Outer Critics Circle 2025: Celebrations, Surprises, and a Few Head-Scratchers
by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder
With the announcement of the 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, theatre fans were handed another reminder of just how lively, surprising, and wonderfully unpredictable this season has been. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from this year's lineup.
First and foremost, "Death Becomes Her" is officially the moment. The musical adaptation of the beloved cult film racked up an eye-popping 12 nominations, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical and well-deserved nods for Jennifer Simard and Christopher Sieber. It’s clear that the Outer Critics Circle is happily embracing shows that lean into camp, heart, and sheer theatricality.
Close behind is "Maybe Happy Ending," pulling in nine nominations and proving that you don’t need a flashy title to win big — just a beautiful story told well. It’s the kind of sleeper hit that reminds us that sometimes the quieter shows end up making the biggest noise when it counts.
"Boop! The Musical" and "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" made strong showings too, with eight and seven nominations respectively. In particular, "Stranger Things" stood out by translating a pop culture phenomenon into a thoughtful, genuinely thrilling piece of theatre. A tricky tightrope walk, but they pulled it off.
It was also a good day for new plays like "The Hills of California" and "Purpose," which snagged multiple nominations and proved that heartfelt, character-driven storytelling can still thrive alongside the big, splashy musicals.
On the performance side, the nominations were a nice blend of buzzy names and breakout stars. Kit Connor was rightly recognized for his turn in "Romeo + Juliet," and it was great to see talents like Kieran Culkin ("Glengarry Glen Ross") and Adam Driver ("Hold On to Me Darling") making strong showings as well. Sometimes the movie and TV stars really do deliver the goods.
One of the most exciting categories this year is Outstanding Solo Performance, where Sarah Snook earned a nomination for her dazzling work in "The Picture of Dorian Gray." Honestly, that one felt less like a nomination and more like a formality — her one-woman performance has been one of the season’s undeniable triumphs.
Meanwhile, the John Gassner Award lineup is packed with fresh voices and compelling new plays, like "Becoming Eve" by Emil Weinstein and "Still" by Lia Romeo. It's always heartening to see the Outer Critics Circle lifting up the next generation of storytellers.
But, of course, it wouldn’t be awards season without a few snubs to raise eyebrows. Tony-buzzing "Dead Outlaw," was not eligible and "Smash" got completely shut out, a shock considering all the hype. Megan Hilty, delivering the goods nightly in "Death Becomes Her," somehow didn't get a nomination. And Jonathan Groff (Just in Time) was nowhere to be found, a miss that’s hard to understand. Even "Sunset Boulevard," despite nods for Nicole Scherzinger, saw major creative elements like Jamie Lloyd’s sleek, moody direction overlooked.
Many of these omissions likely stem from a larger issue: the limited number of slots caused by the Outer Critics’ non-gendered acting categories(I believe they were the first to do it in theatrical awards). The intention behind this move is admirable, but it’s clear that the field is simply too stacked to squeeze into so few spots. Expanding the number of nominees next year feels not just smart but necessary, to truly capture the depth of talent this season has offered.
Still, nominations only tell part of the story. They shine a light on what’s celebrated — and remind us to keep cheering for what deserves to be.