2012 NY Drama Critics' Circle Awards

The New York Drama Critic's Circle met on 03 May 2013 to vote for the winners of the 78th New York Drama Critic's Circle Awards.

The winners of the 2012/13 Awards are:

Best Play: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, by Christopher Durang
Best Musical: Matilda by Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly
Special Citation: Soho Rep
Special Citation: New York City Center's Encores!
Special Citation: Scenic designer John Lee Beatty

There are no nominations anounced for the New York Drama Critic's Circle Awards.

The first ballot for Best Play was diverse; no single play received more than five of the 25 total votes. On the third ballot (weighted), 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' (32 points) took the lead over 'The Assembled Parties' (21 points), 'The Flick' (19 points) and 'Disgraced' (16 points), but none reached the requisite threshold of 38 points. The Circle moved to a fourth ballot that reduced the field to the third ballot's top four vote-getters. 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' won this ballot with 49 points (versus 35 for 'The Flick,' 33 for 'The Assembled Parties' and 27 for 'Disgraced').

Having voted the award for Best Play to an American work, the Circle then moved to the award for Best Foreign Play. A majority voted to give no award in this category.

In the vote for Best Musical, on the first ballot, 'Matilda' received nine votes, 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' got five, and 'Here Lies Loves' received four. On the third, weighted ballot, 'Matilda' emerged triumphant with 42 points, followed by 'Here Lies Loves' with 36, 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' with 26 and 'Giant' with 12.

After a lively discussion of many eligible candidates, the Circle voted to award three Special Citations: to Soho Rep; to New York City Center's Encores! series; and to John Lee Beatty for career excellence in scenic design.

The awards will be presented at a private ceremony at 54 Below on May 13, 2013.

Current members of the New York Drama Critics' Circle are: President: Adam Feldman (Time Out New York), Vice President: Elisabeth Vincentelli (New York Post), Treasurer: Joe Dziemianowicz (New York Daily News), Recording Secretary: Eric Grode ( (non-voting member), Hilton Als (The New Yorker), Melissa Rose Bernardo (Entertainment Weekly), Scott Brown (New York), David Cote (Time Out New York), Michael Feingold (Village Voice), Robert Feldberg (Bergen Record), Elysa Gardner (USA Today), Jeremy Gerard (Bloomberg News), Eric Haagensen (Back Stage), Mark Kennedy (Associated Press), Brian Scott Lipton (TheaterMania), Jesse Oxfeld (New York Observer), David Rooney (Hollywood Reporter), Frank Scheck (New York Post), David Sheward (Back Stage), John Simon (Yonkers Tribune), Alexis Soloski (Village Voice), Mailyn Stasio (Variety), Steven Suskin (Variety), Terry Teachout (Wall Street Journal), Matt Windman (amNewYork) and Linda Winer (Newsday), Richard Zoglin (Time) and Emeritus: David Finkle (TheaterMania) and Michael Sommers(Newhouse).