The History Boys continued its triumphant run through award season Monday when it won four awards from the Outer Critics Circle, including the one for top play. Jersey Boys was named Outstanding Broadway Musical, though The Drowsy Chaperone was the musical that earned the most awards, with four.
Alan Bennett's play about British school boys in the mid-1980s also earned honors for Richard Griffiths and Frances de La Tour for Outstanding Featured Actor and Actress. Nicholas Hynter won for his direction. History Boys previously earned best play awards from the Drama League and the New York Drama Critics.
Chaperone was honored for new score, Featured Actress (Beth Leavel), set design and costume design. In addition to best musical, Jersey Boys earned an award for John Lloyd Young for Outstanding Actor.
Gabriel Byrne won best actor in a play for his role in A Touch of the Poet. The award for best actress went to Lois Smith in A Trip to Bountiful. Christine Ebersole earned top honors for actress in a musical for her performance in Grey Gardens. Jim Dale of Threepenny Opera was named best featured actor in a musical.
The winners of the Outer Critics Cirlce Awards, for most productions and performances for Broadway and Off-Broadway:
BROADWAY PLAY: The History Boys
BROADWAY MUSICAL: Jersey Boys
OFF-BROADWAY PLAY: Stuff Happens
OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL: Grey Gardens
NEW SCORE: The Drowsy Chaperone
REVIVAL OF A PLAY: Awake and Sing!
REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Sweeney Todd
ACTOR IN A PLAY: Gabriel Byrne, A Touch of the Poet
ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Lois Smith, The Trip to Bountiful
ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys
ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Richard Griffiths, The History Boys
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Frances de la Tour, The History Boys
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone
SOLO PERFORMANCE: Anthony Sher, Primo
DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys
DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: John Doyle, Sweeney Todd
CHOREOGRAPHY: Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
SET DESIGN: David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone
COSTUME DESIGN: Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone
LIGHTING DESIGN: Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys
JOHN GASSNER AWARD (presented for an American play, usually by a new playwright): Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter, In the Continuum