Tag: Drama League Awards

At a cocktail reception and luncheon ceremony hosted by Frank DiLella at The Ziegfeld Ballroom from 11 am-3 pm today (Friday, May 16), the 91^st annual Drama League Awards, honoring outstanding accomplishments in Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, were presented by past Distinguished Performance Award winners Annaleigh Ashford, Norbert Leo Butz, Danny Burstein, Audra McDonald, and Sutton Foster, and previous honoree for the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Schele Williams. In addition to the competitive awards, Bernadette Peters, Sam Gold, and Michael Cruz Kayne presented four previously announced special honors.

First awarded in 1922, and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America and the only major theater awards chosen by a cross-section of the theater community, comprised of industry professionals, producers, artists, audiences, and critics who are Drama League members nationwide.

And the winners of the 2025 Drama League Awards are:

Outstanding Production of a Play – Oh, Mary!, Lyceum Theatre, written by Cole Escola;

Outstanding Revival of a Play (TIE) – Eureka Day, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, written by Jonathan Spector; and Vanya, Lucille Lortel Theatre, after Anton Chekhov, adapted by Simon Stephens and Sam Yates;  

Outstanding Production of a Musical – Maybe Happy Ending, Belasco Theatre, book by Will Aronson and Hue Park, music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park;  

Outstanding Revival of a Musical – Sunset  Blvd., St. James Theatre, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton;

Outstanding Direction of a Play – Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!, Lyceum Theatre;  

Outstanding Direction of a Musical – Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending, Belasco Theatre;  

Distinguished Performance Award – Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.

This year’s special honorees are:

Contribution to the Theater Award – Kate Navin and Audible Theater;

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater – Lea Salonga;

Founders Award for Excellence in Directing – Whitney White;

Gratitude Award – Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron.

Congratulations to all the winners and honorees!

The 91^st Annual Drama League Awards were presented on Friday, May 16, 2025, at The Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 West 54^th Street, NYC.

In a livestreamed event at 11:00 this morning, co-hosted by Sarah Hyland (The Great Gatsby) and Orville Peck (Cabaret) at Lincoln Center’s New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, nominations for the 91^st annual Drama League Awards, honoring outstanding accomplishments in Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, were announced in seven competitive categories, along with four previously announced special honors. To be eligible for this year’s awards, shows (non-virtual only) were required to have begun their preview performances between April 21, 2024-April 20, 2025.

First presented in 1922, and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in the US and the only major theatrical awards chosen by the entire theater community of Drama League members nationwide, including award-winning actors, designers, directors, playwrights, producers, industry veterans, critics, and dedicated audiences who attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions

This year’s special honorees are:

Contribution to the Theater Award – Kate Navin and Audible Theater;

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater – Lea Salonga;

Founders Award for Excellence in Directing – Whitney White;

Gratitude Award – Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron.

And the nominees for the 2025 Drama League Awards are:

Outstanding Production of a Play – The Antiquities, Playwrights Horizons, written by Jordan Harrison; Becoming Eve, Abrons Arts Center, written by Emil Weinstein, based on the memoir by Abby Chava Stein; English, Todd Haimes Theatre, written by Sanaz Toossi; Good Bones, The Public Theater, written by James Ijames; Good Night, and Good Luck, Winter Garden Theatre, written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov; Here There Are Blueberries, New York Theatre Workshop, written by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich; John Proctor Is the Villain, Booth Theatre, written by Kimberly Belflower;  Liberation, Laura Pels Theatre, written by Beth Wohl; Oh, Mary!, Lyceum Theatre, written by Cole Escola; The Picture of Dorian Gray, Music Box Theatre, new adaptation written by Kip Williams; Purpose, Hayes Theatre, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Marquis Theatre, written by Kate Trefry; and Walden, Second Stage Theater, written by Amy Berryman.

Outstanding Revival of a Play – The Cherry Orchard, St. Ann’s Warehouse, written by Anton Chekhov, new version written by Benedict Andrews; Eureka Day, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, written by Jonathan Spector; Ghosts, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, written by Henrik Ibsen, new version by Mark O’Rowe; Glengarry Glen Ross, Palace Theatre, written by David Mamet; Home, Todd Haimes Theatre, written by Samm-Art Williams; Othello, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, written by William Shakespeare; Romeo + Juliet, Circle in the Square Theatre, written by William Shakespeare; A Streetcar Named Desire, Brooklyn Academy of Music, written by Tennessee Williams; Vanya, Lucille Lortel Theatre, after Anton Chekhov, adapted by Simon Stephens and Sam Yates; Wine in the Wilderness, written by Alice Childress; and Yellow Face, Todd Haimes Theatre, written by David Henry Hwang.

Outstanding Production of a Musical – BOOP! The Musical, Broadhurst Theatre, book by Bob Martin, music by David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead; Buena Vista Social Club, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, book by Marco Ramirez, music by Buena Vista Social Club; Dead Outlaw, Longacre Theatre, book by Itamar Moses, music and lyrics by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna; Death Becomes Her, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, book by Marco Pennette, music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey; Drag: The Musical, New World Stages, book, music, and lyrics by Justin Andrew Honard (Alaska Thunderfuck), Tomas Costanza, and Ashley Gordon; Just in Time, Circle in the Square Theatre, book by Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver, music and lyrics by various artists; Macbeth in Stride, Brooklyn Academy of Music, written by Whitney White; Maybe Happy Ending, Belasco Theatre, book by Will Aronson and Hue Park, music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park; Operation Mincemeat, John Golden Theatre, book, music, and lyrics by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts; Real Women Have Curves, James Earl Jones Theatre, book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, based on the play by Josefina López, music and lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez; Smash, Imperial Theatre, book by Bob Martin and Rick Elice, based on the series created by Theresa Rebeck, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman; and Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, devised by Cameron Mackintosh.

Outstanding Revival of a Musical – Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Perelman Performing Arts Center, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by T.S. Eliot, additional lyrics by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe; Floyd Collins, book by Tina Landau, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, additional lyrics by Tina Landau; Gypsy, Majestic Theatre, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; The Last Five Years, Hudson Theatre, book, music, and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown; Once upon a Mattress, Hudson Theatre, book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean Fuller, adapted by Amy Sherman-Palladino, music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer; The Marriage of Figaro, music and libretto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Todd Haimes Theatre, music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W. S. Gilbert, adapted by Rupert Holmes; Sunset Blvd., St. James Theatre, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton; and Urinetown, New York City Center, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis.

Outstanding Direction of a Play – Knud Adams, English, Roundabout Theatre Company/Todd Haimes Theatre; Saheem Ali, Good Bones, The Public Theater; David Cromer, Good Night, and Good Luck, Winter Garden Theatre; Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!, Lyceum Theatre; Tyne Rafaeli, Becoming Eve, New York Theatre Workshop; Anna D. Shapiro, Eureka Day, Manhattan Theatre Club/Samuel J. Friedman Theatre; Danya Taymor, John Proctor Is the Villain, Booth Theatre; Whitney White, Liberation, Roundabout Theatre Company/Laura Pels Theatre; Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Music Box Theatre; and Sam Yates, Vanya, Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Outstanding Direction of a Musical – Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending, Belasco Theatre; Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre; Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre; Robert Hastie, Operation Mincemeat, John Golden Theatre; Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Perelman Arts Center; Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd., St. James Theatre; Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical, Shubert Theatre; Susan Stroman, Smash, Imperial Theatre; Alex Timbers, Just in Time, Circle in the Square Theatre; Annie Tippe, Three Houses, Signature Theatre Company; Sergio Trujillo, Real Women Have Curves, James Earl Jones Theatre; and George C. Wolfe, Gypsy, Majestic Theatre.

Distinguished Performance Award – Tala Ashe, English; Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash; Stori Ayers, Home; Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club; George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck; Kit Connor, Romeo+Juliet; Tatianna Córdoba, Real Women Have Curves; Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending; Kieran Culkin, Glengarry Glen Ross; André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball; Tommy Dorfman, Becoming Eve; Robert Downey, Jr., McNeal; Adam Driver, Hold On To Me Darling; Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw; Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!; Mia Farrow, The Roommate; Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.; Amber Gray, Eureka Day; David Greenspan, I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan; Jonathan Groff, Just in Time; Jake Gyllenhaal, Othello; Ryan J. Haddad, Hold Me in the Water; Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her; Robyn Hurder, Smash; LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose; Nick Jonas, The Last Five Years; Ramin Karimloo, Pirates! The Penzance Musical; Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time; Beth Leavel, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves; Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat; Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Idina Menzel, Redwood; Paul Mescal, A Streetcar Named Desire; Jinkx Monsoon, Pirates! The Penzance Musical; Marjan Neshat, English; Sandra Oh, The Welkin; Lily Rabe, Ghosts; Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical; Lea Salonga, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.; Andrew Scott, Vanya; Helen J. Shen, Maybe Happy Ending; Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her; Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray; Ephraim Sykes, Our Town; Alaska Thunderfuck, Drag: The Musical; Adrienne Warren, The Last Five Years; Denzel Washington, Othello; Joy Woods, Gypsy; and Kara Young, Purpose and Table 17.

The Drama League also acknowledged previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, they are ineligible to be nominated but their exemplary work was recognized and applauded: Annaleigh Ashford, All In; Danny Burstein, Gypsy; Norbert Leo Butz, Vladimir; Sutton Foster, Once upon a Mattress; Neil Patrick Harris, Shit. Meet. Fan.; Patti LuPone, The Roommate; Audra McDonald, Gypsy; Lin-Manuel Miranda, All In; and Bernadette Peters, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends.

Congratulations to all the honorees and nominees for The Drama League’s recognition of their excellent work and important contributions to NYC theater.

The 91^st Annual Drama League Awards, hosted by Frank DiLella, will be presented on Friday, May 16, 2025, 11 am-3 pm, at a luncheon ceremony at The Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 West 54^th Street, NYC. For tickets (priced at $350-1000), register online.

Winners of the 89^th Annual Drama League Awards were announced today (Friday, May 19), beginning at noon, at the organization’s annual luncheon ceremony at The Ziegfeld Ballroom, honoring seven categories of outstanding achievements in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions that began previews between April 21, 2022-April 23, 2023.

The all-star roster of Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, Ben Platt, Bebe Neuwirth, and Director Rachel Chavkin, Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles, Director Sheryl Kaller, and Charles Flateman, Executive Vice President of The Shubert Organization, presented the awards, along with Emmy Award-winning NY1 host Frank DiLella, who also hosted the ceremony.

And the winners are:

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY: Leopoldstadt;

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY: A Doll’s House;

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL: Some Like It Hot;

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Into the Woods;

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Anne Kauffman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window;

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods;

DISTINGUISED PERFORMANCE AWARD: Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

In addition to the competitive awards, the following previously announced Special Recognition Honors were also presented:

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award: André De Shields (Tony winner; Hadestown);

The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Lear deBessonet (Encores! Artistic Director and Public Works founder);

Contribution to the Theater Award: The Drama Book Shop (Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller, and James L. Nederlander);

Gratitude Award: Darin Oduyoye (Chief Communications Officer, J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management).

Congratulations to all the recipients and honorees of these distinguished awards!

This morning at 11:30, TV and stage star Justin Guarini (American Idol; Once Upon a One More Time) and Tony Award winner Roger Bart (The Producers; Back to the Future: The Musical) announced the nominations for the 89^th Annual Drama League Awards. First presented in 1922, and formalized in 1935, the Awards honor outstanding accomplishments in the New York theatrical community in seven categories. Broadway and Off-Broadway productions that began previews between April 21, 2022-April 23, 2023, were eligible for consideration this season. Drama League Membership, which includes voting privileges in the competitive awards categories, is open to industry professionals, artists, and audience members.

And the nominees are:

Distinguished Performance Award: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topdog/Underdog; Hiran Abeysekera, Life of Pi; Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods; Stephanie Berry, the bandaged place; Brittany Bradford, Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story In Black And White; Danielle Brooks, The Piano Lesson; Rachel Brosnahan, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window; Marylouise Burke, Epiphany; D’Arcy Carden, The Thanksgiving Play; Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House; Sharon D. Clarke, Death of a Salesman; Jodie Comer, Prima Facie; Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’; Lorna Courtney, & Juliet; Micaela Diamond, Parade; K. Todd Freeman, Downstate; J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot; Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Ryan J. Haddad, Dark Disabled Stories; Corey Hawkins, Topdog/Underdog; Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar; Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy; Oscar Isaac, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window; Tarra Conner Jones, White Girl in Danger; Esco Jouléy, Wolf Play; Somi Kakoma, Dreaming Zenzile; David Krumholtz, Leopoldstadt; Linda Lavin, You Will Get Sick; Laura Linney, Summer, 1976; Jefferson Mays, A Christmas Carol; Patina Miller, Into the Woods; Marla Mindelle, Titanique; Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House; Gargi Mukherjee, Public Obscenities; Alex Newell, Shucked; Jeremy Pope, The Collaboration; Colton Ryan, New York, New York; Phillipa Soo, Camelot; Marcel Spears, Fat Ham; Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living; Will Swenson, A Beautiful Noise; John Douglas Thompson, Endgame; Anna Uzele, New York, New York; John David Washington, The Piano Lesson; Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet; David Zayas, Cost of Living;

Outstanding Production of a Play: the bandaged place, Roundabout Theatre Company, written by Harrison David Rivers; Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club, written by Martyna Majok; Dark Disable Stories, The Bushwick Starr/The Public Theater, written by Ryan J. Haddad; Downstate, Playwrights Horizons, written by Bruce Norris; Elyria, Atlantic Theater Company, written by Deepa Purohit; Fat Ham, American Airlines Theatre, written by James Ijames; Good Night, Oscar, Belasco Theatre, written by Doug Wright; Leopoldstadt, Longacre Theatre, written by Tom Stoppard; Life of Pi, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, based on the novel by Yann Martel, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti; Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, based on Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie; Prima Facie, John Golden Theatre, written by Suzie Miller; Public Obscenities, Soho Rep, written by Shayok Misha Chowdhury; Summer, 1976, Manhattan Theatre Club, written by David Auburn;

Outstanding Production of a Musical: & Juliet, Stephen Sondheim Theatre, book by David West Read, music by Max Martin, lyrics by Max Martin; music and lyrics by Max Martin and Friends, Klas Åhlund, Dido Armstrong, Jon Bon Jovi, Andreas Carlsson, Robyn Carlsson, Jessica Cornish, Cathy Dennis, Lukasz Gottwald, Ariana Grande, Allan Grigg, Amethyst Amelia Kelly, Claude Kelly, Savan Kotecha, Benjamin Levin, Brian Littrell, Tove Lo, Demetria Lovato, Kristian Lundin, Bonnie McKee, Lisa Miskovsky, Alecia Moore, Ali Payami, Katy Perry, Denniz PoP, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Richard S. Sambora, Kesha Sebert, Shellback, Peter Anders Svensson, Abel Tesfaye, Justin Timberlake, Henry Walter, Rami Yacoub, and Anton Zaslavski; A Beautiful Noise, Broadhurst Theatre, music by Neil Diamond, lyrics by Neil Diamond, book by Anthony McCarten; Dreaming Zenzile, New York Theatre Workshop, written by Somi Kakoma, based on the life of Miriam Makeba; New York, New York, St. James Theatre, music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, written by David Thompson, co-written by Sharon Washington, additional lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Shucked, Nederlander Theatre, book by Robert Horn, music by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally; Some Like It Hot, Shubert Theatre, book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, based on the screenplay Some Like it Hot by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond; Titanique, Daryl Roth Theatre, book by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue, music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Nicholas Connell; White Girl in Danger, Tony Kiser Theater, book, music, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson; Wise Children’s Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, based on the novel by Emily Brontë, adapted and directed by Emma Rice;

Outstanding Revival of a Play: A Doll’s House, Hudson Theatre, written by Henrik Ibsen, in a new version by Amy Herzog; Ohio State Murders, James Earl Jones Theatre, written by Adrienne Kennedy; Hamlet/Oresteia, Park Avenue Armory, written by Aeschylus and William Shakespeare, Oresteia adapted by Robert Icke; The Piano Lesson, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, written by August Wilson; A Raisin in the Sun, The Public Theater, written by Lorraine Hansberry; The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window; Brooklyn Academy of Music/James Earl Jones Theatre, written by Lorraine Hansberry; The Thanksgiving Play, Second Stage Theater Hayes Theater, written by Larissa FastHorse; Topdog/Underdog, John Golden Theatre, written by Suzan-Lori Parks; Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, Theatre for a New Audience, written by Alice Childress; Wolf Play, MCC Theater, written by Hansol Jung;

Outstanding Revival of a Musical: Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, Music Box Theatre, music orchestrated by Jim Abbott, new music by David Dabbon, text consultation and additional material by Kirsten Childs; Camelot, Lincoln Center Theatre, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe, book by Aaron Sorkin, based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, based on The Once and Future King by T. H. White; Into the Woods, St. James Theatre, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine; A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company, book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; Parade, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, book by Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, co-conceived by Harold Prince; 1776, Roundabout Theatre Company, music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, book by Peter Stone, based on a concept by Sherman Edwards; Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond;

Outstanding Direction of a Play: Jo Bonney, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club; Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep; Anne Kauffman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Brooklyn Academy of Music/James Earl Jones Theatre; Kenny Leon, Topdog/Underdog, John Golden Theatre; Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House, Hudson Theatre; David Mendizábal, the bandaged place, Roundabout Theatre Company; Awoye Timpo, Elyria, and Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, Atlantic Theater Company and Theatre for a New Audience; Dustin Wills, Wolf Play, MCC Theater;

Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Lileana Blain-Cruz, Dreaming Zenzile and White Girl In Danger, New York Theatre Workshop and Vineyard Theatre/Second Stage Theater; Lear DeBessonet, Into the Woods, St. James Theatre; Thomas Kail, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre; Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot, Shubert Theatre; Jack O’Brien, Shucked, Nederlander Theatre; Bartlett Sher, Camelot, Lincoln Center Theater; Susan Stroman, New York, New York, St. James Theatre.

The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions this season. As the award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, the following are ineligible to be nominated but their exemplary work is recognized and applauded:

Danny Burstein, Pictures from Home; Norbert Leo Butz, Cornelia Street; Kathleen Chalfant, The Year of Magical Thinking; Neil Patrick Harris, Peter Pan Goes Wrong; Nathan Lane, Pictures from Home; Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders; Bebe Neuwirth, The Bedwetter; Ben Platt, Parade.

As was previously announced, in addition to the competitive awards, the following Special Recognition Honors will also be presented:

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award: André De Shields (Tony winner; Hadestown);

The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Lear deBessonet (Encores! Artistic Director and Public Works founder);

Contribution to the Theater Award: The Drama Book Shop (Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller, and James L. Nederlander);

Gratitude Award: Darin Oduyoye (Chief Communications Officer, J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management).

Congratulations to all the nominees and honorees!

The annual luncheon ceremony for The Drama League Awards will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023, at noon, at The Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 West 54^th Street, NYC. More information about the ceremony and how to attend can be found on the Drama League website.

The Drama League (founded in 1916, as one of the longest-running arts service organizations in the country, providing life-long artistic resources for directors) has announced that two past Drama League Distinguished Performance Award nominees – Tony Award winner and André De Shields (Hadestown) and Tony Award nominee Denée Benton (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) – will host the announcement of the 2022 Drama League Awards nominations  on Monday, April 25, beginning at 11 am, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The event will also be livestreamed via  BroadwayWorld.

First presented in 1922, and formalized in 1935, the Drama League Awards honor the outstanding accomplishments of the theatrical community in the following categories: Distinguished Performance Award; Outstanding Production of a Play; Outstanding Production of a Musical; Outstanding Revival of a Play; and Outstanding Revival of a Musical. For the first time this year, the 88^th Annual Drama League Awards will also include two new directing categories: Outstanding Direction of a Play; and Outstanding Direction of a Musical.

The 2022 Awards will recognize eligible Broadway and Off-Broadway productions (non-virtual only) that began preview performances between March 16, 2021, and April 23, 2022, and will be presented in person at The Ziegfeld Ballroom, located at 141 West 54^th Street, on Friday, May 20, at noon.

As was previously announced, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Billy Crystal, Hugh Jackman, and Willette Murphy Klausner are this year’s Special Recognition Honorees. Hugh Jackman  will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award for his outstanding work on stage and in film as part of the musical theater community; Billy Crystal will be presented with the Contribution to the Theater Award for his extraordinary work on stages across the country and his commitment to mentorship in the field; Lileana Blain-Cruz will be honored with the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing for her significant contributions to the field of directing; and producer Willette Murphy Klausner will be honored with the Gratitude Award in recognition of her leadership, commitment, and dedication to theater and the entertainment industry.

For more information, and to register for the in-person event in May, visit the Drama League website.

The Drama League Awards, first presented in 1922, and formalized in 1935, have the distinction of being the oldest national theatrical honors, in addition to being the only major awards chosen by the entire theater community of League members. This year’s 87^th annual awards continue the longstanding tradition of recognizing outstanding accomplishments in theater, in an online ceremony scheduled for Friday, May 21, at 7 pm.

The five traditional awards categories are Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award. What is different this year, as a result of the pandemic hiatus of live theater since March 2020, is the establishment of five unique categories – Outstanding Digital Theater, Individual Production; Outstanding Digital Theater, Collection or Festival; Outstanding Interactive or Socially-Distanced Theater; Outstanding Audio Theater Production; and Outstanding Digital Concert – designed to honor the extraordinary achievements of artists nationwide who created digital and socially-distanced theatrical pieces that “exemplify inspiration, innovation, and imagination.”

Eligible productions for the current awards season premiered between March 12, 2020-March 15, 2021. The 33 nominated productions were selected from submissions by more than 400 directors and theater professionals who are the alumni of The Drama League’s support programs for directors.  In addition to the competitive categories, Special Honors are also presented each year: The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing; the award for Unique Contribution to the Theater; and the award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater. Added to those is the new Gratitude Award.

And the nominees are:

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL THEATER, INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION:

Belly of the Beast, directed by Lisa Rothe, written by Margaret Vandenburg, Daniel Dae Kim/3AD, in partnership with TodayTix and New York Theatre Workshop (New York, NY);

Circle Jerk, conceived and written by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, in collaboration with Cat Rodriguez and Ariel Sibert, directed by Rory Pelsue, produced by Caroline Gart, Fake Friends (New York, NY);

Disclaimer, written by Tara Ahmadinejad, directed by Jeff Wood and Tara Ahmadinejad, created by Piehole, The Public Theater (New York, NY);

Don’t Stay Safe, book and lyrics by Cheryl L. Davis, music by Douglas J. Cohen, directed by Christina Franklin, Prospect Theater Company (New York, NY);

Duchess! Duchess! Duchess!, written by Vivian J.O. Barnes, directed by Weyni Mengesha, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago, IL);

The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels In America, written by Tony Kushner, directed by Ellie Heyman, presented by amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research);

GRIMMZ Fairy Tales, written by Christopher Parks, Rahsheem Shabazz, and Ron Lee McGill, directed by Christopher Parks, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC);

Heroes of the Fourth Turning, written by Will Arbery, directed by Blanka Zizka, Wilma Theater (Philadelphia, PA);

Last Gasp, written by Lois Weaver and Peggy Shaw, directed by Lois Weaver, Split Britches (New York, NY);

The Last 5 Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, directed by Jason Michael Webb, Out Of The Box Theatrics (New York, NY);

What Do They Call Us, created and directed by Qween Jean, Ars Nova (New York, NY);

Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, written by Brian Quijada, directed by Matt Dickson, a digital creation by Satya Chávez and Matt Dickson, Actors Theatre of Louisville (Louisville, KY).

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL THEATER, COLLECTION OR FESTIVAL:

1MOVE: DES19NED BY . . ., created by Alan C. Edwards, Brittany Bland, Christopher Darbassie, Dominique Fawn Hill, Kameron Neal, Mika Eubanks, Nehprii Amenii, nicHi douglas, Nikiya Mathis, Qween Jean, Ramaj Jamar, Taylor Lilly, Teniece Divya Johnson, Teresa L. Williams, Twi McCallum, Ao Li, Chen-Wei Liao, Dina El-Aziz, Edurne Fernandez, Kimie Nishikawa, María Feuereisen, Megumi Katayama, Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene, Omar Madkour, Reza Behjat, Riw Rakkulchon, Rodrigo Muñoz, Stefania Bulbarella, Wenzheng (Wen) Zhang, and Yee Eun Nam, co-curated by Dede Ayite, Stacey Derosier, Clint Ramos, Cha See, and Paul Tazewell, The Movement Theatre Company (New York, NY);

AFO Solo Shorts (Round 1 and 2), written, created, and directed by Veronica Barron, Beaudau Karel Banks, Eliza Bent, Ellarose Chary, Jody Christopherson, Jasmine Eileen Coles, Kendra Cui, Darian Dauchan, Toni Ann DeNoble, Tayna Everett, Gina Femia, Nela Fortunato, Raz Golden, Nathan Gebhard, Charles Gershman, Kathryn Grody, Brandon James Gwinn, Katie Melby, Matthew Paul Olmos, Erika Sheffer, Casey Alexander Smith, William Steinberger, Melissa Tien, Rhys Tivey, Emily Waters, Sybil Wigglesworth, Zonia, Tsang Lok Sze, All For One Theater (New York, NY);

The Manic Monologues, originally created by Zachary Burton and Elisa Hofmeister, virtual experience conceived and directed by Elena Araoz, McCarter Theater Center in collaboration with Princeton University Health Services, The 24 Hour Plays, and Innovations in Socially Distant Performance at the Lewis Center for the Arts (Princeton, NJ);

The Work of Adrienne Kennedy: Inspiration and Influence, written by Adrienne Kennedy (Sleep Deprivation Chamber by Adam P. Kennedy and Adrienne Kennedy), directed by Raymond O. Caldwell, Timothy Douglas, Valerie Curtis-Newton, and Nicole A. Watson, Round House Theatre (Bethesda, MD) in association with McCarter Theater Center (Princeton, NJ) conceived by Nicole A. Watson;

Theater in Quarantine, created by founder Joshua William Gelb (New York, NY) and Katie Rose McLaughlin (New York, NY).

OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE OR SOCIALLY-DISTANCED THEATER:

American Dreams, written by Leila Buck, directed by Tamilla Woodard, created and developed by Leila Buck and Tamilla Woodard with Jens Rasmussen, in collaboration with Osh Ghanimah, Imran Sheikh, and the company, Working Theater (New York, NY);

Carla’s Quince, created by The Voting Project (Ashley Alvarez, Galia Backal, Yadira De La Riva, Jorge Donoso, Estefanía Fadul, Michael León, María Peyramaure, Camila Pérez Santiago, and Christina Watanabe), directed by Estefanía Fadul, with guest artists Jason Aguirre (tech facilitator), Jamie Salinger (stage manager), Haydee Zelideth (costume consultant), and Sebastian Zuniga (performer);

Fort Worth Lynching Tour: Honoring the Memory of Mr. Fred Rouse, concept and choreography Adam W. McKinney, director Daniel Banks, app design Digital Ant Media, music by: Third Wind Productions/Maritri Garrett and David Winder, graphic design Troy Lambert, tintype photography Will Wilson, guest artists Edykah Chilome, Julienne Greer, Sedrick Huckaby, Jordan Jones, Opal Lee, Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., associate producer  Jiles King, production associate NaTasha Thompson, production manager Jamelyn Ebelacker, production assistant Lauren Huynh, sound engineering Michael Billow and Gregg Powers, A DNAWORKS Production (Fort Worth, TX);

Package Play, created and performed by Katie Farmin, Tricklock Company (Albuquerque, NM);

7 Deadly Sins, written by Hilary Bettis, Nilo Cruz, Moisés Kaufman, Rogelio Martinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Carmen Pelaez, and Aurin Squire, conceived and directed by Michel Hausmann, Miami New Drama (Miami Beach, FL);

A Thousand Ways (Part One), created by 600 HIGHWAYMEN | Abigail Browde & Michael Silverstone  (Brooklyn, NY), ArKtype/Thomas O. Kriegsmann executive producer;

Wild Thyme, written by Liz Duffy Adams, produced by West Hyler and Shelley Butler, Artistic Stamp (New York, NY).

BEST AUDIO THEATER PRODUCTION:

G.O.A.T., written by Ngozi Anyanwu, directed by Whitney White, Playing On Air (Hillsdale, NY);

OUTTAKES, written by Qui Nguyen, directed by May Adrales, Playwrights Horizons (New York, NY);

The Chonburi International Hotel and Butterfly Club, written by Shakina Nayfack, directed by Laura Savia, Williamstown Theatre Festival (Williamstown, MA) and Audible;

Prime: A Practical Breviary, written, composed, and performed by Heather Christian, Playwrights Horizons (New York, NY);

Tiger Style!, written by Mike Lew, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Huntington Theatre Company and WGBH Radio (Boston, MA).

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL CONCERT PRODUCTION:

BREATHING FREE, a visual album, featuring excerpts from Beethoven’s Fidelio, Negro Spirituals, and songs by Harry T. Burleigh, Florence Price, Langston Hughes, Anthony Davis, and Thulani Davis, Heartbeat Opera, NYC;

Myths and Hymns (Chapters 1 and 2), music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, conceived and supervised by Ted Sperling, directed by Greg Anderson, Sammi Cannold, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Lear deBessonet, Khristian Dentley, Doug Fitch, Anne Kauffman, and Ted Sperling, presented by Mastervoices;

Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, conceived by The #RatatouilleMusical Community, featuring work by Danny Bernstein, Gabbi Bolt, Kevin Chamberlin, RJ Christian, Nathan Fosbinder, Emily Jacobsen, Sophia James, Katie Johantgen, Daniel Mertzlufft, Alec Powell, Blake Rouse and Jessica Siswick, adapted for the stage by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, directed by Lucy Moss, presented by Seaview;

Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90^th Birthday Celebration, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, produced by Stephen Sondheim, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bill Curran, Raúl Esparza, John Gore, and Paul Wontorek, directed by Paul Wontorek, benefit for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), presented by Broadway.com.

The 2021 SPECIAL RECOGNITION DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS honorees are:

Gratitude Award: Iris Smith, for her fearless support of the The Drama League and the theater community at large;

The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Liesl Tommy, for her extraordinary work on stages across the country and commitment to mentorship in the field;

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater: Richard & Demi Weitz, for their creation of the “Quarantunes” series, which provides a virtual platform for musical theater artists and generated over $20 million in funds for nonprofits across the country;

Unique Contribution to Theater Award: The Actors Fund, for its emergency relief efforts through COVID-19, the winter storms, and Oregon wildfires this past season and its ongoing commitment to providing resources for artists.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and honorees. The 87th Annual Drama League Awards will be streamed on Friday, May 21, 2021, at 7:00 pm. For tickets (starting at $15 for non-members), go online.