Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Jaquel Spivey, 2020 winner
Awarded for	Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Location	New York City
Presented by	Outer Critics Circle
Status	Retired
Currently held by	Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop (2022)
Website	OuterCriticsCircle.org

The Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical was an annual award given to the best actor in a musical on Broadway or Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The award was named as "Best Actor in a Musical" until 1999.

The award was preceded by an award for Best Performance, but the newly gendered award for musical performance was first given out the 1987–1988 season through the season. The award was retired in 2022 and replaced by Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical and Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical in gender-neutral performance categories. ^[1]

Nathan Lane held the record for most wins in the category, with three, with both Martin Short and Danny Burstein close behind with two wins each. Lane and Michael Cerveris have received the most nominations, with four each.

Awards winners

Key

  and bold indicates the winner.

1980s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
1988
	Michael Crawford	The Phantom of the Opera	Phantom	[2] [3]
1989
	Jason Alexander	Jerome Robbins' Broadway	Narrator	[4] [5]

1990s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
1990
	Michael Jeter	Grand Hotel	Otto Kringelein	[6] [7]
	James Naughton	City of Angels	Stone
	Rene Auberjonois		Buddy Fidler/Irwin S. Irving
	Jonathan Hadary	Gypsy	Herbie
	Bob Gunton	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Sweeney Todd
1991
	Jonathan Pryce	Miss Saigon	The Engineer	[8]
	Paul Hipp	Buddy	Buddy Holly
	Evan Pappas	I Can Get It for You Wholesale	Bogen
	Mandy Patinkin	The Secret Garden	Lord Archibald Craven
1992
	Nathan Lane	Guys and Dolls	Nathan Detroit	[9]
	Harry Groener	Crazy for You	Bobby Child
	Spiro Malas	The Most Happy Fella	Tony Esposito
	Keith Carradine	The Will Rogers Follies	Will Rogers
1993
	Martin Short	The Goodbye Girl	Nathan Detroit	[10] [11]
	Mike Burstyn	Ain't Broadway Grand	Mike Todd
	Gregory Hines	Jelly's Last Jam	Jelly Roll Morton
	Michael Cerveris	The Who's Tommy	Tommy
1994
	Boyd Gaines	She Loves Me	Georg Nowack	[12]
1995
	Matthew Broderick	How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying	J. Pierrepont Finch	[13] [14]
1996
	Nathan Lane	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum	Prologus/Pseudolus	[15]
1997
	Robert Cuccioli	Jekyll & Hyde	Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde	[16] [17]
	James Naughton	Chicago	Billy Flynn
	Gregory Harrison	Steel Pier	Mick Hamilton
	Sam Harris	The Life	Jojo
1998
	Alan Cumming	Cabaret	Emcee	[18] [19]
	John Cameron Mitchell	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	Hedwig
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Ragtime	Coalhouse Walker Jr.
	Douglas Sills	The Scarlet Pimpernel	Sir Percy Blakeney
1999
	Martin Short	Little Me	The Men of Belle's Life	[20] [21]
	Jeremy Kushnier	Footloose	Ren McCormack
	Tom Wopat	Annie Get Your Gun	Frank Butler
	Brent Carver	Parade	Leo Frank

2000s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2000
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Kiss Me, Kate	Fred Graham/Petruchio	[22] [23]
	James Carpinello	Saturday Night Fever	Tony
	Craig Bierko	The Music Man	Prof. Harold Hill
	Taye Diggs	The Wild Party	Mr. Black
2001
	Nathan Lane	The Producers	Max Bialystock	[24] [25]
	Michael Cumpsty	42nd Street	Julian Marsh
	Patrick Wilson	The Full Monty	Jerry Lukowski
	Matthew Broderick	The Producers	Leopold "Leo" Bloom
2002
	John Lithgow	Sweet Smell of Success	J.J. Hunsecker	[26] [27]
	John Cullum	Urinetown	Caldwell B. Cladwell
	Brian d'Arcy James	Sweet Smell of Success	Sidney Falcone
	Hunter Foster	Urinetown	Bobby Strong
2003
	Antonio Banderas	Nine	Guido Contini	[28] [29]
	Harvey Fierstein	Hairspray	Edna Turnblad
	Roger Rees	A Man of No Importance	Alfie Byrne
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Man of La Mancha	Don Quixote/Miguel de Cervantes
	Jason Petty	Hank Williams: Lost Highway	Hank Williams
2004
	Hugh Jackman	The Boy From Oz	Peter Allen	[30] [31]
	Alfred Molina	Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye
	Euan Morton	Taboo	George
	Gregg Edelman	Wonderful Town	Robert Baker
	Hunter Foster	Little Shop of Horrors	Seymour Krelborn
2005
	Norbert Leo Butz	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels	Freddy Benson	[32] [33]
	Denis O'Hare	Sweet Charity	Oscar Lindquist
	Tim Curry	Spamalot	King Arthur
	Raúl Esparza	Chitty Chitty Bang Bang	Caractacus Potts
	Cheyenne Jackson	All Shook Up	Chad
2006
	John Lloyd Young	Jersey Boys	Frankie Valli	[34] [35]
	Michael Cerveris	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Sweeney Todd
	Harry Connick, Jr.	The Pajama Game	Sid Sorokin
	Hugh Panaro	Lestat	Lestat
2007
	Raúl Esparza	Company	Bobby	[36] [37]
	Michael Cerveris	LoveMusik	Kurt Weill
	David Hyde Pierce	Curtains	Lieutenant Frank Cioffi
	Gavin Lee	Mary Poppins	Bert
2008
	Paulo Szot	South Pacific	Emile de Becque	[38] [39]
	Boyd Gaines	Gypsy	Herbie
	Roger Bart	Young Frankenstein	Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
	Daniel Evans	Sunday in the Park with George	George/Georges
2009
	Brian d'Arcy James	Shrek the Musical	Shrek	[40] [41]
	James Barbour	A Tale of Two Cities	Sydney Carton
	Josh Grisetti	Enter Laughing	David Kolowitz
	Matt Cavenaugh	West Side Story	Tony
	David Pittu	What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling	Jacob Sterling

2010s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2010
	Douglas Hodge	La Cage aux Folles	Albin	[42] [43]
	Nathan Lane	The Addams Family	Gomez Addams
	Brandon Victor Dixon	The Scottsboro Boys	Haywood Patterson
	Sean Hayes	Promises, Promises	Chuck Baxter
	Chad Kimball	Memphis	Huey Calhoun
2011
	Josh Gad	The Book of Mormon	Elder Cunningham	[44] [45]
	Daniel Radcliffe	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	J. Pierrepont Finch
	Aaron Tveit	Catch Me If You Can	Frank Abagnale, Jr.
	Norbert Leo Butz		Carl Hanratty
	Tony Sheldon	Priscilla Queen of the Desert	Bernadette
2012
	Danny Burstein	Follies	Buddy Plummer	[46] [47]
	Jeremy Jordan	Newsies	Jack Kelly
	Raúl Esparza	Leap of Faith	Jonas Nightingale
	Steve Kazee	Once	Guy
	Norm Lewis	The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess	Porgy
2013
	Billy Porter	Kinky Boots	Lola	[48] [49]
	Matthew James Thomas	Pippin	Pippin
	Bertie Carvel	Matilda	Miss Trunchbull
	Santino Fontana	Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella	Topher
	Rob McClure	Chaplin	Charlie Chaplin
2014
	Jefferson Mays	A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder	The D'Ysquith Family	[50] [51]
	Neil Patrick Harris	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	Hedwig
	Michael Cerveris	Fun Home	Bruce Bechdel
	Bryce Pinkham	A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder	Montague D'Ysquith Navarro
	Andy Karl	Rocky	Rocky Balboa
2015
	Robert Fairchild	An American in Paris	Jerry Mulligan	[52] [53]
	Peter Gallagher	On the Twentieth Century	Oscar Jaffee
	Christian Borle	Something Rotten!	William Shakespeare
	Tony Yazbeck	On the Town	Gabey
	Brian d'Arcy James	Something Rotten!	Nick Bottom
2016
	Danny Burstein	Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye	[54] [55] [56]
	Robert Creighton	Cagney	James Cagney
	Alex Brightman	School of Rock	Dewey Finn
	Ben Platt	Dear Evan Hansen	Evan Hansen
	Benjamin Walker	American Psycho	Patrick Bateman
2017
	Andy Karl	Groundhog Day	Phil Connors	[57] [58]
	David Hyde Pierce	Hello, Dolly!	Horace Vandergelder
	Christian Borle	Falsettos	Marvin
	Nick Cordero	A Bronx Tale	Sonny
	Tony Shalhoub	The Band's Visit	Tewfiq
2018
	Ethan Slater	SpongeBob SquarePants	SpongeBob SquarPants	[59] [60]
	Conor Ryan	Desperate Measures	Johnny Blood
	Harry Hadden-Paton	My Fair Lady	Professor Henry Higgins
	Joshua Henry	Carousel	Billy Bigelow
2019
	Santino Fontana	Tootsie	Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels	[61] [62]
	Damon Daunno	Oklahoma!	Curly McLain
	Steven Skybell	Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish	Tevye
	Reeve Carney	Hadestown	Orpheus
	Brooks Ashmanskas	The Prom	Barry Glickman

2020s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2020 (Hon.)	Larry Owens	A Strange Loop	Usher	[63]
	Adam Kantor	Darling Grenadine	Harry
	Jonathan Groff	Little Shop of Horrors	Seymour Krelborn
	Aaron Tveit	Moulin Rouge!	Christian
	Joshua Henry	The Wrong Man	Duran
	Isaac Powell	West Side Story	Tony
2021	No ceremony held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2025
	Jaquel Spivey	A Strange Loop	Usher	[64]
	Rob McClure	Mrs. Doubtfire	Daniel Hillard
	Chip Zien	Harmony	"Rabbi" Josef Roman Cycowski
	Myles Frost	MJ the Musical	MJ
	Justin Cooley	Kimberly Akimbo	Seth

Multiple wins

3 wins

• Nathan Lane

2 wins

• Martin Short
• Danny Burstein

Multiple nominations

4 nominations

• Nathan Lane
• Michael Cerveris

3 nominations

• Brian Stokes Mitchell
• Brian d'Arcy James
• Raúl Esparza
• David Hyde Pierce

2 nominations

• James Naughton
• Martin Short
• Boyd Gaines
• Matthew Broderick
• Danny Burstein
• Hunter Foster
• Norbert Leo Butz
• Aaron Tveit
• Santino Fontana
• Andy Karl
• Christian Borle
• Joshua Henry

See also

• Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

References

1. Andrew Gans (January 24, 2023). "Dates Set for 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Gender Removed From Acting Categories". Playbill.
2. "Circle Awards to Butterfly and Phantom". The New York Times. May 3, 1988. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
3. "1987–1988 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
4. "Heidi Wins Critics Award". The New York Times. May 3, 1989. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
5. "1988–1989 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
6. Rich, Frank (May 1, 1990). "Outer Critics Awards to Grapes and Angels". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
7. "1989–1990 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
8. "1990–1991 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
9. "1991–1992 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
10. Rich, Frank (April 27, 1993). "Outer Critics Circle Names Award Winners". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
11. "1992–1993 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
12. "1993–1994 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
13. "Outer Critics Float Show Boat". Variety. April 1995. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
14. "1994–1995 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
15. "1995–1996 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
16. Lefkowitz, David (May 5, 1997). "Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
17. "1996–1997 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
18. Viagas & Lefkowitz (April 27, 1998). "Lion King Roars With Six Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
19. "1997–1998 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
20. "Nightingales, Wit, Iceman & Fosse Win Outer Critics Awards; Ceremony May 28". Playbill. April 26, 1999. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
21. "1998–1999 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
22. "Contact and Kiss Me, Kate Big Winners of 2000 Outer Critics Awards". Playbill. April 30, 2000. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
23. "1999–2000 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
24. Simonson & Lefkowitz (May 24, 2001). "2001 Outer Critics Circle Awards Held at Sardi's, May 24". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
25. "2000–2001 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
26. "The 2001–2002 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners". TheaterMania. April 29, 2002. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
27. "2001–2002 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
28. Gans, Andrew (May 5, 2003). "Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Hairspray Leads the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
29. "2002–2003 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
30. "Wicked, Wonderful Town, I Am My Own Wife Top 2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. May 2, 2004. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
31. "2003–2004 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
32. "2005 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced". New York Theatre Guide. May 9, 2005. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
33. "2004–2005 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
34. Hernandez, Ernio (May 14, 2006). "The Drowsy Chaperone and The History Boys Top Outer Critics Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
35. "2005–2006 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
36. Gans, Andrew (May 24, 2007). "Outer Critics Circle Awards Are Presented by Clark, Young and Mitchell May 24". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
37. "2006–2007 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
38. Gans, Andrew (May 12, 2008). "South Pacific Is Big Winner in Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
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40. "Outer Critics Circle 2008–09 Award Winners". New York Theatre Guide. May 11, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
41. "2008–2009 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
42. "Memphis & La Cage Top Outer Critics Circle Winners". BroadwayWorld. May 17, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
43. "2009–2010 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
44. "The Book of Mormon, War Horse and Anything Goes Top 2011 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Broadway.com. May 16, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
45. "2010–2011 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
46. Gans, Andrew (May 14, 2012). "Outer Critics Circle Winners Announced; Once and One Man, Two Guvnors Are Top Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
47. "2011–2012 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
48. "Outer Critics Circle 2013 Award Winners". New York Theatre Guide. May 13, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
49. "2012–2013 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
50. Gans, Andrew (May 12, 2014). "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Gentleman's Guide Wins Four Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
51. "2013–2014 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
52. "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2015: Full List". Variety. April 27, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
53. "2014–2015 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
54. "Outer Critics Circle Honors 'She Loves Me' and 'Long Day's Journey Into Night'". The New York Times. May 9, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
55. Viagas, Robert (May 9, 2016). "Bright Star and The Humans Win Top 2016 NY Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
56. "2015–2016 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
57. Lefkowitz, Andy (May 8, 2017). "2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards: Come From Away & More Win Top Prizes". Broadway.com. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
58. "2016–2017 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
59. McPhee, Ryan (May 7, 2018). "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, My Fair Lady Win Big at 2018 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
60. "2017–2018 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
61. Lefkowitz, Andy (May 13, 2019). "Hadestown Leads Winners of 2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Broadway.com. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
62. "2018–2019 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
63. Olivia Clement (May 11, 2020). "Moulin Rouge! Leads 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honorees". Playbill.
64. Culwell-Block, Logan (May 12, 2025). "Maybe Happy Ending Leads 2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 21, 2025.