Downstate (play)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:53:08 PM Wikipedia source
Downstate is a 2018 tragicomedy play by Bruce Norris about a group house for sex offenders. It premiered at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and has received acclaim from critics and criticism from conservatives who have accused it of promoting pedophilia.
Tables
· Awards and nominations
2023
2023
Year
2023
Award
Drama Desk Awards
Category
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play
Nominee
Francis Guinan
Result
Nominated
K. Todd Freeman
K. Todd Freeman
Year
K. Todd Freeman
Award
Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Year
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Award
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
Category
Won
Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Year
Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Award
Glenn Davis
Category
Nominated
Francis Guinan
Francis Guinan
Year
Francis Guinan
Award
Nominated
K. Todd Freeman
K. Todd Freeman
Year
K. Todd Freeman
Award
Won
Outstanding Director of a Play
Outstanding Director of a Play
Year
Outstanding Director of a Play
Award
Pam MacKinnon
Category
Nominated
Lucille Lortel Awards
Lucille Lortel Awards
Year
Lucille Lortel Awards
Award
Outstanding Play
Category
Nominated
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play
Year
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play
Award
K. Todd Freeman
Category
Won
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
Year
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
Award
Suzanna Guzmán
Category
Nominated
Eddie Torres
Eddie Torres
Year
Eddie Torres
Award
Nominated
Drama League Awards
Drama League Awards
Year
Drama League Awards
Award
Outstanding Production of a Play
Category
Nominated
Distinguished Performance
Distinguished Performance
Year
Distinguished Performance
Award
K. Todd Freeman
Category
Nominated
New York Drama Critics' Circle
New York Drama Critics' Circle
Year
New York Drama Critics' Circle
Award
Best Play
Category
Won
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
| 2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play | Francis Guinan | Nominated | |
| K. Todd Freeman | Nominated | ||||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play | Won | |||
| Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Glenn Davis | Nominated | |||
| Francis Guinan | Nominated | ||||
| K. Todd Freeman | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Director of a Play | Pam MacKinnon | Nominated | |||
| Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Play | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | K. Todd Freeman | Won | |||
| Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play | Suzanna Guzmán | Nominated | |||
| Eddie Torres | Nominated | ||||
| Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Play | Nominated | |||
| Distinguished Performance | K. Todd Freeman | Nominated | |||
| New York Drama Critics' Circle | Best Play | Won | |||
References
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/03/theater/downstate-review-bruce-norris-steppenwolf.html
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/theater/downstate-review.html
- New York Theatre Guidehttps://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/reviews/downstate-off-broadway-review
- The Wall Street Journalhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/downstate-review-bruce-norris-playwrights-horizons-11668725411
- DC Theater Artshttps://dctheaterarts.org/2025/01/14/at-home-with-sex-offenders-in-brilliant-and-disturbing-downstate-at-studio/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/theater/downstate-play-actors.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/mar/21/downstate-review-steppenwolf-national-theatre-child-abusers-punishment
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater/2025/01/14/downstate-studio-theatre-review/
- Maryland Theatre Guidehttps://mdtheatreguide.com/2025/01/theatre-review-downstate-at-studio-theatre/
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/washington-post-theatre-critic-peter-marks-goes-private-on-twitter-after-conservative-criticism-of-downstate-review
- London Standardhttps://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/evening-standard-theatre-awards-2019-shortlist-in-full-a4277791.html
- "So now the corporate media is praising pedophilia…"https://x.com/tedcruz/status/1597425094636187648
- "Review: "Downstate" is a play about pedophiles. It's also brilliant. https://wapo.st/3EFrt3A"https://x.com/washingtonpost/status/1596795890127314948
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/theater-dance/2022/11/23/downstate-bruce-norris-pedophiles/
- "New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards Past Winners"https://www.dramacritics.org/dc_pastawards.html
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/dark-disabled-stories-downstate-more-win-at-the-67th-annual-obie-awards
- "Downstate (Off-Broadway, Playwrights Horizons/Mainstage Theater, 2022)"https://playbill.com/production/downstate-off-broadway-2022