Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play

Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
LaChanze, 2022 winner
Awarded for	Outstanding Actress in a Play
Location	New York City
Presented by	Outer Critics Circle
Status	Retired
Currently held by	LaChanze, Trouble in Mind (2022)
Website	OuterCriticsCircle.org

The Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play was an annual award given to the best actress in a non-musical play on Broadway or Off-Broadway, as determined by Outer Critics Circle. The award was first given out in 1977, preceded by a "Best Performance" category.

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 Play and Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play in gender-neutral performance categories. ^[1]

Cherry Jones won the award the most times, with four wins out of four nominations. Following her, both Mercedes Ruehl and Viola Davis won the award twice each. Laura Linney has received the most nominations, with six, winning once.

Awards winners

Key

  and bold indicates the winner.

1970s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
1977
	Liv Ullmann	Anna Christie	Anna Christie	[2]
1978
	Nancy Snyder	Fifth of July	Shirley Talley	[3]
	Vicki Frederick	Dancin	Ensemble
1979	No award given.

1980s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
1980	No award given.
1981
	Swoosie Kurtz	Fifth of July	Gwen Landis	[4]
1982
	Amanda Plummer	Agnes of God / A Taste of Honey	Agnes / Jo	[5]
1983
	Kathy Bates	'night, Mother	Jessie Cates	[6]
Jessica Tandy	Foxfire	Annie Nations
1984
	Marian Seldes	Painting Churches	Fay Chatham	[7]
1985
	Rosemary Harris	Pack of Lies	Maggie Hunt	[8]
1986
	Lily Tomlin	The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe	Various	[9]
1987
	Linda Lavin	Broadway Bound	Kate Jerome	[10]
1988
	Dana Ivey	Driving Miss Daisy / Wenceslas Square	Miss Daisy / Various	[11]
1989
	Pauline Collins	Shirley Valentine	Shirley Valentine	[12]

1990s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
1990
	Maggie Smith	Lettice and Lovage	Lettice Douffet	[13] [14]
	Vanessa Redgrave	Orpheus Descending	Lady Torrance
	Lois Smith	Grapes of Wrath	Ma Joad
	Kathleen Turner	Cat on a Hot Tin Roof	Margaret
	Margaret Tyzack	Lettice and Lovage	Lotte Schoen
1991
	Mercedes Ruehl	Lost in Yonkers	Bella Kurnitz	[15]
	Eileen Atkins	A Room of One’s Own	Virginia Woolf
	Stockard Channing	Six Degrees of Separation	Ouisa Kittredge
	Julie Harris	Lucifer's Child	Isak Dinesen
1992
	Laura Esterman	Marvin's Room	Bessie	[16]
	Jane Alexander	The Visit	Claire Zachanassian
	Glenn Close	Death and the Maiden	Paulina Salas
	Pauline Flanagan	Grandchild of Kings	Mother
	Jessica Lange	A Streetcar Named Desire	Blanche DuBois
1993
	Madeline Kahn	The Sisters Rosensweig	Gorgeous Teitelbaum	[17] [18]
	Jane Alexander	The Sisters Rosensweig	Sara Goode
	Debra Monk	Redwood Curtain	[Role Name]
	Maryann Plunkett	Saint Joan	Joan
1994
	Myra Carter	Three Tall Women	Woman C	[17]
1995
	Cherry Jones	The Heiress	Catherine Sloper	[19] [20]
1996
	Zoe Caldwell	Master Class	Maria Callas	[21]
	Catherine Byrne	Molly Sweeney	Molly Sweeney
	Uta Hagen	Mrs. Klein	Mrs. Klein
	Judith Ivey	A Fair Country	Patrice Burgess
1997
	Janet McTeer	A Doll’s House	Nora Helmer	[22] [23]
	Dana Ivey	The Last Night of Ballyhoo	Boo Levy
	Kate Nelligan	An American Daughter	Lyssa Dent Hughes
	Mary-Louise Parker	How I Learned to Drive	Li'l Bit
1998
	Cherry Jones	Pride's Crossing	Martha	[24] [25]
	Anna Manahan	The Beauty Queen of Leenane	Mag Folan
	Marie Mullen		Maureen
	J. Smith-Cameron	As Bees in Honey Drown	Alexa
1999
	Kathleen Chalfant	Wit	Vivian Bearing	[26] [27]
	Judi Dench	Amy's View	Esme Allen
	Elizabeth Franz	Death of a Salesman	Linda Loman
	Swoosie Kurtz	The Mineola Twins	Myrna/Myra
	Zoe Wanamaker	Electra	Electra

2000s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2000
	Eileen Heckart	The Waverly Gallery	Gladys Green	[28] [29]
	Rosemary Harris	Waiting in the Wings	May Davenport
	Laura Linney	Uncle Vanya	Yelena Andreyevna Serebryakova
	J. Smith-Cameron	Fuddy Meers	Claire
2001
	Viola Davis	King Hedley II	Tonya	[30] [31]
	Mary-Louise Parker	Proof	Catherine
	Marthe Keller	Judgment at Nuremberg	Frau Bertholt
	Juliette Binoche	Betrayal	Emma
	Michael Learned	The Best Man	Alice Russell / Mabel Cantwell
	Leslie Uggams	King Hedley II	Ruby
	Eileen Atkins	The Unexpected Man	The Woman
	Marian Seldes	The Play About the Baby	Woman
2002
	Mercedes Ruehl	The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?	Stevie	[32] [33]
	Laura Linney	The Crucible	Elizabeth Proctor
	Kate Burton	Hedda Gabler	Hedda Gabler
	Helen Mirren	Dance of Death	Alice
2003
	Jayne Atkinson	Enchanted April	Lottie Wilton	[34] [35]
	Christine Ebersole	Dinner at Eight	Millicent Jordan
	Victoria Hamilton	A Day in the Death of Joe Egg	Sheila
	Clare Higgins	Vincent in Brixton	Ursula Loyer
	Marylouise Burke	Kimberly Akimbo	Kimberly Levaco
2004
	Eileen Atkins	The Retreat From Moscow	Alice	[36] [37]
	Zilah Mendoza	Living Out	Ana Hernandez
	Phylicia Rashad	A Raisin in the Sun	Lena Younger
	Viola Davis	Intimate Apparel	Esther
	Swoosie Kurtz	Frozen	Nancy Shirley
2005
	Cherry Jones	Doubt, A Parable	Sister Aloysius Beauvier	[38] [39]
	L. Scott Caldwell	Going to St. Ives	May N'Kame
	Laura Linney	Sight Unseen	Patricia
	Natasha Richardson	A Streetcar Named Desire	Blanche DuBois
	Kathleen Turner	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Martha
2006
	Lois Smith	The Trip to Bountiful	Mrs. Carrie Watts	[40] [41]
	Cynthia Nixon	Rabbit Hole	Becca
	Julie White	The Little Dog Laughed	Diane
	Zoë Wanamaker	Awake and Sing!	Bessie Berger
2007
	Eve Best	A Moon for the Misbegotten	Josie Hogan	[42] [43]
	Jennifer Ehle	The Coast of Utopia	Liubov / Natalie Herzen / Malwida von Meysenbug
	Carla Gugino	Suddenly Last Summer	Catharine Holly
	Alison Pill	Blackbird	Una
2008
	Deanna Dunagan	August: Osage County	Violet Weston	[44] [45]
	Laura Linney	Les Liaisons Dangereuses	La Marquise de Merteuil
	S. Epatha Merkerson	Come Back, Little Sheba	Lola
	Eve Best	The Homecoming	Ruth
2009
	Marcia Gay Harden	God of Carnage	Veronica Novak	[46] [47]
	Saidah Arrika Ekulona	Ruined	Mama Nadi
	Carla Gugino	Desire Under the Elms	Abbie Putnam
	Harriet Walter	Mary Stuart	Elizabeth Tudor
	Janet McTeer	Mary Stuart	Mary Stuart

2010s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2010
	Viola Davis	Fences	Rose	[48] [49]
	Laura Benanti	In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)	Mrs. Catherine Givings
	Laura Linney	Time Stands Still	Sarah Goodwin
	Jan Maxwell	The Royal Family	Julie Cavendish
	Nina Arianda	Venus in Fur	Dunayev / Vanda
2011
	Frances McDormand	Good People	Margie Walsh	[50] [51]
	Nina Arianda	Born Yesterday	Billie Dawn
	Judith Light	Lombardi	Marie Lombardi
	Laurie Metcalf	The Other Place	Juliana Smithton
Edie Falco	The House of Blue Leaves	Bananas Shaughnessy
2012
	Tracie Bennett	End of the Rainbow	Judy Garland	[52] [53]
	Linda Lavin	The Lyons	Rita Lyons
	Laila Robins	The Lady from Dubuque	Jo
	Nicole Ari Parker	A Streetcar Named Desire	Blanche DuBois
	Tyne Daly	Master Class	Maria Callas
2013
	Cicely Tyson	The Trip to Bountiful	Carrie Watts	[54] [55]
	Vanessa Redgrave	The Revisionist	Maria
	Tracee Chimo	Bad Jews	Daphna
	Amy Morton	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Martha
	Joely Richardson	Ivanov	Anna Petrovna
2014
	Cherry Jones	The Glass Menagerie	Amanda Wingfield	[56] [57]
	Tyne Daly	Mothers and Sons	Katharine Gerard
	Rebecca Hall	Machinal	Young Woman
	Jessica Hecht	Stage Kiss	She
	Estelle Parsons	The Velocity of Autumn	Alexandra
2015
	Helen Mirren	The Audience	Queen Elizabeth II	[58] [59]
	Jan Maxwell	The City of Conversation	Hester Ferris
	Elisabeth Moss	The Heidi Chronicles	Heidi Holland
	Tonya Pinkins	Rasheeda Speaking	Jaclyn
	Greta Gerwig	The Village Bike	Becky
2016
	Jessica Lange	Long Day's Journey Into Night	Mary Cavan Tyrone	[60] [61]
	Jayne Houdyshell	The Humans	Deirdre Blake
	Lupita Nyong'o	Eclipsed	Girl
	Nicola Walker	A View from the Bridge	Beatrice
	Michelle Williams	Blackbird	Una
2017
	Laura Linney	The Little Foxes	Regina Giddens	[62] [63]
	Janie Dee	Linda	Linda Wilde
	Laurie Metcalf	A Doll's House, Part 2	Nora
	Sally Field	The Glass Menagerie	Amanda Wingfield
	Allison Janney	Six Degrees of Separation	Ouisa Kittredge
2018
	Glenda Jackson	Three Tall Women	A	[64] [65]
	Lauren Ridloff	Children of a Lesser God	Sarah Norman
	MaameYaa Boafo	School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play	Paulina Sarpong
	Katy Sullivan	Cost of Living	Ani
	Jessica Hecht	Admissions	Sherri Rosen-Mason
2019
	Elaine May	The Waverly Gallery	Gladys Green	[66] [67]
	Glenn Close	Mother of the Maid	Isabelle Arc
	Edie Falco	The True	Dorothea "Polly" Noonan
	Glenda Jackson	King Lear	Lear
	Mandi Masden	The Light	Genesis

2020s

Year	Actor	Work	Role	Ref.
2020 (Hon.)	Eileen Atkins	The Height of the Storm	Claire	[68]
	Judith Ivey	Greater Clements	Cora
	Joaquina Kalukango	Slave Play	Kaneisha
	April Matthis	Toni Stone	Toni Stone
	Mary-Louise Parker	The Sound Inside	Portia Stew
2021	No award given due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
	LaChanze	Trouble in Mind	Wiletta Mayer	[69] [70]
	Betsy Aidem	Prayer for the French Republic	Marcelle Salomon Benhamou
	Stephanie Berry	On Sugarland	Evelyn
	Edie Falco	Morning Sun	Charley
	Debra Messing	Birthday Candles	Ernestine Ashworth

Multiple wins

4 wins

• Cherry Jones

2 wins

• Mercedes Ruehl
• Viola Davis

Multiple nominations

6 nominations

• Laura Linney

4 nominations

• Eileen Atkins
• Cherry Jones

3 nominations

• Swoosie Kurtz
• Mary-Louise Parker
• Viola Davis
• Edie Falco

2 nominations

• Marian Seldes
• Rosemary Harris
• Linda Lavin
• Dana Ivey
• Vanessa Redgrave
• Lois Smith

• Kathleen Turner
• Mercedes Ruehl
• Jane Alexander
• Glenn Close
• Jessica Lange
• Judith Ivey
• Janet McTeer
• J. Smith-Cameron
• Zoe Wanamaker
• Helen Mirren
• Eve Best
• Carla Gugino
• Jan Maxwell
• Nina Arianda
• Laurie Metcalf
• Tyne Daly
• Jessica Hecht
• Glenda Jackson

See also

• Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

References

1. Andrew Gans (January 24, 2023). "Dates Set for 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Gender Removed From Acting Categories". Playbill.
2. "1976–1977 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
3. "1977–1978 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
4. "1979–1980 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
5. "1981–1982 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
6. "1982–1983 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
7. "1983–1984 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
8. "1984–1985 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
9. "1985–1986 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
10. "1986–1987 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
11. "1987–1988 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
12. "1988–1989 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
13. "1989–1990 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
14. Rich, Frank (May 1, 1990). "Outer Critics Awards to Grapes and Angels". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
15. "1990–1991 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
16. "1991-1992 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
17. "1992–1993 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
18. Rich, Frank (April 27, 1993). "Outer Critics Circle Names Award Winners". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
19. "1994–1995 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
20. "Outer Critics Float Show Boat". Variety. April 1995. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
21. "1995–1996 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
22. "1996–1997 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
23. Lefkowitz, David (May 5, 1997). "Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
24. "1997–1998 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
25. Viagas & Lefkowitz (April 27, 1998). "Lion King Roars With Six Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
26. "1998–1999 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
27. "Nightingales, Wit, Iceman & Fosse Win Outer Critics Awards; Ceremony May 28". Playbill. April 26, 1999. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
28. "1999–2000 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
29. "Contact and Kiss Me, Kate Big Winners of 2000 Outer Critics Awards". Playbill. April 30, 2000. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
30. "2000–2001 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Infoplease. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
31. Simonson & Lefkowitz (May 24, 2001). "2001 Outer Critics Circle Awards Held at Sardi's, May 24". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
32. "2001–2002 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
33. "The 2001–2002 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners". TheaterMania. April 29, 2002. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
34. "2002–2003 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
35. Gans, Andrew (May 5, 2003). "Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Hairspray Leads the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
36. "2003–2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
37. "Wicked, Wonderful Town, I Am My Own Wife Top 2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. May 2, 2004. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
38. "2004–2005 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
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40. "2005–2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
41. Hernandez, Ernio (May 14, 2006). "The Drowsy Chaperone and The History Boys Top Outer Critics Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
42. "2006–2007 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
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45. Gans, Andrew (May 12, 2008). "South Pacific Is Big Winner in Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
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50. "2010–2011 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
51. "The Book of Mormon, War Horse and Anything Goes Top 2011 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Broadway.com. May 16, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
52. "2011–2012 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
53. Gans, Andrew (May 14, 2012). "Outer Critics Circle Winners Announced; Once and One Man, Two Guvnors Are Top Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
54. "2012–2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
55. "Outer Critics Circle 2013 Award Winners". New York Theatre Guide. May 13, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
56. "2013–2014 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
57. Gans, Andrew (May 12, 2014). "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Gentleman's Guide Wins Four Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
58. "2014–2015 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
59. "Outer Critics Circle Awards 2015: Full List". Variety. April 27, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
60. "2015–2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
61. "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.
62. "2016–2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
63. Lefkowitz, Andy (May 8, 2017). "2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards: Come From Away & More Win Top Prizes". Broadway.com. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
64. "2017–2018 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
65. 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.
66. "2018–2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
67. Lefkowitz, Andy (May 13, 2019). "Hadestown Leads Winners of 2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Broadway.com. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
68. Clement, Olivia (May 11, 2020). "Moulin Rouge! Leads 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honorees". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
69. "2021–2022 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
70. Culwell-Block, Logan (May 17, 2022). "The Lehman Trilogy Leads 2022 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Six Wins Best Musical; See the Complete List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.