Nominees will be announced in 24 categories. Playbill.com will post the nominees as soon as they become available.

The winners will be announced May 11, and the annual Gala Awards Dinner will be held 4 PM May 21 at Sardi's Restaurant.

The Outer Critics Circle is the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway. The Outer Critics Circle nominees are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theatre season.

Esparza was last seen on Broadway in Leap Of Faith. He currently plays ADA Rafael Barba on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” The singing actor received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Company. Currently starring in It's Only a Play, Finneran was previously seen on Broadway as Miss Hannigan in Annie. She received Outer Critics Circle and Tony Awards for Promises, Promises and Noises Off.

Outer Critics Circle members are affiliated with more than 90 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, Internet websites, and theatre publications in America and abroad.