2023 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced

Adrianna Hicks (left), Natasha Yvette Williams *(center), J. Harrison Ghee* (right), Christian Borle (further right in black), *and the cast of Broadway’s* **Some Like It Hot***. Photo by Marc J. Franklin.*

2023 DRAMA DESK NOMINATIONS

(Thursday, April 27, 2022) – Nominations for the 67th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced today and the full list of nominees is available below.

In keeping with the Drama Desk‘s mission, the nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway during the 2022-2023 New York theater season, with the Drama Desk cut-off being April 26, 2023. Only shows with 21 or more unique performances are eligible.

In determining eligibility of productions with recent Off-Broadway runs in prior seasons, the nominating committee considered only those elements that constituted new work. These productions included A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Ain’t No Mo’, Between Riverside and Crazy, Catch as Catch Can, Cost of Living, Dog Man: The Musical, Kimberly Akimbo, KPOP, The Thanksgiving Play, Wolf Play, and Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom.

Additional productions on and Off-Broadway deemed not eligible as they were considered in their entirety in prior seasons included A Sherlock Carol, Cheek to Cheek, Fiddler on the Roof, Hitler’s Tasters, Just for Us, Take Me Out, The Jungle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Winnie the Pooh.

Winners will be announced the week of May 29 and the Awards will be presented during a ceremony at Sardi’s (234 West 44th Street) on Tuesday, June 6 from 3:00 – 6:00PM.

The Broadway Company of **Leopoldstadt** at the Longacre Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus (2022).

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

The cast of **Into the Woods** on Broadway.
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

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

The cast of **SHUCKED** by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

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

Francis Guinan, Glenn Davis, Susanna Guzmán, Eddie Torres, and K. Todd Freeman in Bruce Norris’s **Downstate** at Playwrights Horizons. Photo by Joan Marcus.

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

Adam Meggido, Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Miranda Cromwell, Death of a Salesman

Max Webster, Life of Pi

Alexander Zeldin, Love, Park Avenue Armory

Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, and the company of the 2023 Broadway production of SWEENEY TODD, Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.

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

Natey Jones (center) and the company of the world premiere musical **The Harder They Come**. Photo credit: Joan Marcus.

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

Lorna Courtney, Betsy Wolfe, Justin David Sullivan, and Melanie La Barrie in Broadway’s **& Juliet** – Photo by Matthew Murphy.

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

Jim Parsons and Mare Winningham in CSC’s **A Man of No Importance**. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

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

Hiran Abeysekera, Mahira Kakkar, and the company of Broadway’s **Life of Pi**. Photo by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

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

Ray Fisher, Trai Byers, and *Samuel L. Jackson in* **August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson***. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.*

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

Audra McDonald and Bryce Pinkham in Adrienne Kennedy’s **Ohio State Murders**. Photo by Richard Termine.

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

*Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond in Broadway’s* **Parade***. Photo by Joan Marcus.*

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

Henry Shields (Chris), Ellie Morris (Lucy), Henry Lewis (Robert), Charlie Russell (Sandra), Jonathan Sayer (Dennis), Neil Patrick Harris (Francis), and Matthew Cavendish (Max) in Broadway’s **Peter Pan Goes Wrong**. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

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, Día Y Noche, LAByrinth Theater Company

Rocio Mendez, How to Defend Yourself, New York Theatre Workshop

Unkledave’s Fight-House, soft, MCC Theater

Jessica Chastain in **A Doll’s House**. Courtesy of **A Doll’s House**.

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 AWARDS

*Stephen McKinley Henderson in Second Stage’s* ***Between Riverside and Crazy*** *on Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus 2022.*

Harold 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.