On April 29, the Drama Desk Awards unveiled their nominations for the year’s awards ceremony. The Drama Desk Awards nominees were revealed in New York City on Wednesday. Raúl Esparza and Helen J. Shen announced the nominations for the Drama Desk Awards. These awards honor Broadway, off-Broadway, and NYC theater.
Beau the Musical and Mexodus turned out to be the top nominees at this year’s Drama Desk Awards with 10 nominations each. Following this, The Seat of Our Pants earned a total of 9 nominations. Ragtime and The Balusters dominated the Broadway category of the Drama Desk Awards with 8 nominations.
List of nominations at the Drama Desk Awards
Here’s the complete rundown of Drama Desk Awards nominations across different categories, including Play, Musical, and so on:
Outstanding Play
- Caroline, Preston Max Allen
- Cold War Choir Practice, Ro Reddick
- Meet the Cartozians, Talene Monahon
- Prince F****t, Jordan Tannahill
- The Balusters, David Lindsay-Abaire
- The Porch on Windy Hill, Sherry Stregnack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Morgan Morse and David M. Lutken
- Well, I’ll Let You Go, Bubba Weiler
Outstanding Musical
- Beau the Musical
- Mexodus
- Schmigadoon!
- The Seat of Our Pants
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Outstanding Revival of a Play
- Becky Shaw
- Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
- Death of a Salesman
- Los Soles Truncos
- Titus Andronicus
- You Got Older
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Amahl and The Night Visitors
- Chess
- Ragtime
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- The Baker’s Wife
- The Rocky Horror Show
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play
- Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Well, I’ll Let You Go
- Noah Galvin, The Reservoir
- Synnøve Karlsen, Pygmalion
- John Krasinski, Angry Alan
- Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
- John Lithgow, Giant
- Lesley Manville, Oedipus
- Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman
- Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters
- Patrick Page, Titus Andronicus
- Anika Noni Rose, The Balusters
- Kara Young, Gruesome Playground Injuries
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
- Nicholas Christopher, Chess
- Micaela Diamond, The Seat of Our Pants
- Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
- Joshua Henry, Ragtime
- Dulé Hill, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
- Amber Iman, Goddess
- Caissie Levy, Ragtime
- Brian Quijada, Mexodus
- Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
- Matt Rodin, Beau the Musical
- Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
- Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play
- Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir
- Edoardo Benzoni, Are the Bennett Girls OK?
- Maria-Christina Oliveras, The Balusters
- Nathan Darrow, (un)conditional
- Emily Davis, Well, I’ll Let You Go
- West Duchovny, Diversion
- Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
- Linda Emond, Becky Shaw
- David Greenspan, Prince F****t
- River Lipe-Smith, Caroline
- Lizan Mitchell, Cold War Choir Practice
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
- Richard Thomas, The Balusters
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
- Chris Blisset, Beau the Musical
- Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
- Lilli Cooper, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- Stephanie Hsu, The Rocky Horror Show
- Judy Kuhn, The Baker’s Wife
- McKenzie Kurtz, Schmigadoon!
- Ruthie Anne Miles, The Seat of Our Pants
- Erin Morton, Heathers the Musical
- Jackson Kanawha Perry, Saturday Church
- Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
- Layton Williams, Titanique
Outstanding Solo Performance
- Savon Bartley, Holes in the Shape of My Father
- Jack Holden, Kenrex
- Hailey McAfee, and her Children
- Natalie Palamides, Weer
- Julia McDermott, Weather Girl
- Josh Sharp, ta-da!
Outstanding Direction of a Play
- Jesse Berger, Titus Andronicus
- David Cromer, Caroline
- Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
- Kenny Leon, The Balusters
- Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman
- Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Sheibani, The Brothers Size
- Jack Serio, Well, I’ll Let You Go
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
- Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
- Gordon Greenberg, The Baker’s Wife
- Danny Mefford, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- David Mendizábal, Mexodus
- Josh Rhodes, Beau the Musical
- Leigh Silverman, The Seat of Our Pants
Outstanding Choreography
- Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
- Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grime (tap choreography), Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
- Natalie Malotke, Jonathan Platero and Oksana Platero, Blood/Love
- Toran X. Moore, Try/Step/Trip
- Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys (includes aerial choreography)
Outstanding Music
- The Lazours, Night Side Songs
- Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
- Ethan D. Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
- Michael Thurber, Goddess
- Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Lyrics
- Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
- Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip
- Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
- Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
- Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Book of a Musical
- Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip
- Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
- Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
- Jesse Malin and Lauren Ludwig, Silver Manhattan
- Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Orchestrations
- Bryan Carter (music supervisor and arranger), The Fear of 13
- Daniel Kluger, The Seat of Our Pants
- David M. Lutken, Morgan Morse, Lisa Helmi Johanson and Sherry Stregack Lutken, The Porch on Windy Hill
- John McDaniel, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
- The Bengsons and Or Matias, My Joy is Heavy
Outstanding Music in a Play
- John Patrick Elliot, Kenrex
- Donald Lawrence, Oh, Happy Day!
- Stan Mathabane (composer) and Munir Zakee (musician), The Brothers Size
- Jonathan Moore, The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park)
- Ro Reddick, Cold War Choir Practice
- Darron L. West and Alexander Sovronsky, The Wild Duck
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play
- Harry Feiner, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
- Soutra Gilmour, Waiting for Godot
- Tatiana Kahvegian Meet the Cartozians
- Chloe Lamford, Death of a Salesman
- Derek McLane, The Adding Machine
- Derek McLane, The Balusters
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical
- Daniel Allen, Beau the Musical
- dots, The Rocky Horror Show
- Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
- Arnulfo Maldonado, Goddess
- Jason Sherwood, The Baker’s Wife
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Costume Design of a Play
- Kindall Almond, Initiative
- Enver Chakartash, Meet the Cartozians
- Enver Chakartash, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)
- Qween Jean, Oh, Happy Day!
- Emilio Sosa, The Balusters
- Paul Tazewell, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical
- Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Qween Jean, Saturday Church
- David I. Reynoso, The Rocky Horror Show
- Kaye Voyce, The Seat of Our Pants
- Catherine Zuber, The Baker’s Wife
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play
- Isabella Byrd, Prince F****t
- Jeff Croiter, The Adding Machine
- Stacy Derosier, Well, I’ll Let You Go
- Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman
- Kate McGee, without mirrors
- Studio Luna, Marcel on the Train
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical
- Mextly Couzin, Mexodus
- Adam Honoré, Amahl and the Night Visitors
- Adam Honoré and Donald Holder, Ragtime
- Bradley King, The Baker’s Wife
- Jen Shriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
- Japhy Weideman, Beau the Musical
Outstanding Sound Design of a Play
- Angela Baughman, Initiative
- Caroline Eng, The Unknown
- Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
- Kieran Lucas, Weather Girl
- Nevin Steinberg, Anna Christie
- Giles Thomas, Kenrex
Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical
- Jordana Abrenica, Beau the Musical
- Jason Crystal, The Baker’s Wife
- Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus (includes looping systems architecture)
- Kai Harada, Ragtime
- Alex Hawthorn and Drew Levy, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Projection and Video Design
- David Bengali, My Joy is Heavy
- Akhila Krishnan, Kyoto
- Johnny Moreno, Mexodus
- Tal Yarden, Oedipus
Outstanding Wig and Hair
- Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, The Rocky Horror Show
- David Brian Brown, The Lost Boys
- David Brian Brown and Victoria Tinsman, Fallen Angels
- Nikiya Mathis, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Robert Pickens, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Puppetry
- Axtell Expressions, Amaze
- Emily Batsford (creator) and Yuliya Tsukerman (puppet design), Cumulo
- Julian Crouch, Goddess
- Monkey Boys Productions, The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire
Outstanding Fight Choreography
- Gerry Rodriguez, The Monsters
- Thomas Schall, The Balusters
- Rick Sordelet, Titus Andronicus
- Rick Sordelet, Ulster American
- Sordlet Inc., The Lost Boys
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Adaptation
- and her Children by Rosie Glen Lambert and Haley McAfee
- Are the Bennett Girls OK? by Emily Breeze
- Oedipus by Robert Icke
- Pride and Prejudice by Abigail Pickard Price, with Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches
- Room 204 by Taylor Massa
- The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park) by Lucie Tiberghien
Outstanding Revue
- About Time
- Baile Cangrejero
- I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical
Drama Desk Awards for Unique Theatrical Experience
- Amaze
- Burnout Paradise
- Color Theories
- Rheology
- Slanted Floors
The Drama Desk Awards are chosen by theater critics, journalists, editors, and publishers who report on theater.
Edited by Sroban Ghosh