The Outer Critics Circle Announces Dates and Eligibility Deadlines for 2026 Awards Ceremony

The 2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards, celebrating the 2025-26 Broadway and off-Broadway season of theater, will be held on May 21. Nominations will be announced during the afternoon of April 21. Winners will be announced on May 11. The eligibility cut-off date for nominators to attend a show for consideration is April 19.

Last year, Maybe Happy Ending won for Outstanding New Broadway Musical and John Proctor is the Villain won Outstanding New Broadway Play. Drag: The Musical took home the prize for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical and Liberation followed suit in the Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play category (the latter subsequently transferred to Broadway and is currently enjoying a run at the James Earl Jones Theatre). Cats: The Jellicle Ball—which is headed to the Great White Way this spring—won for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Vanya won Outstanding Revival of a Play.