike Burstyn - Lansky
  • Mike Daisey - If You See Something, Say Something
  • Matt Sax - Clay

John Gassner Award

* Gina Gionfriddo - Becky Shaw

  • Annie Baker - Body Awareness
  • Beau Willimon - Farragut North

Outstanding Choreography

* Peter Darling - Billy Elliot

  • Karole Armitage - Hair
  • Andy Blankenbuehler - 9 to 5
  • Josh Prince - Shrek the Musical
  • Susan Stroman - Happiness

Outstanding Actor in a Play

* Geoffrey Rush - Exit the King

  • Raúl Esparza - Speed-the-Plow
  • Bill Irwin - Waiting for Godot
  • Nathan Lane - Waiting for Godot
  • Thomas Sadoski - reasons to be pretty

Outstanding Actress in a Play

* Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage

  • Saidah Arrika Ekulona - Ruined
  • Carla Gugino - Desire Under the Elms
  • Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart
  • Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

* David Pearse - The Cripple of Inishmaan

  • Zach Grenier - 33 Variations
  • John Benjamin Hickey - Mary Stuart
  • Russell G. Jones - Ruined
  • Patrick Page - A Man For All Seasons

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

* Angela Lansbury - Blithe Spirit

  • Andrea Martin - Exit the King
  • Kristine Nielsen - Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them
  • Susan Louise O'Connor - Blithe Spirit
  • Condola Rashad - Ruined

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

* Brian D'Arcy James - Shrek the Musical

  • James Barbour - A Tale of Two Cities
  • Matt Cavenaugh - West Side Story
  • Josh Grisetti - Enter Laughing
  • David Pittu - What's That Smell? The Music of Jacob Sterling

Outstanding Actress in a Musical (tie)

* Sutton Foster - Shrek the Musical and Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story

  • Megan Hilty - 9 to 5
  • Leslie Kritzer - Rooms: A Rock Romance
  • Nancy Opel - The Toxic Avenger

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

* Gregory Jbara - Billy Elliot

  • Daniel Breaker - Shrek the Musical
  • Aaron Simon Gross - 13
  • Christopher Sieber - Shrek the Musical
  • Wesley Taylor - Rock of Ages

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

* Haydn Gwynne - Billy Elliot

  • Kathy Fitzgerald - 9 to 5
  • Karen Olivo - West Side Story
  • Martha Plimpton - Pal Joey
  • Carole Shelley - Billy Elliot

Outstanding Scenic Design

* Tim Hatley - Shrek the Musical

  • Santo Loquasto - Waiting for Godot
  • Derek McLane - 33 Variations
  • Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliot
  • Walt Spangler - Desire Under the Elms

Outstanding Costume Design

* Tim Hatley - Shrek the Musical

  • Nicky Gillibrand - Billy Elliot
  • John Napier - Equus
  • Martin Pakledinaz - Blithe Spirit
  • Catherine Zuber - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Outstanding Lighting Design

* Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot

  • Kevin Adams - Hair
  • David Hersey - Equus
  • Peter Kaczorowski - Ruined
  • David Lander - 33 Variations

References