The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing.[1] Each May, the awards are presented by The 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 first Distinguished 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 firm Society Awards.[8]

Categories of awards

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  • Outstanding Production of a Play
  • Outstanding Production of a Musical
  • Outstanding Revival of a Play
  • Outstanding Revival of a Musical
  • Outstanding Direction of a Play (added in 2022)
  • Outstanding Direction of a Musical (added in 2022)
  • Distinguished Performance

Additionally, an honorary award may be given in the following categories:

  • Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre
  • Unique Contribution to the Theatre
  • The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing

List of winners

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The Distinguished Performance Award, originally known as the Delia Austrian Medal, was first presented in 1935, to Katharine Cornell for Romeo and Juliet. The first recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing was Daniel J. Sullivan in 2000. Actor Yul 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 of Nicholas Nickelby: Bernard Jacobs, Gerald Schoenfeld, James M. Nederlander, Elizabeth McCann, and Nelle Nugent.[5]

Winners 2023–2024

Source: TheaterMania.com[9]

Winners 2022–2023

Source: Playbill.com[10]

Winners 2021–2022

Source: Playbill.com[11]

Winners 2019–2020

Source: Playbill.com[12]

Winners 2018–2019

Source: Playbill.com[13]

Winners 2017–2018

Source: Playbill.com[14]

Winners 2016–2017

Source: Playbill.com[15]

Winners 2015–2016

Source: Playbill.com[16]

Winners 2014–2015

Source: Playbill.com[17]

Winners 2013–2014

Source: Playbill.com[18]

Winners 2012–2013

Source: Playbill.com[19]

Winners 2011–2012

Source: Playbill.com[20]

Winners 2010–2011

Source: Playbill.com[21]

Winners 2009–2010

Source: Playbill.com[22]

Winners 2008–2009

Source:Playbill.com[23]

Winners 2007–2008

Source:Variety[24]

  • Patti LuPone for Gypsy – Distinguished Performance Award
  • August: Osage County by Tracy Letts – Outstanding Production of a Play
  • A Catered Affair, Book by Harvey Fierstein; Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino – Outstanding Production of a Musical
  • Macbeth by William Shakespeare – Outstanding Revival of a Play
  • South Pacific, Book by Joshua Logan and Oscar Hammerstein II, Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II – Outstanding Revival of a Musical
  • Paul Gemignani – Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award
  • Bartlett Sher – Founders Award for Excellence in Directing
  • Ellen Stewart – Unique Contribution to the Theatre
Winners 2006–2007
Winners 2005–2006
Winners 2004–2005
Winners 2003–2004
Winners 2002–2003
Winners 2001–2002
Winners 2000–2001
Winners 1999–2000
Winners 1998–1999
Winners 1997–1998
Winners 1996–1997
Winners 1995–1996
Winners history

List of winners, 1935 through 2014.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Winners of Drama League Awards Announced". Playbill. May 20, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Special Awards Recipients Announced". The Drama League. March 21, 2016. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Drama League Awards". The Drama League. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "Ben Platt, Sutton Foster, and Josh Groban Among 2017 Drama League Award Nominees". Playbill. April 19, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d "Award History". The Drama League. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "Nominations Announced for 88th Annual Drama League Awards". Broadway.com. April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Ben Platt, Sutton Foster, and Josh Groban Among 2017 Drama League Award Nominees". Playbill. April 19, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Cook, Davis, Hayes, Schreiber and Walken Will Be Presenters at Drama League Awards". Playbill. May 11, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "Sarah Paulson, Hell's Kitchen Win Drama League Awards". theatermania.com. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  10. ^ "Some Like It Hot, Annaleigh Ashford, Leopoldstadt, More Win 2023 Drama League Awards". Playbill. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  11. ^ "The Lehman Trilogy, A Strange Loop, Sutton Foster, More Are Winners of 88th Annual Drama League Awards". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  12. ^ "Moulin Rouge! and Danny Burstein Among 2020 Drama League Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  13. ^ "Network's Bryan Cranston, Hadestown Among 2019 Drama League Award Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  14. ^ "Glenda Jackson, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Among 2018 Drama League Award Winners | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  15. ^ "Dear Evan Hansen's Ben Platt, Hello, Dolly! and More Are Winners of Drama League Awards | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  16. ^ Gans, Andrew."Winners of Drama League Awards Announced" playbill.com, May 20, 2016
  17. ^ Gans, Andrew and Viagas, Robert. " 'An American in Paris', 'Curious Incident' and Chita Rivera Win Drama League Awards" Archived May 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 15, 2015
  18. ^ Gans, Andrew. "80th Annual Drama League Award Winners Announced; Neil Patrick Harris Wins Distinguished Performance Honor" Archived May 17, 2014, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 16, 2014
  19. ^ Gans, Andrew. " 'Kinky Boots', 'Pippin', 'Vanya and Sonia', 'Virginia 'Woolf? and More Win Drama League Awards" Archived 2013-06-15 at archive.today playbill.com, May 17, 2013
  20. ^ Gans, Andrew. " 'Other Desert Cities', 'Salesman', 'Follies', 'Once', Audra McDonald Are Drama League Winners" Archived 2012-05-20 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 18, 2012
  21. ^ Gans, Andrew. " 'Mormon', 'War Horse', 'Normal Heart', 'Anything Goes', Mark Rylance Win Drama League Awards" Archived September 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 20, 2011
  22. ^ Gans, Andrew."Sondheim, 'Red', 'Bridge', 'La Cage' and Molina Win Drama League Awards" Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 21, 2010
  23. ^ Gans, Andrew.Billy, Carnage, Hair, Blithe and Rush Win Drama League Awards" Archived May 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 15, 2009
  24. ^ Cox, Gordon. " 'Catered Affair' nabs League honor" Variety, May 16, 2008
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