The Drama Desk Awards are the only major New York City theater awards for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway compete against each other in the same categories. What sets the Drama Desk Awards apart in New York awards is that they are voted on and bestowed by critics, journalists, editors, and publishers covering theater. The Drama Desk Awards honor all aspects of New York’s professional theater. The nominators considered shows that opened during the 2022-2023 season for this year’s awards. Shows were eligible with 21 or more unique live performances. David Barbour and Charles Wright are The Drama Desk co-presidents. The 2022-2023 Drama Desk Nominating Committee: Martha Wade Steketee (Urban Excavations), Linda Armstrong (NY Amsterdam News), Dan Dinero (Theatre is Easy), Peter Filichia (Broadway Radio), Kenji Fujishima (Theatermania), Margaret Hall (Playbill) and Charles Wright, Drama Desk co-president, ex-officio. In accordance with a directive by the Drama Desk board of directors, all performance categories are gender-free. The updated gender-free categories are: Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, and Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical. Each of these categories had twice as many nominees as the former gendered categories and these categories have two winners each. “We are proud to congratulate the winners of the 67th Annual Drama Desk Awards, which celebrate all of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway,” said Commissioner Anne del Castillo of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “This year’s awards also honor Between Riverside and Crazy’s Stephen McKinley Henderson, the cast of Soho Rep’s Public Obscenities, and Ryan J. Haddad, creator of Dark Disabled Stories, who each represent the rich diversity and breadth of talent that define NYC as a global creative capital.” Tony ® and Emmy Award winner Mandy Patinkin (Evita; “Homeland”) and 2-time Obie Award winner Kathryn Grody (The Marriage of Bette and Boo; A Mom’s Life) will host the ceremony on Tuesday, June 6 from 3-5pm at Sardi’s. Follow the Drama Desk Awards: www.DramaDesk.org @DramaDeskAwards on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for updates. 2023 DRAMA DESK WINNERS(winners are highlighted and starred) Outstanding Play A Case for the Existence of God, by Samuel D. Hunter, Signature Theatre Fat Ham, by James Ijames, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre **Leopoldstadt, by Tom Stoppard Love, by Alexander Zeldin, Park Avenue Armory Prima Facie, by Suzie Miller Wish You Were Here, by Sanaz Toossi, Playwrights Horizons Outstanding Musical & Juliet Between the Lines F*ck7thGrade, The Wild Project Shucked **Some Like it Hot White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater Outstanding Revival of a Play A Raisin in the Sun, The Public Theater Death of a Salesman Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre **The Piano Lesson Ohio State Murders Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience Outstanding Revival of a Musical A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company Into the Woods Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop **Parade Sweeney Todd Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play Hiran Abeysekera, Life of Pi Kyle Beltran, A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre Will Brill, A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre Brittany Bradford, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience **Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House Sharon D. Clarke, Death of a Salesman **Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar Denise Manning, Amani, National Black Theatre and Rattlestick Theater Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders Wendell Pierce, Death of a Salesman John Douglas Thompson, Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre Kara Young, Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical **Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd Nicholas Barasch, The Butcher Boy, Irish Repertory Theatre Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods Andrew Burnap, Camelot Micaela Diamond, Parade Andrew Durand, Shucked Callum Francis, Kinky Boots, Stage 42 **J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like it Hot Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop Somi Kakoma, Dreaming Zenzile, New York Theatre Workshop Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop Anna Uzele, New York, New York Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play Emily Bergl, Good Night, Oscar Danielle Brooks, The Piano Lesson Amelda Brown, Love, Park Avenue Armory Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson K. Todd Freeman, Downstate, Playwrights Horizons Francis Guinan, Downstate, Playwrights Horizons Nick Holder, Love, Park Avenue Armory Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House Brian Quijada, Wolf Play, MCC Theater and Soho Rep **Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Brooklyn Academy of Music **Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt Kara Young, Cost of Living Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical Kevin Cahoon, Shucked **Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like it Hot Robyn Hurder, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical Mark Jacoby, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical Tarra Conner Jones, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater Julia Lester, Into the Woods **Alex Newell, Shucked Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop Phillipa Soo, Into the Woods Mare Winningham, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company Outstanding Direction of a Play Zi Alikhan, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO Miranda Cromwell, Death of a Salesman Adam Meggido, Peter Pan Goes Wrong **Max Webster, Life of Pi Alexander Zeldin, Love, Park Avenue Armory Outstanding Direction of a Musical Jeff Calhoun, Between the Lines John Doyle, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop **Thomas Kail, Sweeney Todd Jack O’Brien, Shucked Outstanding Choreography Andy Blankenbuehler, Only Gold, MCC Theater Tislarm Bouie, the bandaged place Edgar Godineaux, The Harder They Come, The Public Theater **Casey Nicholaw, Some Like it Hot Susan Stroman, New York, New York Jennifer Weber, KPOP Outstanding Music **Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked Michael R. Jackson, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater Tom Kitt and AnnMarie Milazzo (vocal designer), Almost Famous Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, Between the Lines The Kilbanes, Weightless, WP Theater Outstanding Lyrics Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Michael R. Jackson, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater Adam Schlesinger and Sarah Silverman, The Bedwetter, Atlantic Theater Company **Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Some Like it Hot Outstanding Book of a Musical Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Robert Horn, Shucked **Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, Some Like it Hot Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue, Titanique David West Read, & Juliet Outstanding Orchestrations Bruce Coughlin, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company Jason Howland, Shucked **Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, Some Like it Hot Kenny Seymour, The Harder They Come, The Public Theater Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, New York, New York Outstanding Music in a Play Ben Edelman, Zane Pais, and Sinan Refik Zafar, Letters from Max, a ritual, Signature Theatre Mauricio Escamilla, the bandaged place, Roundabout Theatre Company **Suzan-Lori Parks, Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater Ian Ross, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, National Theatre Daniel Schlosberg, Montag, Soho Rep Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play Jason Ardizzone-West, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience Beowulf Boritt, Ohio State Murders dots, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO **Tim Hatley, Life of Pi Natasha Jenkins, Love, Park Avenue Armory John McDermott, Chains, Mint Theater Company Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical **Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York David Korins, Only Gold, MCC Theater Scott Pask, Shucked Walt Spangler and Brendan McCann (production props), Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Michael Yeargan, Camelot Outstanding Costume Design of a Play Kara Branch, According to the Chorus, New Light Theater Project Enver Chakartash, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO Qween Jean, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience Sarah Laux, Wish You Were Here, Playwright Horizons **Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’ Roberto Surace, Peter Pan Goes Wrong Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical **Gregg Barnes, Some Like it Hot Tilly Grimes, Shucked Jennifer Moeller, Camelot Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, KPOP Anita Yavich, Only Gold, MCC Theater Donna Zakowska, New York, New York Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play Isabella Byrd, Epiphany, Lincoln Center Theater Jiyoun Chang, The Far Country, Atlantic Theater Company **Natasha Chivers and Willie Williams (video), Prima Facie Allen Lee Hughes, Ohio State Murders Cha See, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages Japhy Weideman, The Piano Lesson Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical Ken Billington, New York, New York Jeff Croiter, Only Gold, MCC Theater Heather Gilbert, Parade David Grill, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ **Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd Outstanding Projection and Video Design Simon Baker, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, and National Theatre **Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi Caite Hevner, Between the Lines, Tony Kiser Theater Josh Higgason, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater Nicholas Hussong, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages Johnny Moreno, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO Outstanding Sound Design of a Play Justin Ellington, Ohio State Murders Tom Gibbons, Hamlet, Park Avenue Armory Josh Anio Grigg, Love, Park Avenue Armory Lee Kinney and Daniel Kluger, You Will Get Sick, Roundabout Theatre Company **Ben & Max Ringham, A Doll’s House Mikaal Sulaiman, Fat Ham, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical Peter Hylenski, Almost Famous **Scott Lehrer and Alex Neumann, Into the Woods John Shivers, Shucked Joanna Lynne Staub, Weightless, WP Theater Jon Weston, Parade Outstanding Wig and Hair Campbell Young Associates, Almost Famous Cookie Jordan, The Piano Lesson **Mia M. Neal, Ain’t No Mo’ Earon Nealey, Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem Mitsuteru Okuyama, Chushingura 47 Ronin Luc Verschueren, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical Outstanding Solo Performance **Jodie Comer, Prima Facie David Greenspan, Four Saints in Three Acts, Lucille Lortel Theatre Jessica Hendy, Walking With Bubbles, AMT Theater Anthony Rapp, Without You Tracy Thorne, Jack Was Kind, Irish Repertory Theatre Unique Theatrical Experience Asi Wind’s Inner Circle **Peter Pan Goes Wrong Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater Zephyr, Cirque Mechanics at The New Victory Theater Outstanding Fight Choreography **B.H. Barry, Camelot Rocio Mendez, DÃa Y Noche, LAByrinth Theater Company Rocio Mendez, How to Defend Yourself, New York Theater Workshop Unkledave’s Fight-House, soft, MCC Theater Outstanding Adaptation **A Doll’s House, by Amy Herzog Arden of Faversham, by Jeffrey Hatcher and Kathryn Walat, Red Bull Theater black odyssey, by Marcus Gardley, Classic Stage Company Oresteia, by Robert Icke, Park Avenue Armory Wuthering Heights, by Emma Rice, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, National Theatre Outstanding Puppetry John Leader, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, National Theatre James Ortiz (design), Kennedy Kanagawa (as Milky White), Into the Woods **Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi Kirjan Waage, The Immortal Jellyfish Girl, Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre at 59E59 SPECIAL AWARDSHarold Prince Lifetime Achievement Award Stephen McKinley Henderson has been bringing in-depth, gripping portrayals of memorable characters to the stage for over four decades. With his return to Broadway this season as Pops in Between Riverside and Crazy, which the Drama Desk previously nominated in 2015, this year’s Harold Prince Lifetime Achievement Award marks Henderson’s role in this powerful production as a celebration of his brilliant career. Ensemble Award The cast of Soho Rep’s Public Obscenities – Tashnuva Anan, Abrar Haque, Golam Sarwar Harun, Gargi Mukherjee, NaFis, Jakeem Dante Powell, and Debashis Roy Chowdhury – embodied the transnational world of Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s bilingual play with memorable authenticity, remarkable specificity, and extraordinary warmth. Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award From his standout performance in american (tele)visions, to writing and performing the autobiographical Dark Disabled Stories, Ryan J. Haddad’s work this season has expanded on and interrogated what the idea of “accessibility” really means. Whether riding a shopping cart like a throne, or relating his experiences on a “gay, pink bus,” Haddad shared with audiences an unabashed queer fabulosity that was both unforgettable and deeply human. Shows with multiple wins Some Like It Hot: 8
Life of Pi: 4
A Doll’s House: 3
Sweeney Todd: 3
Ain’t No Mo’: 2
Leopoldstadt: 2
Prima Facie: 2
Shucked: 2 | 