Read the reverse chronological account of the 61st Annual Drama Desk Awards held at Town Hall June 5, 2016 hosted by Michael Urie.
The top winners of the night were Shuffle Along and She Loves Me and The Humans, which each won four awards. Shuffle Along took home the top prize of Outstanding Musical and She Loves Me was named Outstanding Revival of a Musical. The Humans won awards including Outstanding Play and a Special Award for Outstanding Ensemble. American Psycho won three awards. Ivo Van Hove’s A View From the Bridge earned Outstanding Revival of a Play; van Hove himself also won the award for Best Director of a Play. The biggest surprise of the night came in the Director of a Musical category, which was a tie between Fiddler on the Roof’s Bartlett Sher and The Color Purple’s John Doyle (although the presenter mistakenly presented it only to Sher at the time).
The musical Hamilton was not eligible this year, having been eligible for its original Off-Broadway production in 2015.
For a full list of winners, see below!
10:54 PM
CURTAIN!
10:52 PM
Chita Rivera presented the award for:
Outstanding Musical
WINNER: Shuffle Along
First Daughter Suite, Public Theater
Daddy Long Legs
School of Rock
Waitress
George C. Wolfe accepted the award and thanked the four original creators of 1921’s Shuffle Along ”who had the had the very dumb stupid great idea to ... do it on Broadway.”
10:48 PM
Rivera presented the award for:
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
WINNER: She Loves Me, Roundabout Theatre Company
The Color Purple
The Golden Bride, National Yiddish Theatre Folkesbiene
Fiddler on the Roof
Spring Awakening
Todd Haimes accepted the award on behalf of Roundabout Theatre Company.
10:45 PM
Director and actor Terry Kinney presented the award for:
Outstanding Play
WINNER: The Humans, Roundabout Theatre Company
The Christians, Playwrights Horizons
John, Signature Theatre
King Charles III
The Royale, Lincoln Center Theater
Playwright Stephen Karam accepted the award thanked director Joe Mantello and his whole cast, “This award belongs to all of you. ... I’m very proud to be a part of this season.”
0:42 PM
Kinney presented the award for:
Outstanding Revival of a Play
WINNER: A View from the Bridge
Cloud Nine, Atlantic Theater Company
Death of a Salesman, New Yiddish Rep
Henry IV, Donmar Warehouse at St. Ann’s Warehouse
Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Roundabout Theatre Company
Women Without Men, Mint Theater Company
0:41 PM
Tony-winning writers Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron presented the award for:
Outstanding Book of a Musical:
WINNER: John Caird, Daddy Long Legs
Michael John LaChiusa, First Daughter Suite
Jessie Nelson, Waitress
Tesori and Kron accepted the award on his behalf.
0:39 PM
Tesori and Kron presented the award for:
Outstanding Lyrics
WINNER: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Glenn Slater, School of Rock
Michael John LaChiusa, First Daughter Suite
Pasek thanked ”Stacey Mindich who encourage us to write what we know.”
0:37 PM
Tesori and Kron presented the award for:
Outstanding Music
WINNER: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Michael John LaChiusa, First Daughter Suite,
Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
The Lobbyists, SeaWife, Naked Angels
Kron and Tesori accepted the award on their behalf.
0:33 PM
Laura Benanti presented the Special Award to lyricist Sheldon Harnick. Harnick said, “A Lifetime Achievement award sounds so final, but I plan to lengthen my life now.... I share this first and foremost with Jerry Bock.”
0:28 PM
Director Kristen Sanderson introduced First Daughter Suite’s Rachel Bay Jones and Mary Testa singing “Let Go.”
10:25 PM
Cerveris presented the award for:
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
WINNER: Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Annette O’Toole, Southern Comfort, Public Theater
Erivo, in a feathered gown, thanked her director, John Doyle, “her friend and her guide,” and thanked co-stars Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Hudson, the rest of the cast and all of the crew.
10:22 PM
Michael Cerveris presented the award for:
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
WINNER: Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Creighton, Cagney, York Theatre Company
Michael C. Hall, Lazarus, New York Theatre Workshop
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Benjamin Walker, American Psycho
Director Bartlett Sher applauded from the press room for his star. Like a mensch, Burstein first recognized the four other gentlemen in his category before thanking all of the Fiddler crew.
10:19 PM
Urie corrected O’Brien on an earlier award. Turns out Bartlett Sher and John Doyle tied for Best Director of a Musical!
“My that was unexpected,” said Doyle.
10:16 PM
Light presented the award for:
Outstanding Actress in a Play
WINNER: Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Georgia Engel, John, Signature Theatre
Mamie Gummer, Ugly Lies the Bone, Roundabout Undeground
Marin Ireland, Ironbound, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater/Women’s Project Theater
Nicola Walker, A View from the Bridge
Lange recognized “the greatest actors I have ever worked with, to be onstage with them every night is a thrill. I get to the theatre so exhausted some nights, and I think ‘How am I going to do this?‘ And then there is this incredible power, this alchemy.”
10:11 PM
Judith Light presented the award for:
Outstanding Actor in a Play
WINNER: Frank Langella, The Father, Manhattan Theatre Club
Andrew Garman, The Christians, Playwrights Horizons
Avi Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View from the Bridge
Langella recalled his win in 1969 for A Cry of Players, when he received a letter in the mail with his name on the list telling him he had won.
10:07 PM
Urie, who starred in the one-man show Buyer & Cellar, presented the award for:
Outstanding Solo Performance
WINNER: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Fully Committed
Simon Callow, Tuesdays at Tesco’s, 59E59
Kathleen Chalfant, Rose, Nora’s Playhouse
James Lecesne, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Empanada Loca
“I never win things,” said Ferguson. “I want to thank George C. Wolfe for giving me that first job when I was 21 ... and also to Oskar Eustis, who keeps giving me jobs at Shakespeare in the Park.”
10:04 PM
Jessie Mueller introduced her co-star Keala Settle performing “I Didn’t Plan It.”
10:03 PM
O’Brien presented the award for:
Outstanding Director of a Musical
WINNER: Bartlett Sher, Fiddler on the Roof
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Rupert Goold, American Psycho
Bryna Wasserman, Motl Didner, The Golden Bride
9:58
Legendary director Jack O’Brien presented the award for:
Outstanding Director of a Play
WINNER: Ivo van Hove, A View from the Bridge
Rachel Chavkin, The Royale
Sam Gold, John
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Jenn Thompson, Women Without Men
9:55 PM
Jesse Tyler Ferguson presented the award for:
Outstanding Choreography
WINNER: Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
Joshua Bergasse, Cagney
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Lynne Page, American Psycho
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
“I was honored to collaborate again with the great George Wolfe,” he said. Glover recalled winning a Drama Desk for Noise/Funk about 20 years ago.
9:52 PM
Stephen Karam and Joe Mantello presented the Special Award for Outstanding Ensemble to their cast of The Humans. Arian Moayed spoke on behalf of the group and thanked Karam and Mantello among others. “This play shows us what love actually looks like,” he said. “From all of us humans to all of you humans we smash our pigs!”
9:50 PM
Tierney presented the award for:
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
WINNER: Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed, Public Theater
Brooke Bloom, Cloud Nine
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Kellie Overbey, Women Without Men
Jeanine Serralles, Gloria, Vineyard Theatre
The Eclipsed actress recalled people throughout her life who questioned her name, “I would say it's a Liberian name, and nobody knew what Liberia was. I'm so happy to represent Liberia.”
9:46 PM
Maura Tierney presented the award for:
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
WINNER: Michael Shannon, Long’s Day Journey Into Night
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off, Roundabout Theatre Company
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride, MCC Theater
Richard Thomas, Incident at Vichy, Signature Theatre
“‘Will wonders never cease?,’ that one’s for you Mama [Jessica Lange] ... You’re my hero,” said Shannon. ”Its ironic to win an award for a character who screams on a stage ‘I never wanted to be an actor.’” The actor also thanked John Gallagher, Jr. and Gabriel Byrne, his other co-stars, Todd Haims of the Roundabout and director Jonathan Kent.
9:44 PM
Stars of Eclipsed Zainab Jah, Pascale Armand, Saycon Sengblogh, Akosua Busia presented playwright Danai Gurira with the Sam Norkin Award. “I love storytelling,”said Gurira. “This year what I have loved is watching ten women of African decent shine on two New York stages. That was one of the most profound lessons of my life because my goal is and will continue to be to bring joy ... and to call bulls**t on the notion that only certain stories get to be told and that only people and certain places can be at the core of a narrative.”
9:37 PM
In Memoriam.
Laura Osnes introduced her former Cinderella co-star Santino Fontana to sing “I Was Here.”
9:36 PM
Burstein and Luker presented:
Outstanding Music in a Play
WINNER: Philip Glass, The Crucible
Billie Joe Armstrong, These Paper Bullets!, Atlantic Theatre Company
Estelle Bajou, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, One Year Lease Theater Company
Shaun Davey, Pericles, Theatre for a New Audience
Tom Kitt, Cymbeline, New York Shakespeare Festival
The duo accepted the award on Glass’ behalf.
9:30 PM
Host Urie searched the audience for volunteers to present the next award. “Jessica Lange and Frank Langella are in the same row—it’s terrifying,” he said, before finding Danny Burstein and Rebecca Luker to take the stage and present:
Outstanding Orchestrations
WINNER: Larry Hochman, She Loves Me, Roundabout Theatre Company
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Joseph Joubert/Catherine Jayes, The Color Purple
Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
Michael Starobin/Bruce Coughlin, First Daughter Suite
While She Loves Me is a revival, Hochman worked on new orchestrations for the Roundabout production.
:26 PM
Carmen Cusack and Paul Alexander Nolan performed “I Had a Vision” from Bright Star.
9:24 PM
The Royale accepted their Special Award for Outstanding Ensemble on behalf of the show.
9:19 PM
Cantone presented the award for:
Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
WINNER: David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Es Devlin, American Psycho
Emily Orling, Matt Saunders, Eric Farber, Futurity, Soho Rep/Ars Nova
Rockwell talked about arriving in New York 37 years ago, knowing that he wanted to work in theatre. She Loves Me marks his 20th Broadway production.
9:17 PM
Cantone presented the award for:
Outstanding Set Design for a Play
WINNER: Christopher Oram, Hughie
Riccardo Hernandez, Red Speedo, New York Theatre Workshop
Mimi Lien, John
G. W. Mercier, Head of Passes, Public Theater
Derek McLane, Fully Committed
Cantone accepted the award on his behalf.
9:10 PM
Mario Cantone (who walked onto the stage of The Town Hall to the “Super Mario Bros. Theme” song) joked “don’t you miss those high school gymnasiums we used to be at?”
Outstanding Projection Design
WINNER: Finn Ross, American Psycho
Nicholas Hussong, These Paper Bullets!
Darrel Maloney, Tappin’ Thru Life
Peter Nigrini, Dear Evan Hansen
Tal Yarden, Lazarus
Cantone accepted the award on his behalf.
9:08 PM
Richard Kind and Julie Halston, members of the nominating committee, presented the award for:
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
WINNER: Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Jane Cox, The Color Purple
Jake DeGroot, SeaWife
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Jules Fisher/Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
“I’m still thankful,” Townsend quipped, having won his second award in a row.
:05 PM
Kind and Halston presented the award for:
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
WINNER: Justin Townsend, The Humans
Neil Austin, Hughie
Mark Barton, John
Bradley King, Empanada Loca, Labyrinth Theater Company
Tyler Micoleau, Antlia Pneumatica, Playwrights Horizons
9:00 PM
Board president of the Drama Desk, Charles Wright, provided a little history of the awards and expressed pride that the organization recognizes Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. According to Wright, this season included 270 performances.
8:57 PM
Engel presented the award for:
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
WINNER: Dan Moses Schreier, American Psycho
Mick Potter, School of Rock
Brian Ronan, Lazarus
Nevin Steinberg, Bright Star
Scott Lehrer, Shuffle Along
Schreier thanked the Drama Desk for having this category. The acceptance was “bittersweet” as the show closed today.
8:54 PM
Georgia Engel presented the award for:
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
WINNER: Fitz Patton, The Humans
Fitz Patton, An Act of God
Miles Polaski, Fulfillment, The Flea Theatre
Bray Poor, John
Ryan Rumery, Empanada Loca
The Humans also received a Special Award for Ensemble tonight.
8:51 PM
Outstanding Wig and Hair
WINNER: Mia M. Neal, Shuffle Along
David Brian Brown, She Loves Me
Jason Hayes, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Robert-Charles Vallance, Women Without Men
Charles G. LaPointe, The School for Scandal, Red Bull Theater
Neal thanked the Drama Desk for “adding this award.” The count for Shuffle Along is now at two for the night.
8:48 PM
Krakowski presented the award for:
Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
WINNER: Ann Roth, Shuffle Along
Jane Greenwood, Bright Star
Katrina Lindsay, American Psycho
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Alejo Vietti, Allegiance
:45 PM
Jane Krakowski, newly minted Drama Desk winner, presented the award for:
Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
WINNER: Anita Yavich, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Jessica Ford, These Paper Bullets!
Martha Hally, Women Without Men
Constance Hoffman, Pericles
William Ivey Long, Shows for Days, Lincoln Center Theater
8:41 PM
Aneesh Sheth introduced a musical performance from Southern Comfort.
8:38 PM
Adam Kantor presented the Special Award to Camp Broadway. One of its founders, Susan Lee, accepted the award.
8:35 PM
Jim Dale presented the award for:
Unique Theatrical Experience
WINNER: That Physics Show
ADA/AVA, Manual Cinema/3LD/The Tank/
Antigona – Soledad Barrio/Noche Flamenca
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
YOUARENOWHERE – 3LD/The Tank
8:30 PM
“Oh my Sean Hayes, it’s been a good season!” exclaimed host Michael Urie, making his official welcome speech
8:27 PM
Jayne Houdyshell and Montego Glover presented the award for:
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
WINNER: Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Alison Fraser, First Daughter Suite
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen, Second Stage
Mary Testa, First Daughter Suite
Krakowski thanked Scott Ellis (her director) and Warren Carlyle (choreographer) for letting her keep “splitting it out” eight times a week. Among others she thanked “the greatest co-star” Gavin Creel for “lifting dipping and dragging this old hammy eight times a week.”
8:23 PM
Jayne Houdyshell and Montego Glover presented the award for:
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
WINNER: Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Nicholas Barasch, She Loves Me
Baylee Littrell, Disaster!
Paul Alexander Nolan, Bright Star
A.J. Shively, Bright Star
Fitzegerald thanked Hamilton for being eligible for last season before accepting his award.
8:15 PM The 61st Annual Drama Desk Awards are about to begin!
Sister Mary Downey (Tony nominee Jennifer Simard) is warming up the crowd, laying out the parameters of accepting an award for tonight’s nominees.
