Musical Billy Elliot wins big at Outer Critics Circle Awards

Hit musical Billy Elliot dominated the winners' list for the 59th annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, announced Monday in advance of next week's prize ceremony.

The movie-inspired musical, which follows a young boy who dreams of becoming a dancer, picked up seven awards, including best new Broadway musical, best score, best director (for Stephen Daldry) and best choreography (for Peter Darling).

The seven wins join the special achievement prize that organizers had previously announced for Montreal actor David Alvarez and his Billy Elliot colleagues Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish, who all take turns in the musical's lead role.

Shrek the Musical picked up four trophies, including for its lead performers, Brian d'Arcy James (best actor, musical) and Sutton Foster (best actress, musical for which she tied with West Side Story's Josefina Scaglione).

God of Carnage was named best new Broadway play, while Marcia Gay Harden wastapped as the best lead actress (in a play) for her turn in the production.

Geoffrey Rush, star of Exit the King, nabbed the best play actor. Winning revivals included Hair (for musical) and The Norman Conquests (for play).

Other winners were:

• New off-Broadway play: Ruined.
• New off-Broadway musical: The Toxic Avenger.
• Director, play: Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests.
• Director, musical: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot.
• Set design: Tim Hatley, Shrek.
• Costume design: Tim Hatley, Shrek.
• Lighting design: Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot.
• Featured actor, play: David Pearse, The Cripple of Inishmaan.
• Featured actress, play: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit.
• Featured actor, musical: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot.
• Featured actress, musical: Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot.

A full list of winners is available on the Outer Critics Circle website.

The winners will be celebrated May 21 at a ceremony at Sardi's Restaurant, a famed New York theatre haunt.

The Outer Critics Circle Awards honour excellence in Broadway and off-Broadway theatre. The group represents journalists covering the city's theatre scene for major media outlets outside New York.