“‘Stereophonic’ and ‘Dead Outlaw’ Win New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards”

Valerie Terranova

David Adjmis Stereophonic was named the best play of the year today by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, with the award for best musical going to the off-Broadway production Dead outlaw from the team behind it The band’s visit.

Stereophonic, currently on Broadway, has received 13 Tony Award nominations and features songs by Will Butler of indie rock band Arcade Fire. The piece tells the story of a fractious 1970s Fleetwood Mac-style rock band who record something that will be huge Rumors-like hit record.

Dead outlaw, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna and a book by Itamar Moses, is inspired by the life of Elmer McCurdy. The musical, which premiered at the Minetta Lane Theater this year, was originally conceived by Yazbek and tells the story of an early 20th-century outlaw whose corpse became a traveling exhibit for decades. The body was long thought to be a Western-style mannequin at a Southern California amusement park, but a team at discovered that the body was the real thing The Six Million Dollar Man came to film an episode in the park.

Although a Broadway run for Dead outlaw has not yet been announced, the prospect grows larger with each award.

Two joint special awards were given: One for the revival of We roll along happily And Purlie Victoriousand a second to the actors Maryann Plunkett And Jay O Sanders for lifetime achievement; Plunkett has appeared this season The notebook And Deep blue soundand Sanders in Primary trust And Purlie Victorious. A third special award was given to the writer and composer Heather Christianwhose Terce: A practical breviary premiered this season.

Prizes, presented at a private ceremony on Tuesday, May 21, include a cash prize of $2,500 for the best piece, made possible by a grant from the Lucille Lortel Foundation.

Earlier today, the New York-based Outer Critics Circle for newspapers and national publications outside the city named Stereophonic the outstanding new Broadway play of the year and Suffs the outstanding Broadway musical of the year. Other Outer Critics winners included:

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical: Dead outlaw
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play: Primary trust
New American play (preferably by a new playwright): Oh, Mary!
Outstanding Revival of a Musical: I can get it wholesale for you
Excellent revival of a piece: Suitable
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Broadway Play: Jessica Lange – mother game
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Broadway Play: Kara Young – Purlie Victorious
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Broadway Musical: Kelli O’Hara – Days of Wine and Roses
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Broadway Musical: Kecia Lewis – Hell’s Kitchen
Outstanding Lead Actor in an Off-Broadway Musical: Andrew Durand – Dead outlaw
Outstanding Lead Actor in an Off-Broadway Musical (tie): Judy Kuhn – I can get it wholesale for you; Thom Sesma – Dead outlaw
Outstanding Lead Actor in an Off-Broadway Play (tie): Cole Escola – Oh, Mary!; William Jackson Harper – Primary Trust
Outstanding Lead Actor in an Off-Broadway Play: Jay O. Sanders – Primary Trust
Outstanding Solo Performance: Patrick Page – All the devils are here
Outstanding Musical Book: Shaina Taub – Drunk
Excellent Score: Shaina Taub – drunk
Excellent orchestrations Marco Paguia – Buena Vista Social Club
Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Jessica Stone – Water for Elephants
Outstanding Direction of a Play: Daniel Aukin – Stereophonic
Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway): Justin Peck-Illinois
Outstanding Scenic Design (tie): David Zinn – Stereophonic; Paul Tate dePoo III – The Great Gatsby
Outstanding Costume Design: Linda Cho – The Great Gatsby
Outstanding lighting design: Brian MacDevitt – The Outsiders
Excellent Sound Design: Ryan Rumery – Stereophonic
Excellent Videos/Projections: Peter Nigrini – The Who’s Tommy

The Outer Critics Circle Awards Ceremony for the winners will be held on Thursday, May 23, in the Bruno Walter Auditorium of the New York Public Library for The Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.