Who Decides the New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards?

Two groups of critics (or, more precisely, one group of critics and one group of mostly critics) give theater awards each season. In this continuing series on theater’s awards, I look at the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards. 

The New York Drama Critics’ Circle was established in 1935 because a bunch of critics were upset about how the Pulitzers were being awarded. It gave its first award (singular) in 1936. Current voting membership includes Time Out New York’s Adam Feldman, New York Theatre Guide’s Joe Dziemianowicz, former TheaterMania critic Zachary Stewart, Lighting and Sound America’s David Barbour, Observer’s David Cote, The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham, Deadline’s Greg Evans, New York Stage Review’s David Finkle, New York Sun’s Elysa Gardner, The Wrap’s Robert Hofler, Wall Street Journal’s Charles Isherwood, Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones, former Andscape critic Soraya Nadia McDonald, New York Magazine’s Jackson McHenry, New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski, New York Stage Review’s Frank Scheck, The New Yorker’s Helen Shaw, Cultural Daily’s David Sheward, Variety’s Marilyn Stasio, Elisabeth Vincentelli and amNewYork’s Matt Windman. (New York Times staff critics are not allowed to participate, though someone like Vincentelli, who has reviews in the Times, but is a freelancer, can.) Though some of these folks are not currently regular critics, typically people fall off the rolls when they stop regularly reviewing for major outlets. Some completely leave, but some become emeritus members, meaning they can participate in discussions but cannot vote for the awards. There are membership dues. Twenty-five of these members also vote for the Tony Awards. 

The New York Drama Critics’ Circle does not announce nominees for its awards. The awards have expanded through the years–they were originally for an American play, but then were opened to all plays. Then musical was added. Special citations are also now usually given. Except they always only have to give one of those–a play award. Everything else is optional. 

Since Feldman took over as president in 2005, the organization has been fairly transparent about how everything works, even publishing how everyone voted, but the process is still more complicated than I knew.

The members discuss and a first ballot is submitted. If a play wins a majority of the votes on the first ballot, case closed. If it’s an American play, they can then decide whether to give a Best Foreign Play. If it’s a foreign play, they can then decide whether to give a Best American Play. Then move onto musical. Last season was the first season since 2009 the play was decided on the first ballot, Bruce Norris’ Downstate won. Leopoldstadt won Best Foreign Play also on the first ballot. No Best Musical Award was given.

The issue is the years where no play gets the majority of votes on the first ballot. They then decide whether they should even give an award (which given that they always give a play award that’s a little meaningless in the first instance, but it is relevant for later categories). Then, if “yes,” everyone has to give their top three choices for the award. Those top three choices are then assigned a point system. 

“It’s a weighted ballot system,” explained Feldman. “Your top choice gets three points, your second choice gets two points, your third choice gets one point. Then there is a threshold of points that a show has to exceed to win. That threshold is determined by the number of voting members times three divided by two.”

If no show goes over that threshold, it goes to yet another ballot, which is limited to the top four contenders of the prior ballot. So, basically, a runoff. Feldman says that almost always yields a victor, but, if not, no award would be given. (Same process for the second play award and musical award.) 

For special citations, Feldman takes suggestions. Then they do a simple majority rule, “yes” or “no.” They only give a few special citations each year. 

Dissatisfaction with the recipients of the Pulitzers led to the formation of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle and dissatisfaction with the makeup of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle led to another organization.

“In lay people's terms, this organization was founded because the New York Drama Critics’ Circle wouldn’t let people in who weren’t part of the New York fraternity,” said Outer Critics Circle Awards President David Gordon of TheaterMania. 

In addition to Gordon, the OCC nominating committee includes BroadwayWorld’s Richard Ridge, former NorthJersey.com critic Joseph Cervelli, Theatre on Film and Tape Archive Director and Curator Patrick Hoffman, Theatre Reviews Limited’s David Roberts, Observer’s Harry Haun, freelancer Cynthia Allen, freelancer Dan Rubins, BroadwayRadio’s Janice Simpson, and freelancer Doug Strassler. 

Gordon said membership is 85-90 people and there are dues. They are not all critics, despite the organization’s name. While it is production dependent (and some wait until nominations to invite Outer Critics voters), generally these folks get a pair to eligible shows. Gordon said once a year they review applications based on clips. If you cover theater, you can apply. 

I personally always remember in 2004 when they nominated the wrong woman from the play Living Out and had to switch it a day later, but that was way before the current leadership. (The Tonys have of course also made nomination-related mistakes, though in my mind less embarrassing ones. Other awards I am sure have also; I just remember this one best.) The Outer Critics nominators gather to discuss nominations. Once the nominations are decided upon, it goes to the voters. The voters are not supposed to vote in categories where they have not seen all the nominees. 

Similar to the Drama Desk, the performance awards given at the Outer Critics Circle Awards are now gender neutral. Its acting categories now separately honor Broadway and Off-Broadway performers. 

While these organizations officially give awards from journalists, several journalists vote for other awards as well. More on that in the next installment.

Industry Trends Weekly is a short column that runs in the weekly Industry Pro Newsletter. To read past columns and subscribe click here. If you have an idea for the column, you can reach the author at cara@broadwayworld.com.