A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD & KIMBERLY AKIMBO & Win New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards

The New York Drama Critics' Circle today named Samuel D. Hunter's A Case for the Existence of God best play of the 2021-22 season. The award for best musical went to David Lindsay-Abaire's and Jeanine Tesori's Kimberly Akimbo. The selections were made at the organization's 86th annual voting meeting.

The awards, which will be presented during a private ceremony on Friday, May 20, include a cash prize of $2,500 for Best Play, made possible by a grant from the Lucille Lortel Foundation.

Two special citations were awarded: to actor and director Austin Pendleton and for emerging talent to Sanaz Toossi for her plays English and Wish You Were Here.

A Case for the Existence of God, written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by David Cromer, had its world premiere on May 2, 2022, at Signature Theatre Company where it is currently playing.

Kimberly Akimbo, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori, directed by Jessica Stone, had its world premiere at Atlantic Theater Company on December 8, 2021, and closed on January 15, 2022.

The New York Drama Critics' Circle comprises 22 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines, wire services and websites based in the New York metropolitan area. The New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, which has been awarded every year since 1936 to the best new play of the season (with optional awards for foreign or American plays, musicals and special achievements), is the nation's second-oldest playwriting award, after the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Adam Feldman, theater critic and editor for Time Out New York, has served as president of the NYDCC since 2005. Joe Dziemianowicz serves as vice president; Zachary Stewart is treasurer.

In addition to Feldman, Dziemianowicz and Stewart, the members of the New York Drama Critics' Circle are David Barbour, David Cote, Vinson Cunningham, Greg Evans, David Finkle, Jeremy Gerard, Charles Isherwood, Chris Jones, Christopher Kelly, Soraya Nadia McDonald, Johnny Oleksinski, David Rooney, Frank Scheck, Alexandra Schwartz, Helen Shaw, David Sheward, Marilyn Stasio, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Matt Windman. Emeritus members include Melissa Rose Bernardo, Michael Feingold, Robert Feldberg, Elysa Gardner, Brian Scott Lipton, Jesse Oxfeld, Michael Sommers, Steven Suskin, Linda Winer and Richard Zoglin.

For more information on the New York Drama Critics' Circle, please visit www.dramacritics.org. A full breakdown of this year's voting has been posted on the organization's website.