AwardsTootsie, Hadestown, and The Ferryman Lead 2019 Drama Desk Award WinnersThe June 2 ceremony saw big wins for popular titles, but a surprise twist for the top musical prize.
By
Ruthie Fierberg
June 02, 2019
Santino Fontana
Matthew Murphy
The 64th Annual Drama Desk Awards kicked off June 2 at The Town Hall, honoring the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway for the 2018–2019 theatre season.
Tootsie and Hadestown led the pack for musicals. Tootsie took home awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics for David Yazbek, as well as Outstanding Book of a Musical for David Horn, and Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Santino Fontana. Hadestown took home statues for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Rachel Chavkin, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for André de Shields, as well as Outstanding Sound Design and Lighting Design. (Hadestown was only eligible for “those elements that constituted new work,” excluding its book and score, due to its previous Off-Broadway run in 2016.) However, in a twist, The Prom took home the top prize for Outstanding Musical—its sole win of the night.
For plays, The Ferryman led with four wins, including Outstanding Play.
Executive produced by Matt Britten of Broadway Brands and produced by Joey Parnes Productions, the Drama Desk Awards are once again hosted by Michael Urie, who starred in this season’s revival of Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song. Written by Bill Rosenfield, directed by Mark Waldrop, and music-directed by Dan Lipton, the night will featured performances from the shows and stars of the season.
See the full list below. (Winners are in bold and starred.)
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Inside the 2019 Drama Desk Awards With Santino Fontana, Stephanie J. Block, and More
Inside the 2019 Drama Desk Awards With Santino Fontana, Stephanie J. Block, and More
Outstanding Musical *The Prom* Be More Chill The Hello Girls, Prospect Theater Company Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future, Ars Nova Tootsie
Outstanding Play *The Ferryman, by Jez Butterworth* Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, Soho Rep Lewiston/Clarkston, by Samuel D. Hunter, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Usual Girls, by Ming Peiffer, Roundabout Theatre Company What the Constitution Means to Me, by Heidi Schreck, New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway
Outstanding Revival of a Play *The Waverly Gallery* Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine, Signature Theatre Henry VI: Shakespeare's Trilogy in Two Parts, National Asian American Theatre Company Our Lady of 121st Street, Signature Theatre Summer and Smoke, Classic Stage Company/Transport Group Uncle Vanya, Hunter Theater Project
Outstanding Actress in a Play *Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery* Midori Francis, Usual Girls Zainab Jah, Boesman and Lena Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me
Outstanding Actor in a Play *Jay O. Sanders, Uncle Vanya* Jeff Biehl, Life Sucks Edmund Donovan, Lewiston/Clarkston Raúl Esparza, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Russell Harvard, I Was Most Alive With You
Outstanding Actress in a Musical *Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show* Beth Leavel, The Prom Rebecca Naomi Jones, Oklahoma! Anika Noni Rose, Carmen Jones Stacey Sargeant, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Outstanding Actor in a Musical *Santino Fontana, Tootsie* Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom Andrew R. Butler, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Damon Daunno, Oklahoma! Steven Skybell, Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Book of a Musical presented by Music Theatre International *Robert Horn, Tootsie* Scott Brown and Anthony King, Beetlejuice Andrew R. Butler, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, The Prom Dominique Morisseau, Ain't Too Proud
Outstanding Lyrics presented by Music Theatre International *David Yazbek, Tootsie* Chad Beguelin, The Prom Andrew R. Butler, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Joe Iconis, Be More Chill Peter Mills, The Hello Girls
Outstanding Music presented by Music Theatre International *David Yazbek, Tootsie* Andrew R. Butler, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Joe Iconis, Be More Chill Peter Mills, The Hello Girls Mark Sonnenblick, Midnight at the Never Get Shaina Taub, Twelfth Night
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical *Ali Stroker, Oklahoma!* Stephanie Hsu, Be More Chill Leslie Kritzer, Beetlejuice Soara-Joye Ross, Carmen Jones Sarah Stiles, Tootsie Mary Testa, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical *André De Shields, Hadestown* Corbin Bleu, Kiss Me, Kate Sydney James Harcourt, Girl from the North Country George Salazar, Be More Chill Patrick Vaill, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Choreography presented by LaDuca Dance Shoes *Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me Kate* Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy Denis Jones, Tootsie Lorin Latarro, Twelfth Night Rick and Jeff Kuperman, Alice by Heart David Neumann, Hadestown
Outstanding Fight Choreography *Claire Warden, Slave Play* U. Jonathan Toppo, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Claire Warden, "Daddy"
Outstanding Revival of a Musical *Fiddler on the Roof, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and Off-Broadway* Carmen Jones, Classic Stage Company Kiss Me, Kate, Roundabout Theatre Company Merrily We Roll Along, Fiasco Theater/Roundabout Theatre Company Oklahoma!, Bard Summerscape/St. Ann's Warehouse and Broadway
Outstanding Orchestrations *Daniel Kluger, Oklahoma!* Larry Blank, Fiddler on the Roof Simon Hale, Girl from the North Country Charlie Rosen, Be More Chill Daryl Waters, The Cher Show
Outstanding Music in a Play *Jason Michael Webb and Fitz Patton, Choir Boy* Paul Castles and Jongbin Jung, Wild Goose Dreams Justin Ellington, Mrs. Murray's Menagerie Justin Ellington, The House That Will Not Stand Nick Powell, The Lehman Trilogy
Outstanding Projection Design *Peter England, King Kong* Katherine Freer, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Luke Halls, The Lehman Trilogy Alex Basco Koch, Be More Chill Peter Nigrini, Beetlejuice Joshua Thorson, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Set Design for a Musical presented by Hudson Scenic *David Korins, Beetlejuice* Rachel Hauck, Hadestown Laura Jellinek, Oklahoma! Laura Jellinek, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Rae Smith, Girl from the North Country
Outstanding Set Design of a Play *Matt Saunders, "Daddy"* Miriam Buether, The Jungle Es Devlin, Girls & Boys Maruti Evans, The Peculiar Patriot Mimi Lien, Fairview
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical, presented by Production Resource Group *Bradley King, Hadestown* Adam Honoré, Carmen Jones Jamie Roderick, Midnight at the Never Get Barbara Samuels, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Scott Zielinski, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play *Amith Chandrashaker, Boesman and Lena* Amith Chandrashaker, Fairview Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play Jon Clark, The Jungle Simon Cleveland, Spaceman Yi Zhao, The House That Will Not Stand
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical *Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown* Simon Baker, Girl from the North Country Drew Levy, Oklahoma! Brian Ronan, Tootsie Mikaal Sulaiman, Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play *Nick Powell, The Ferryman* Tyler Kieffer, Plano Fitz Patton, Choir Boy Jane Shaw, I Was Most Alive with You Mikaal Sulaiman, Fairview
Outstanding Wig and Hair Design *Charles G. LaPointe, The Cher Show* Campbell Young Associates, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus Cookie Jordan, Eddie and Dave Paul Huntley, Tootsie Charles G. LaPointe, Beetlejuice
Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical *Bob Mackie, The Cher Show* William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice William Ivey Long, Tootsie Bobby Frederick Tilly II, Be More Chill Michael Krass, Hadestown Paloma Young, Alice by Heart
Outstanding Costume Design for a Play *Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet* Dede M. Ayite, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Dede M. Ayite, If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhfucka Ásta Bennie Hostetter, Mrs. Murray's Menagerie Nicole Slaven, Henry VI: Shakespeare's Trilogy in Two Parts
Outstanding Solo Performance *Mike Birbiglia, The New One* Carey Mulligan, Girls & Boys Liza Jessie Peterson, The Peculiar Patriot, National Black Theatre/Hi-Arts Erin Treadway, Spaceman, Loading Dock Theatre Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Unique Theatrical Experience *All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, Theater Latté Da/Laura Little Theatrical Productions/The Sheen Center* Love's Labor's Lost, Shake & Bake The B-Side: "Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons," The Wooster Group What to Send Up When It Goes Down, The Movement Theatre Company
Outstanding Puppet Design *Sonny Tilders, King Kong* Michael Curry, Beetlejuice Tschabalala Self, "Daddy"
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play *Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill A Mockingbird* Harriett D. Foy, The House That Will Not Stand Megan Hill, Eddie and Dave Ruth Wilson, King Lear Alison Wright, Othello
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play *Tom Glynn-Carney, The Ferryman* Charles Browning, Fairview Arnie Burton, Lewiston/Clarkston Hampton Fluker, All My Sons Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Outstanding Director of a Musical *Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown* Noah Brody, Merrily We Roll Along Scott Ellis, Tootsie Daniel Fish, Oklahoma! Joel Grey, Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Director of a Play *Sam Mendes, The Ferryman* Sarah Benson, Fairview Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, The Jungle Tyne Rafaeli, Usual Girls Taylor Reynolds, Plano Jeff Wise, Life Sucks
Totals by show: The Ferryman - 4 Hadestown - 4 Tootsie - 4 The Cher Show - 3 King Kong - 2 Oklahoma! - 2 The Waverly Gallery - 2 All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 - 1 Beetlejuice - 1 Bernhardt/Hamlet - 1 Boesman and Lena - 1 Choir Boy - 1 “Daddy” - 1 Fiddler on the Roof - 1 Kiss Me, Kate - 1 The New One - 1 The Prom - 1 Slave Play - 1 To Kill a Mockingbird - 1 Uncle Vanya - 1
Previously announced Special Awards:
Ensemble Award: To the uncanny ensemble of Dance Nation for their pointed portrait of a dance troupe driven by competition but fused by the experiences of youth: Purva Bedi, Eboni Booth, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Dina Shihabi, Ellen Maddow, Christina Rouner, Thomas Jay Ryan, Lucy Taylor, and Ikechukwu Ufomadu.
Sam Norkin Award: To Montana Levi Blanco, who enriched this season with his vibrant and detailed costumes for Fairview, The House That Will Not Stand, Fabulation, Or the Re-Education of Undine, Eddie and Dave, "Daddy," and Ain't No Mo'. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a Blanco costume is worth considerably more, telling us a complete story about its wearer while giving us something fabulous to look at.
To Mia Katigbak, the backbone of the Off-Broadway scene, we acclaim her for her performances this season in Henry VI: Shakespeare's Trilogy in Two Parts, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, Peace for Mary Francis and Recent Alien Abductions. This award also recognizes her vital presence as the artistic director of NAATCO and her sustained excellence as a performer and mentor.
To Repertorio Español for presenting a year-round rotating repertory of new and classic Spanish-language plays in its intimate Gramercy venue. For the past 51 years, Repertorio has been an indispensable theater for Spanish-speaking audiences, while inviting non-Spanish-speaking theatergoers to discover the delights of the Spanish-language canon and introducing New York audiences to the work of actors like Zulema Clares and Germán Jaramillo.
The National Asian American Theatre Company production will give a world premiere to a new modern verse translation of the Shakespeare play from Andrea Thome.
A host of comedy and Broadway favorites will perform short stories penned by Simon Rich, including John Mulaney, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Annaleigh Ashford, and more.
Javier Muñoz, Ann Harada, Alex Brightman, and Isabelle McCalla are among the stage favorites bringing the musical TV series to the Kennedy Center stage.
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