TOOTSIE, THE FERRYMAN and More Win New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards

The New York Drama Critics' Circle today named The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth best play of the 2018-19 season. The award for best musical went to Tootsie. What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck was named best American play. The selections were made at the organization's 84th annual voting meeting.

The awards will be presented at a private cocktail reception on Monday, May 13.

The award for best play carries a cash prize of $2,500; the award for best American play is a cash prize of $1,000. The prizes are made possible by a grant from the Lucille Lortel Foundation.

Special citations were voted to theater companies Irish Repertory Theatre and Page 73, as well as the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene production of Fiddler on the Roof.

The Ferryman, written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes, had its world premiere at London's Royal Court Theatre on April 24, 2017, then transferred to the West End's Gielgud Theatre on June 29, 2017 and closed on May 19, 2018. The production received its U.S. premiere at Broadway's Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on October 21, 2018 where it currently plays.

Tootsie, book by Robert Horn, music and lyrics by David Yazbek, directed by Scott Ellis, had its world premiere at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on September 29, 2018, and its New York premiere at Broadway's Marquis Theatre on April 23, 2019 where it currently plays.

What the Constitution Means to Me, written by Heidi Schreck and directed by Oliver Butler, had its Off Broadway premiere at New York Theatre Workshop on September 12, 2018 and closed on November 4, 2018, before moving to the Greenwich House Theater on November 27, 2018 where it closed December 30, 2018. The play had its Broadway premiere on March 31, 2019 at the Hayes Theatre where it currently plays.

The New York Drama Critics' Circle comprises 19 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 theater 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 Cote, Michael Feingold, David Finkle, Jeremy Gerard, Sara Holdren, Charles Isherwood, Christopher Kelly, David Rooney, Frank Scheck, Barbara Schuler, Helen Shaw, David Sheward, Marilyn Stasio, Terry Teachout, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Matt Windman. Emeritus members include Melissa Rose Bernardo, Robert Feldberg, Elysa Gardner, Brian Scott Lipton, Jesse Oxfeld, John Simon, 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 will be posted later tonight on the organization's website.