Brian d'Arcy James & Jennifer Simard Will Announce Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominees on 4/19

The Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, is proud to announce Broadway's "Something Rotten" and Hollywood's "Spotlight" star Brian d'Arcy James along with this season's break-out & genuflecting sensation Jennifer Simard from Broadway's "Disaster" will announce the nominees for the 2015-16 season on Tuesday, April 19th (11 AM) at New York's legendary Algonquin Hotel (59 W 44th Street.) Outer Critics Circle will post a new award entitled "Outstanding Video/Projection Design" to increase award nominations to 25 categories. Outer Critics Circle nominations are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

Celebrating its 66th season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theater, the Outer Critics Circle is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, Internet, and theatre publications in America and abroad.

The winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th. The annual Gala Awards Dinner and presentation of awards to the winners will be held on Thursday, May 26th (3PM) at the legendary Sardi's Restaurant.

Brian d'Arcy James was awarded the 2016 SAG Award, Critics Choice Award, Gotham Award and the Independent Spirit's Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble for his portrayal of Matt Carroll, one of the four critical members of the Boston Globe's Spotlight team opposite Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Mc Adams in the 2016 Best Picture Oscar winning film "Spotlight."Brian is a celebrated stage actor who has received three TONY nominations for his work on Broadway: Nick Bottom in the currently running hit musical Something Rotten, Shrek in Shrek the Musical, and Sidney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success. In 2015 he also originated the role of King George in Lin Manuel Miranda'sHamilton at New York's Public Theater. He is a multiple Outer Critics Circle Award nominee and winner. Some additional Broadway credits include: the role of Banquo opposite Ethan Hawke in the Lincoln Center production ofMacbeth, starring alongside Laura Linney, Christina Ricci and Eric Bogosian in the hit play Time Stands Still andstarring in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Next to Normal. Television fans know Brian most noticeably for his roles on NBC's "Smash," Showtime's "The Big C" and the Award-winning HBO movie "Game Change." He also appeared in the 2015 film "Sisters" with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. As a concert artist Brian has performed world wide, large venues and small, some highlights being The White House, Madison Square Garden, and Carnegie Hall among a host of others.

Jennifer Simard is a four time Drama Desk and two time Drama League nominee and is pleased to currently be reprising her nominated performance as Sr. Mary Downy in "Disaster! on Broadway. She also appeared on Broadway opposite Mo Rocca in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", "Shrek the Musical" & "Sister Act." Off Broadway, she appeared in "Forbidden Broadway", "I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change" & "The Thing About Men" among others. Television includes, "The King of Queens", "Law & Order" & "SVU" and she recently guest starred as Janie Mullaby on the CBS drama "The Good Wife." Film includes "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas", "Wish You Were Dead" and the recently released "Sisters".

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos