Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Last updated
Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Actress
Awarded forOutstanding Actress in a Musical
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
First award1975
Final award2022
Websitedramadesk.org (defunct)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was one of eight new acting awards first presented in 1975, when Drama Desk retired an earlier award that had made no distinction between work in plays and musicals, nor between actors and actresses, nor between lead performers and featured performers.

Contents

After the 2022 ceremony, all eight acting categories introduced in 1975 were retired. The award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, along with Outstanding Actor in a Musical, were replaced in 2023 with the gender neutral category of Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical.

Winners and nominees

1960s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
1964
Imelda de Martin The Amorous Flea Agnes
1965–68
———
1969
Dorothy Loudon The Fig Leaves Are Falling Lillian Stone
Bernadette Peters Dames at Sea Ruby

1970s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
1970
Lauren Bacall Applause Margo Channing
Sandy Duncan The Boyfriend Maisie
Ethel Merman Hello Dolly Dolly Gallagher Levi
1971
Helen Gallagher No, No, Nanette Lucille Early
Alexis Smith Follies Phyllis Rogers Stone
1972
Jonelle Allen The Two Gentlemen of Verona Silvia
1973
Glynis Johns A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt
Michele Lee Seesaw Gittel Mosca
1974
Ruby Lynn Reyner La BohemiaTrilby
1975
Angela Lansbury Gypsy Mama Rose
Marcia McClain Where's Charley? Amy Spettigue
Stephanie Mills The Wiz Dorothy Gale
Bernadette Peters Mack and Mabel Mabel Normand
Ann Reinking Goodtime Charley Joan of Arc
1976
Kelly Bishop A Chorus Line Sheila Bryant
Donna McKechnie A Chorus Line Cassie Ferguson
Penny Fuller Rex Anne Boleyn / Elizabeth I
Patti LuPone The Robber Bridegroom Rosamund Musgrove
Virginia Seidel Very Good Eddie Elsie Darling
Elizabeth Wilson The Threepenny Opera Celia Peachum
1977
Clamma Dale Porgy and Bess Bess
Joan Copeland Pal Joey Vera Simpson
Catherine Cox Music Is Viola
Esther Hinds Porgy and Bess Bess
Julia McKenzie Side by Side by Sondheim Various Characters
Meryl Streep Happy End Lillian Holiday
1978
Nell Carter Ain't Misbehavin Nell
Carlin Glynn The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Mona Stangley
Judy Kaye On the Twentieth Century Agnes
Angela Lansbury The King and I Anna Leonowens
Phyllis Newman My Mother was a Fortune Teller Phyllis
Charlayne Woodard Ain't Misbehavin Charlayne
1979
Angela Lansbury Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett
Lucie Arnaz They're Playing Our Song Sonia Walsk
Dorothy Loudon Ballroom Bea Asher

1980s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
1980
Patti LuPone Evita Eva Perón
Sandy Duncan Peter Pan Peter Pan
Ann Miller Sugar Babies Ann
Sigourney Weaver Das Lusitania SongspielUnknown
1981
Lena Horne Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Herself
Chita Rivera Bring Back Birdie Rosie Alvarez
1982
Jennifer Holliday Dreamgirls Effie White
Sheryl Lee Ralph Dreamgirls Deena Jones
1983
Natalia Makarova On Your Toes Vera Barnova
Mara Beckerman Charlotte Sweet Charlotte Sweet
Betty Buckley Cats Grizabella
Ellen Greene Little Shop of Horrors Audrey
Twiggy My One and Only Edith Herbert
1984
Chita Rivera The Rink Anna
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine on BroadwayHerself
Liza Minnelli The Rink Angel
Bernadette Peters Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie
Alyson Reed Marilyn Marilyn Monroe
1985
———
1986
Bernadette Peters Song and Dance Emma
Debbie Allen Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine
Patti Cohenour The Mystery of Edwin Drood Miss Deirdre Peregrine / Rosa Bud
Terri KlausnerGoblin MarketLaura
Cleo Laine The Mystery of Edwin Drood Angela Prysock / The Princess Puffer
Ann Morrison Goblin MarketLizzie
1987
Teresa Stratas Rags Rebecca Hershkowitz
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio The KnifeJenny
Lonette McKee Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill Billie Holiday
Maryann Plunkett Me and My Girl Sally Smith
1988
Patti LuPone Anything Goes Reno Sweeney
Sarah Brightman The Phantom of the Opera Christine Daaé
Judy Kuhn Chess Florence Vassy
Bernadette Peters Into the Woods The Witch
1989
Toni diBuono Forbidden Broadway Various Characters
Beth Fowler Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte Jerome Robbins' Broadway Various Characters
Roxie Lucas Forbidden Broadway Various Characters
Faith Prince Jerome Robbins' Broadway Ma / Tessie / Company

1990s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
1990
Tyne Daly Gypsy Mama Rose
Debby Boone The Sound of Music Maria von Trapp
Lynne Wintersteller Closer Than Ever Various Characters
1991
Lea Salonga Miss Saigon Kim
June Angela Shogun Lady Mariko
Daisy Eagan The Secret Garden Mary Lennox
LaChanze Once on This Island Ti Moune
1992
Faith Prince Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide
Sophie Hayden The Most Happy Fella Rosabella
Donna Murphy Song of SingaporeRose
1993
Chita Rivera Kiss of the Spider Woman Aurora / Spider Woman
Laura Bell Bundy Ruthless! Tina Denmark
Donna English Ruthless! Judy Denmark / Ginger Del Marco
Helen Schneider Frida Frida Kahlo
Linda Stephens Wings Emily Stilson
1994
Donna Murphy Passion Fosca
Susan Egan Beauty and the Beast Belle
Melissa Errico My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle
Margaret Illman The Red Shoes Victoria Page
1995
Glenn Close Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond
Candy BuckleyThe Petrified PrinceQueen Katarina
Julie Johnson Das BarbecüVarious Characters
Lonette McKee Show Boat Julie LaVerne
Elaine Stritch Show Boat Parthy Ann Hawks
1996
Julie Andrews Victor/Victoria Victoria Grant
Terri Klausner Bed and Sofa Ludmilla
Crista Moore Big Susan Lawrence
Donna Murphy The King and I Anna Leonowens
Daphne Rubin-Vega Rent Mimi Marquez
Karen Ziemba I Do! I Do! She (Agnes)
1997
Bebe Neuwirth Chicago Velma Kelly
Linda Eder Jekyll & Hyde Lucy Harris
Pamela Isaacs The Life Queen
Lauren Ward Violet Violet Karl
Karen Ziemba Steel Pier Rita Racine
1998
Natasha Richardson Cabaret Sally Bowles
Melissa Errico High Society Tracy Samantha Lord
Marin Mazzie Ragtime Mother
Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner Side Show Violet and Daisy Hilton
1999
Carolee Carmello Parade Lucille Frank
Bernadette Peters Annie Get Your Gun Annie Oakley
Siân Phillips Marlene Marlene Dietrich

2000s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
2000
Heather Headley Aida Aida
Toni Collette The Wild Party Queenie
Rebecca Luker The Music Man Marian Paroo
Marin Mazzie Kiss Me Kate Lilli Vanessi / Katherine
Audra McDonald Marie Christine Marie Christine L'Adrese
Julia Murney The Wild Party Queenie
2001
Marla Schaffel Jane Eyre Jane Eyre
Christine Ebersole 42nd Street Dorothy Brock
Kaitlin Hopkins Bat Boy: The Musical Meredith Parker
LaChanze The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon SkinViveca
Sally Mayes Pete 'n' KeelyKeely
Faith Prince Bells Are Ringing Ella Peterson
2002 [1]
Sutton Foster Thoroughly Modern Millie Millie Dillmount
Laura Benanti Into the Woods Cinderella
Garrett Long The Spitfire Grill Percy Talbott
Louise Pitre Mamma Mia Donna Sheridan
Sherie Rene Scott The Last Five Years Cathy Hyatt
Vanessa Williams Into the Woods The Witch
2003
Marissa Jaret Winokur Hairspray Tracy Turnblad
Stephanie D'Abruzzo Avenue Q Kate Monster / Lucy the Slut
Ann Duquesnay Cookin' at the Cookery Alberta Hunter / Various Characters
Wei Huang La bohème Mimi
Elizabeth Parkinson Movin' Out Brenda
Bernadette Peters Gypsy Mama Rose
2004
Donna Murphy Wonderful Town Ruth Sherwood
Kristin Chenoweth Wicked Glinda
Judy McLane Johnny Guitar Vienna
Idina Menzel Wicked Elphaba
Elaine Paige Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett
Tonya Pinkins Caroline, or Change Caroline Thibodeaux
2005
Victoria Clark The Light in the Piazza Margaret Johnson
Christina Applegate Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine
Sutton Foster Little Women Josephine 'Jo' March
LaChanze Dessa Rose Dessa Rose
Sherie Rene Scott Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Christine Colgate
Rachel York Dessa Rose Ruth
2006
Christine Ebersole Grey Gardens 'Little Edie' Beale
Nancy AndersonFanny HillFanny Hill
Sutton Foster The Drowsy Chaperone Janet Van De Graaff
Patti LuPone Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett
Idina Menzel See What I Wanna See Kesa / Wife / Actress
Kelli O'Hara The Pajama Game Catherine 'Babe' Williams
2007
Audra McDonald 110 in the Shade Lizzie Curry
Donna Murphy Lovemusik Lotte Lenya
Laura Bell Bundy Legally Blonde Elle Woods
Ashley Brown Mary Poppins Mary Poppins
Kristin Chenoweth The Apple Tree Eve / Princess Barbara / Ella and Passionella
Lea Michele Spring Awakening Wendla Bergmann
2008
Patti LuPone Gypsy Mama Rose
Sierra Boggess The Little Mermaid Princess Ariel
Kelli O'Hara South Pacific Ensign Nellie Forbush
Faith Prince A Catered Affair Agnes 'Aggie' Hurley
Alice Ripley Next to Normal Diana Goodman
Jenna Russell Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie
2009
Allison Janney 9 to 5 Violet Newstead
Stephanie J. Block 9 to 5 Judy Bernly
Stockard Channing Pal Joey Vera Simpson
Sutton Foster Shrek Princess Fiona
Megan Hilty 9 to 5 Doralee Rhodes
Karen MurphyMy Vaudeville Man!Mud Donahue

2010s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
2010
Montego Glover Memphis Felicia Farrell
Catherine Zeta-Jones A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt
Kate Baldwin Finian's Rainbow Sharon McLonergan
Jayne Houdyshell Coraline Coraline
Christiane Noll Ragtime Mother
Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture Sherie Rene Scott
2011
Sutton Foster Anything Goes Reno Sweeney
Beth Leavel Baby It's You! Florence Greenberg
Patina Miller Sister Act Deloris Van Cartier
Donna Murphy The People in the Picture Bubbie / Raisel
Sherie Rene Scott Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pepa
2012
Audra McDonald Porgy and Bess Bess
Miche Braden The Devil's Music Bessie Smith
Jan Maxwell Follies Phyllis Rogers Stone
Kelli O'Hara Nice Work If You Can Get It Billie Bendix
Bernadette Peters Follies Sally Durant Plummer
Molly Ranson Carrie Carrie White
2013
Laura Osnes Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella Ella
Kate Baldwin Giant Leslie Lynnton Benedict
Stephanie J. Block The Mystery of Edwin Drood Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting
Carolee Carmello Scandalous Aimee Semple McPherson
Lindsay Mendez Dogfight Rose Fenny
Donna Murphy Into the Woods The Witch
Jenny Powers Donnybrook! Mary Kate Danaher
2014
Jessie Mueller Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Carole King
Sutton Foster Violet Violet Karl
Idina Menzel If/Then Elizabeth Vaughn
Kelli O'Hara The Bridges of Madison County Francesca Johnson
Margo Seibert Tamar of the RiverTamar
Barrett Wilbert Weed Heathers Veronica Sawyer
2015
Kristin Chenoweth On the Twentieth Century Lily Garland / Mildred Plotka
Kate Baldwin John & Jen Jen
Leanne Cope An American in Paris Lise Dassin
Erin Davie Side Show Violet Hilton
Lisa Howard It Shoulda Been You Jenny Steinberg
Chita Rivera The Visit Claire Zachanassian
2016
Cynthia Erivo The Color Purple Celie Harris Johnson
Laura Benanti She Loves Me Amalia Balash
Carmen Cusack Bright Star Alice Murphy
Jessie Mueller Waitress Jenna Hunterson
Annette O'Toole Southern ComfortRobert Eads
2017
Bette Midler Hello, Dolly! Dolly Gallagher Levi
Christy Altomare Anastasia Anya
Christine Ebersole War Paint Elizabeth Arden
Sutton Foster Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine
Patti LuPone War Paint Helena Rubinstein
Laura Osnes Bandstand Julia Trojan
2018
Jessie Mueller Carousel Julie Jordan
Gizel Jiménez Miss You Like Hell Olivia
LaChanze Summer Diva Donna
Ashley Park KPOP MwE
Daphne Rubin-Vega Miss You Like Hell Beatriz
2019
Stephanie J. Block The Cher Show Star
Beth Leavel The Prom Dee Dee Allen
Rebecca Naomi Jones Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Laurey Williams
Anika Noni Rose Carmen Jones Carmen Jones
Stacey Sargeant Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Beaux Weathers

2020s

YearActressMusicalCharacter
2020
Adrienne Warren Tina: The Tina Turner Musical Tina Turner
Tammy Blanchard Little Shop of Horrors Audrey
Beth Malone The Unsinkable Molly Brown Molly Brown
Saycon Sengbloh The Secret Life of BeesRosaleen
Elizabeth Stanley Jagged Little Pill Mary Jane "M.J." Healy
2021No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City [2]
2022
Joaquina Kalukango Paradise Square Nelly O'Brien
Kearstin Piper Brown Intimate Apparel Esther
Victoria Clark Kimberly Akimbo Kimberly
Sharon D. Clarke Caroline, or Change Caroline Thibodeaux
Jeanna de Waal Diana Princess Diana

Multiple Winners

Multiple nominees

See also

References

  1. ↑ Baranauckas, Carla (2002-04-30). "12 Drama Desk Nominations for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2023-10-18. Retrieved 2023-12-03. [note: citation provides nominations, does not confirm who winner was]
  2. ↑ Evans, Greg (2021-05-05). "Broadway To Reopen Sept. 14, Says Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Broadway League "Cautiously Optimistic"". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
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