Outer Critics Circle Awards Announced

"August: Osage County," "Young Frankenstein," and "Xanadu" walked away with the top honors at the Outer Critics Circle Awards Monday.

Tracy Letts's "August: Osage County," winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for drama, won awards for outstanding director of a play (Anna D. Shapiro), and outstanding actress in a play (Deanna Dunagan).

"Xanadu" and "Young Frankenstein" tied for the award of outstanding new musical.

The revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific," now playing at Lincoln Center Theater, won four awards, including one for outstanding revival of a musical and one for outstanding director of a musical, (Bartlett Sher). Patti LuPone won for outstanding actress in a musical for her work in "Gypsy," and Kevin Kline won for outstanding actor in a play for "Cyrano de Bergerac."

The Outer Critics Circle Awards, whose voters are critics of New York theater who write for out-of-town publications, are considered a preview of the Tony Award nominations, which will be announced this morning.