Doubt and The Pillowman Honored by New York Drama Critics' Circle

John Patrick Shanley's Doubt was named Best Play, and Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman was awarded Best New Foreign Play when the New York Drama Critics' Circle announced their annual awards on May 11. Despite a plentiful crop of musicals this season, the committee chose not to name a Best Musical.

Set at a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, Doubt centers on a nun who grows suspicious when a priest begins taking too much interest in the life of a young male student. The world premiere of Doubt, directed by Doug Hughes, opened to rave reviews at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage I on November 23 and ended its extended run there on January 30. The production's entire cast Cherry Jones, Brían F. O'Byrne, Heather Goldenhersh and Adriane Lenox transferred with the play to Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre, where it officially opened on March 31. The play has already won the Pulitzer Prize, Lucille Lortel Award and Outer Critics Circle Award. It is up for Drama Desk and Tony Awards. Shanley will receive $2,500 with his New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. The Pillowman centers on a writer living in a totalitarian state, who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of murders that are happening in his town. The play, directed by John Crowley, received its world premiere at London's National Theatre on November 13, 2003. A recast production headlined by Billy Crudup and Jeff Goldblum opened at the Booth Theatre on April 10, 2005. The show received the 2004 Olivier Award and an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best New Play. Its Broadway production received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Broadway Play and is up for Drama Desk and Tony Awards. McDonagh will receive $1,000 for his honor.

Founded in 1935, the Circle is comprised of 20 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines, and wire services based in the New York metropolitan area. Michael Sommers of The Star-Ledger/Newhouse Newspapers is the president of the organization.

In addition to Sommers, the members of the New York Drama Critics' Circle are Clive Barnes of The New York Post, David Cote of Time Out New York, Gordon Cox of Newsday, Michael Feingold of The Village Voice, Robert Feldberg of The Bergen Record, Adam Feldman of Time Out New York, Elysa Gardner of USA Today, John Heilpern of The New York Observer Howard Kissel of The Daily News, Michael Kuchwara of The Associated Press, Jacques le Sourd of Gannett Newspapers, Ken Mandelbaum of Broadway.com, Jeremy McCarter of The New York Sun, David Rooney of Variety, Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter, David Sheward of Back Stage, John Simon of New York, Terry Teachout of The Wall Street Journal, Linda Winer of Newsday and Richard Zoglin of Time.

The awards will be presented at a private cocktail reception at the Algonquin Hotel where the Circle was founded on May 24. Playwright Edward Albee, a three-time New York Drama Critics' Circle winner, will be on hand to present the Best Play Award.