Nominees for The 56th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards will be announced at the Algonquin Hotel April 23. Winners will be revealed May 14, and the awards ceremony will be held at Sardi's Restaurant in the Eugenia Room May 24. The awards are decided upon by a group of writers "covering New York theatre for out-of town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway."

Simon Saltzman, a long-time member of the OCC executive committee and theatre reviewer, serves as president. Marjorie Gunner, the organization's president for 25 years, continues as president emerita.

Last year, Tarzan was the only work of the season not considered for awards by the committee because they could not view the production prior to the eligibility cut off date. The musical will be eligible for this year's honors. The collective also added a new award for Outstanding New Score (in which both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions were eligible).

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The 2005-2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards winners were as follows:

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY
The History Boys

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL
Jersey Boys

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Stuff Happens

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Grey Gardens

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
The Drowsy Chaperone

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Awake and Sing!

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Sweeney Todd

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Gabriel Byrne, A Touch of the Poet

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Lois Smith, The Trip to Bountiful

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Richard Griffiths, The History Boys

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Frances de la Tour, The History Boys

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Anthony Sher, Primo

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter, In the Continuum