Cole Escola and Conrad Ricamora will host the live announcement of the 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations, on Friday April 25, 2025. Both hosts were nominees last season for their roles in the hit new play of Oh, Mary!, with Escola taking home two 2024 OCC Awards for Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play and the John Gassner Award for New American Play. The nominations announcement event will be held at 11:00AM ET at the Museum of Broadway, and will be livestreamed here on BroadwayWorld.com.
This year’s ceremony marks the 75th anniversary of the organization’s founding, when the first-ever awards were presented to T.S. Elliot’s The Cocktail Party (Play), Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul, and performers Sheila Guyse (Lost in the Stars) and Daniel Reed (Come Back, Little Sheba). The Outer Critics Circle will commemorate the milestone this spring, with a special 75th Anniversary Cocktail Reception to honor this year’s nominees, past winners, and its members. The Reception will be held on Monday, April 28 at West Bank Café.
The winners of the 75th Anniversary Outer Critics Circle Awards will be announced on Monday, May 12, 2025 followed by an awards ceremony held on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John Gassner, The Outer Critics Circle is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad. Led by its current President David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Cynthia Allen, Harry Haun, Dan Rubins, Janice Simpson and Doug Strassler. Simon Saltzman is President Emeritus & Board Member (Non-nominating) and Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant & Board Member (Non-nominating). Lauren Yarger serves as the Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony executive producer.
