TheDrama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both onBroadway andOff-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing.[1] Each May, the awards are presented byThe Drama League at the Annual Awards Luncheon with performers, directors, producers, and Drama League members in attendance. The Drama League membership comprises the entire theater community, including award-winning actors, designers, directors, playwrights, producers, industry veterans, critics and theater-going audiences from across the U.S.[2][3]
The Drama League Awards are the oldest awards honoring theater in North America. The awards were established in 1922, and formalized in 1935.[4][5]Katharine Cornell was the recipient of the firstDistinguished Performance Award in 1935.[1] Seven competitive awards are presented: Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, the Distinguished Performance Award,[2] and, as of 2022, Outstanding Direction of a Play and Outstanding Direction of a Musical.[6] The Distinguished Performance Award is presented to one performer every year, and the recipient can only receive the award once in his or her career.[7] The Drama League also bestow three special honors at the awards ceremony: Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater, Unique Contribution to the Theater, and The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.[3][5] The award statues are designed by New York firmSociety Awards.[8]
Additionally, an honorary award may be given in the following categories:
TheDistinguished Performance Award, originally known as the Delia Austrian Medal, was first presented in 1935, toKatharine Cornell forRomeo and Juliet. The first recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing wasDaniel J. Sullivan in 2000. ActorYul Brynner was the first recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre award in 1985. The Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award was first bestowed in 1982 to the New York Production ofNicholas Nickelby:Bernard Jacobs,Gerald Schoenfeld,James M. Nederlander,Elizabeth McCann, andNelle Nugent.[5]
Source: TheaterMania.com[9]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Sarah Paulson forAppropriate |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | Hell's Kitchen |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | Stereophonic |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Merrily We Roll Along |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | Appropriate |
| Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Maria Friedman forMerrily We Roll Along |
| Outstanding Direction of a Play | Daniel Aukin forStereophonic |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | Jonathan Groff |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | Jessica Lange |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Schele Williams |
| Gratitude Award | Kandi Burruss |
Source: Playbill.com[10]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Annaleigh Ashford forSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | Some Like It Hot |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | Leopoldstadt |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Into the Woods |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | A Doll's House |
| Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Lear deBessonet forInto the Woods |
| Outstanding Direction of a Play | Anne Kauffman forThe Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | André De Shields |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | Drama Book Shop |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Lear deBessonet |
Source: Playbill.com[11]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Sutton Foster forThe Music Man |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | A Strange Loop |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | The Lehman Trilogy |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Company |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | Take Me Out |
| Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Marianne Elliott forCompany |
| Outstanding Direction of a Play | Kate Whoriskey forClyde's |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | Hugh Jackman |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | Billy Crystal |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Lileana Blain-Cruz |
Source: Playbill.com[12]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Danny Burstein forMoulin Rouge! |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | Moulin Rouge! |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | The Inheritance |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Little Shop of Horrors |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | A Soldier's Play |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | James Lapine |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | Terrence McNally |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Marianne Elliott |
Source: Playbill.com[13]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Bryan Cranston forNetwork |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | Hadestown |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | The Ferryman |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Kiss Me, Kate |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | The Waverly Gallery |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | Kelli O'Hara |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | Taylor Mac |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Alex Timbers |
Source: Playbill.com[14]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Distinguished Performance Award | Glenda Jackson forThree Tall Women |
| Outstanding Production of a Musical | The Band's Visit |
| Outstanding Production of a Play | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child |
| Outstanding Revival of a Musical | My Fair Lady |
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | Angels in America |
| Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award | Idina Menzel |
| Unique Contribution to the Theatre | National Endowment for the Arts |
| Founders Award for Excellence in Directing | Casey Nicholaw |
Source: Playbill.com[15]
Source: Playbill.com[16]
Source: Playbill.com[17]
Source: Playbill.com[18]
Source: Playbill.com[19]
Source: Playbill.com[20]
Source: Playbill.com[21]
Source: Playbill.com[22]
Source:Playbill.com[23]
Source:Variety[24]
List of winners, 1935 through 2014.[5]
