PIPPIN Leads Outer Critics Circle Nominations with 11; KINKY BOOTS Follows with 9 and CHAPLIN & CINDERELLA with 8

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators covering New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, announced today (April 22, 2013) its nominees for the 2012-13 season in 24 categories. Broadway stars Robert Cuccioli (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) and Laila Robins (Dance of Death) presided over the (11AM) announcement ceremony at Manhattan's Friars Club.

Based on a recommendation by the OCC Executive Committee, a Special Achievement Award will be given to Irish Repertory Theatre (Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director and Ciarán O'Reilly, Producing Director) in recognition of 25 years of producing outstanding theatre.

Celebrating its 63rd 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, websites, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad. The winners of the following categories will be announced on Monday, May 13th and the annual awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23rd (4PM) at the legendary Sardi's Restaurant.

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
Grace
Lucky Guy
The Nance
The Testament of Mary
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Chaplin: The Musical
A Christmas Story
Hands on a Hardbody
Kinky Boots
Matilda the Musical

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Bad Jews
Cock
My Name is Asher Lev
Really Really
The Whale

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
February House
Dogfight
Giant
Here Lies Love
Murder Ballad

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Cinderella
Chaplin: The Musical
Dogfight
Kinky Boots
Matilda the Musical

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Chaplin: The Musical
Dogfight
Hands on a Hardbody
Here Lies Love
Kinky Boots

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Golden Boy
Orphans
The Piano Lesson
The Trip to Bountiful
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Annie
Cinderella
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Passion
Pippin

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Pam MacKinnon Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Jack O'Brien The Nance
Bartlett Sher Golden Boy
Michael Wilson The Trip to Bountiful

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Warren Carlyle Chaplin: The Musical
Scott Ellis The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus Pippin
Alex Timbers Here Lies Love

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Warren Carlyle Chaplin: The Musical
Peter Darling Matilda the Musical
Jerry Mitchell Kinky Boots
Josh Rhodes Cinderella
Chet Walker Pippin

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
John Lee Beatty The Nance
Rob Howell Matilda the Musical
David Korins Here Lies Love
Scott Pask Pippin
Michael Yeargan Golden Boy

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Amy Clark & Martin Pakledinaz Chaplin: The Musical
Gregg Barnes Kinky Boots
Dominique Lemieux Pippin
William Ivey Long Cinderella
William Ivey Long The Mystery of Edwin Drood

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Ken Billington Chaplin: The Musical
Paul Gallo Dogfight
Donald Holder Golden Boy
Kenneth Posner Cinderella
Kenneth Posner Pippin

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Tom Hanks Lucky Guy
Shuler Hensley The Whale
Nathan Lane The Nance
Tracy Letts Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Tracee Chimo Bad Jews
Amy Morton Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Vanessa Redgrave The Revisionist
Joely Richardson Ivanov
Cicely Tyson The Trip to Bountiful

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Bertie Carvel Matilda the Musical
Santino Fontana Cinderella
Rob McClure Chaplin: The Musical
Billy Porter Kinky Boots
Matthew James Thomas Pippin

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lilla Crawford Annie
Valisia LeKae Motown: The Musical
Lindsay Mendez Dogfight
Patina Miller Pippin
Laura Osnes Cinderella

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Danny Burstein Golden Boy
Richard Kind The Big Knife
Jonny Orsini The Nance
Tony Shalhoub Golden Boy
Tom Sturridge Orphans

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Cady Huffman The Nance
Judith Ivey The Heiress
Judith Light The Assembled Parties
Kristine Nielsen Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Vanessa Williams The Trip to Bountiful

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Will Chase The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Dan Lauria A Christmas Story
Raymond Luke Motown: The Musical
Terrence Mann Pippin
Daniel Stewart Sherman Kinky Boots

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Annaleigh Ashford Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark Cinderella
Charlotte d'Amboise Pippin
Andrea Martin Pippin
Keala Settle Hands on a Hardbody

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Bette Midler I'll Eat You Last
Martin Moran All the Rage
Fiona Shaw The Testament of Mary
Holland Taylor Ann
Michael Urie Buyer & Cellar

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Ayad Akhtar Disgraced
Paul Downs Colaizzo Really Really
Joshua Harmon Bad Jews
Samuel D. Hunter The Whale
Aaron Posner My Name is Asher Lev

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Irish Repertory Theatre - Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director and Ciarán O'Reilly, Producing Director, in recognition of 25 years of producing outstanding theatre

Nominations Talley for 3 or more:

11 - Pippin; 9 - Kinky Boots; 8 - Chaplin: The Musical, Cinderella; 6- Golden Boy, The Nance; 5- Dogfight, Matilda the Musical; 4- Here Lies Love, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Trip to Bountiful, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; 3- Bad Jews, Hands on a Hardbody, The Whale

NOTE: The Nominating Committee attended all of this season's Broadway productions prior to the OCC Award cut-off date. "The Other Place" was considered and nominated last season when it was produced Off Broadway.