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The theatre awards season kicks into high gear with the announcement of the 67th annual Drama Desk Award nominations. Unlike the Tony Awards, which only recognize Broadway productions, the Drama Desk considers all New York City theatre: Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off. There are also additional categories, including Outstanding Solo Show, Puppet Design, Unique Theatrical Experience and an Ensemble Award.
Also unlike the Tonys: the Drama Desk has heeded the call for awards to go gender-free, allowing nonbinary performers to complete without being forced into male or female categories. Because of this change, the four performance categories have twice as many nominations as the former gendered categories, with two winners each unless there's a tie, which would mean three.
Winners will be announced the week of May 29 and the Awards will be presented during an intimate ceremony at Sardi's on Tuesday, June 6 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Note that because Ain’t No Mo’, Between Riverside and Crazy, Cost of Living, Kimberly Akimbo, KPOP and The Thanksgiving Play had NYC runs in previous seasons, the nominating committee considered only those elements that constituted new work. Translation: That's why these productions did not receive many (or any) nominations.
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 - Read our interview with Ijames playwright on TDF Stages.
Leopoldstadt by Tom Stoppard on Broadway
Love by Alexander Zeldin, Park Avenue Armory
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller on Broadway
Wish You Were Here by Sanaz Toossi, Playwrights Horizons
& Juliet on Broadway
Between the Lines - Read our interview with the songwriters on TDF Stages.
F*ck7thGrade, The Wild Project
Shucked on Broadway
Some Like it Hot on Broadway
White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater
A Raisin in the Sun, The Public Theater
Death of a Salesman on Broadway
Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre
The Piano Lesson on Broadway
Ohio State Murders on Broadway
Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Into the Woods on Broadway
Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Parade on Broadway
Sweeney Todd on Broadway
Hiran Abeysekera in Life of Pi on Broadway
Kyle Beltran in A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre
Will Brill in A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre
Brittany Bradford in Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
Jessica Chastain in A Doll’s House on Broadway
Sharon D Clarke in Death of a Salesman on Broadway
Sean Hayes in Good Night, Oscar on Broadway
Denise Manning in Amani, National Black Theatre and Rattlestick Theater
Audra McDonald in Ohio State Murders on Broadway
Wendell Pierce in Death of a Salesman on Broadway
John Douglas Thompson in Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre
Kara Young in Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem
Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd on Broadway
Nicholas Barasch in The Butcher Boy, Irish Repertory Theatre - Read our interview with Barasch on TDF Stages.
Sara Bareilles in Into the Woods on Broadway
Andrew Burnap in Camelot on Broadway
Micaela Diamond in Parade on Broadway
Andrew Durand in Shucked on Broadway
Callum Francis in Kinky Boots, Stage 42
J. Harrison Ghee in Some Like it Hot on Broadway - Watch our TDF Conversation with Ghee.
Jonathan Groff in Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Somi Kakoma in Dreaming Zenzile, New York Theatre Workshop
Lindsay Mendez in Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Anna Uzele in New York, New York
Emily Bergl in Good Night, Oscar on Broadway
Danielle Brooks in The Piano Lesson on Broadway
Amelda Brown in Love, Park Avenue Armory
Ray Fisher in The Piano Lesson on Broadway
K. Todd Freeman in Downstate, Playwrights Horizons
Francis Guinan in Downstate, Playwrights Horizons
Nick Holder in Love, Park Avenue Armory
Arian Moayed in A Doll’s House on Broadway
Brian Quijada in Wolf Play, MCC Theater and Soho Rep
Miriam Silverman in The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brandon Uranowitz in Leopoldstadt on Broadway
Kara Young in Cost of Living on Broadway - Watch our TDF Conversation with Young.
Kevin Cahoon in Shucked on Broadway
Kevin Del Aguila in Some Like it Hot on Broadway - Watch our TDF Conversation with Del Aguila.
Robyn Hurder in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Broadway
Mark Jacoby in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Broadway - Watch our TDF Conversation with Jacoby.
Tarra Conner Jones in White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater
Julia Lester in Into the Woods on Broadway
Alex Newell in Shucked on Broadway
Daniel Radcliffe in Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Phillipa Soo in Into the Woods on Broadway
Mare Winningham in A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Zi Alikhan, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages
Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO
Miranda Cromwell, Death of a Salesman on Broadway - Read our interview with Cromwell on TDF Stages.
Adam Meggido, Peter Pan Goes Wrong on Broadway
Max Webster, Life of Pi on Broadway
Alexander Zeldin, Love, Park Avenue Armory
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 on Broadway
Jack O’Brien, Shucked on Broadway
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 on Broadway
Susan Stroman, New York, New York on Broadway
Jennifer Weber, KPOP on Broadway
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked on Broadway
Michael R. Jackson, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater
Tom Kitt and AnnMarie Milazzo (vocal designer), Almost Famous on Broadway
Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, Between the Lines
The Kilbanes, Weightless, WP Theater
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked on Broadway
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 on Broadway
Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Robert Horn, Shucked on Broadway
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, Some Like it Hot on Broadway
Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, Titanique - Watch our TDF Conversation with Mindelle and Rousouli.
David West Read, & Juliet on Broadway
Bruce Coughlin, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Jason Howland, Shucked on Broadway
Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, Some Like it Hot on Broadway
Kenny Seymour, The Harder They Come, The Public Theater
Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, New York, New York on Broadway
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
Jason Ardizzone-West, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
Beowulf Boritt, Ohio State Murders on Broadway
dots, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO
Tim Hatley, Life of Pi on Broadway
Natasha Jenkins, Love, Park Avenue Armory
John McDermott, Chains, Mint Theater Company
Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York on Broadway
David Korins, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Scott Pask, Shucked on Broadway
Walt Spangler and Brendan McCann (production props), Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Michael Yeargan, Camelot on Broadway
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’ on Broadway
Roberto Surace, Peter Pan Goes Wrong on Broadway
Gregg Barnes, Some Like it Hot on Broadway
Tilly Grimes, Shucked on Broadway
Jennifer Moeller, Camelot on Broadway
Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, KPOP on Broadway
Anita Yavich, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Donna Zakowska, New York, New York on Broadway
Isabella Byrd, Epiphany, Lincoln Center Theater
Jiyoun Chang, The Far Country, Atlantic Theater Company
Natasha Chivers and Willie Williams (video), Prima Facie on Broadway
Allen Lee Hughes, Ohio State Murders on Broadway
Cha See, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages
Japhy Weideman, The Piano Lesson on Broadway
Ken Billington, New York, New York on Broadway
Jeff Croiter, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Heather Gilbert, Parade on Broadway
David Grill, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ on Broadway
Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd on Broadway
Simon Baker, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, and National Theatre
Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi on Broadway
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
Justin Ellington, Ohio State Murders on Broadway
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 on Broadway
Mikaal Sulaiman, Fat Ham, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre
Peter Hylenski, Almost Famous on Broadway
Scott Lehrer and Alex Neumann, Into the Woods on Broadway
John Shivers, Shucked on Broadway
Joanna Lynne Staub, Weightless, WP Theater
Jon Weston, Parade on Broadway
Campbell Young Associates, Almost Famous on Broadway
Cookie Jordan, The Piano Lesson on Broadway
Mia M. Neal, Ain’t No Mo’ on Broadway
Earon Nealey, Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem
Mitsuteru Okuyama, Chushingura 47 Ronin
Luc Verschueren, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Broadway
Jodie Comer in Prima Facie on Broadway
David Greenspan in Four Saints in Three Acts, Lucille Lortel Theatre
Jessica Hendy in Walking With Bubbles, AMT Theater
Anthony Rapp in Without You - Watch our TDF Conversation with Rapp.
Tracy Thorne in Jack Was Kind, Irish Repertory Theatre
Asi Wind’s Inner Circle
Peter Pan Goes Wrong on Broadway
Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater
Zephyr, Cirque Mechanics at New Victory Theater
B.H. Barry, Camelot on Broadway
Rocio Mendez, Día Y Noche, LAByrinth Theater Company
Rocio Mendez, How to Defend Yourself, New York Theatre Workshop
Unkledave’s Fight-House, soft, MCC Theater
A Doll’s House by Amy Herzog on Broadway
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
John Leader, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, National Theatre
James Ortiz (design), Kennedy Kanagawa (as Milky White), Into the Woods on Broadway
Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi on Broadway
Kirjan Waage, The Immortal Jellyfish Girl, Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre at 59E59 Theaters
Stephen McKinley Henderson - Read an interview with Henderson on TDF Stages.
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
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. - Watch our TDF Conversation with Haddad.
Shucked: 12
Some Like it Hot: 8
Into the Woods: 6
New York, New York: 6
Life of Pi: 5
Love: 5
Merrily We Roll Along: 5
Ohio State Murders: 5
The Piano Lesson: 5
White Girl in Danger: 5
A Doll’s House: 4
A Man of No Importance: 4
Between the Lines: 4
Camelot: 4
Death of a Salesman: 4
Only Gold: 4
Parade: 4
Public Obscenities: 4
Sweeney Todd: 4
Wedding Band: 4
Wuthering Heights: 4
A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical: 3
A Case for the Existence of God: 3
Almost Famous: 3
On That Day in Amsterdam: 3
Peter Pan Goes Wrong: 3
Prima Facie: 3
Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical: 3
& Juliet: 2
Ain't No Mo': 2
Downstate: 2
Endgame: 2
Fat Ham: 2
Good Night, Oscar: 2
KPOP: 2
Leopoldstadt: 2
Plays for the Plague Year: 2
the bandaged place: 2
The Far Country: 2
The Harder They Come: 2
Twelfth Night: 2
Weightless: 2
Wish You Were Here: 2
Top image: Alex Newell in Shucked, which earned 12 nominations. Photo by Emilio Madrid.