Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics

Last updated
Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Lyrics
Awarded forOutstanding Lyrics
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
First awarded1969
Currently held by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna for Dead Outlaw (2024)
Websitedramadesk.org (defunct)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

Contents

Stephen Sondheim holds the record for most wins and nominations for the award, with ten wins out of twelve nominations.

Winners and nominees

1960s

YearLyricistProduction
1969
George Haimsohn & Robin Miller Dames at Sea
Fred Ebb Zorba

1970s

YearLyricistProduction
1970
Stephen Sondheim Company
Bertolt Brecht Mahagonny
1971
Stephen Sondheim Follies
1972
John Guare Two Gentlemen of Verona
1973
Stephen Sondheim A Little Night Music
1974
Al Carmines The Faggot
1975
Charlie Smalls The Wiz
Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand The Lieutenant
Jerry Herman Mack and Mabel
Fred SilverIn Gay Company
1976
Edward Kleban & Marvin Hamlisch A Chorus Line
Leonard Bernstein 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Bill Heyer & Hank BeebeTuscaloosa's Calling Me
Stephen Sondheim Pacific Overtures
1977
Martin Charnin Annie
Alfred Uhry The Robber Bridegroom
1978
Carol Hall The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Elizabeth Swados Runaways
1979
Stephen Sondheim Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Gretchen Cryer I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road

1980s

YearLyricistProduction
1980
Tim Rice Evita
Steve Brown Strider
1981
1982
Stephen Sondheim Merrily We Roll Along
Maury Yeston Nine
Tom Eyen Dreamgirls
Jim Wann Pump Boys and Dinettes
1983
Howard Ashman Little Shop of Horrors
Michael Colby Charlotte Sweet
T.S. Eliot Cats
Des McAnuff Death of Von Richthofen
1984
Stephen Sondheim Sunday in the Park with George
Jerry Herman La Cage aux Folles
Richard Maltby Jr. Baby
Garry Trudeau Doonesbury
1985
Roger Miller Big River
Jerry Colker3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down
Ellen Fitzhugh Grind
1986, 1987
1988
Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods
Barry Harman Romance/Romance
1989

1990s

YearLyricistProduction
1990
David Zippel City of Angels
Richard Maltby Jr. Closer Than Ever
Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston Grand Hotel
1991
William Finn Falsettoland
Marsha Norman The Secret Garden
Stephen Sondheim Assassins
1992
Susan Birkenhead Jelly's Last Jam
Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul LockheartSong of Singapore
1993
Joel Paley Ruthless!
Douglas Bernstein & Denis MarkellA Backer's Audition
Arthur Perlman Wings
David Zippel The Goodbye Girl
1994
Stephen Sondheim Passion
Howard Ashman & Tim Rice Beauty and the Beast
Michael John LaChiusa Hello Again
1995
1996
Jonathan Larson Rent
1997
Gerard Alessandrini Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back
Brian Crawley Violet
Mark Waldrop When Pigs Fly
1998
Lynn Ahrens Ragtime
Stephen Trask Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Susan Birkenhead Triumph of Love
1999
Gerard Alessandrini Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act
Jason Robert Brown Parade
William Finn A New Brain

2000s

YearLyricistProduction
2000
Stephen Sondheim Saturday Night
Boyd GrahamThe Big Bang
Jordan Allen-Dutton, Jason Catalano & GQ The Bomb-itty of Errors
Andrew Lippa The Wild Party
2001
Mel Brooks The Producers
Kirsten Childs The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis Urinetown
Ed Kleban A Class Act
Laurence O'Keefe Bat Boy: The Musical
David Yazbek The Full Monty
2002
Jason Robert Brown The Last Five Years
Craig Carnelia Sweet Smell of Success
Jonathan Larson Tick, Tick... BOOM!
Kevin Murphy Reefer Madness
Dick Scanlan Thoroughly Modern Millie
Ben SchatzDragapella Starring The Kinsey Sicks
2003
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Hairspray
Tim Acito & Alexander Dinelaris Zanna, Don't!
Lynn Ahrens A Man of No Importance
Craig Carnelia Imaginary Friends
Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx Avenue Q
Jeremy Sams & Didier van Cauwelaert Amour
2004
Stephen Schwartz Wicked
Joanne Bogart The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)
Boy George Taboo
Sean Hartley Cupid and Psyche
Joel Higgins Johnny Guitar
2005
Eric Idle Spamalot
Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker Altar Boyz
Douglas J. Cohen Children's Letters to God
Rick Crom Newsical
William Finn The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
David Yazbek Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
2006
Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison The Drowsy Chaperone
Chad Beguelin The Wedding Singer
Mark CampbellSongs from an Unmade Bed
Ryan Cunningham I Love You Because
Michael Korie Grey Gardens
Michael John LaChiusa See What I Wanna See
2007
Steven Sater Spring Awakening
Fred Ebb, Rupert Holmes & John Kander Curtains
Lin-Manuel Miranda In the Heights
Nell Benjamin & Laurence O'Keefe Legally Blonde
Mark Eaton, Elaina Newport & William Strauss Capitol Steps
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
2008
Stew Passing Strange
Lynn Ahrens The Glorious Ones
Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein
John Bucchino A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith & Joshua Schmidt Adding Machine
2009
Stephen Sondheim Road Show
Neil Bartram The Story of My Life
Jason Robert Brown 13
Marcy Heisler Dear Edwina
David Lindsay-Abaire Shrek the Musical
Dolly Parton 9 to 5

2010s

YearLyricistProduction
2010
Fred Ebb & John Kander The Scottsboro Boys
Rick Crom Newsical
Kevin Del Aguila Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Adèle Anderson & Dillie Keane Fascinating Aïda
Andrew Lippa The Addams Family
David Zellnik Yank!
2011
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone The Book of Mormon
Rick Crom Newsical The Musical – Full Spin Ahead
Jack Lechner The Kid
Adam MathiasSee Rock City & Other Destinations
Glenn Slater Sister Act
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Catch Me If You Can
2012
Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová Once
Don Black Bonnie & Clyde
Jack Feldman Newsies
Joy Gregory & Gunnar Madsen The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
Michael John LaChiusa Queen of the Mist
Maury Yeston Death Takes a Holiday
2013
Tim Minchin Matilda the Musical
Amanda Green Hands on a Hardbody
Green & Lin-Manuel Miranda Bring It On: The Musical
Michael John LaChiusa Giant
Dave Malloy Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Steve Rosen & David Rossmer The Other Josh Cohen
2014
Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
Howard Ashman, Chad Beguelin & Tim Rice Aladdin
Jason Robert Brown The Bridges of Madison County
Michael Friedman Love's Labour's Lost
Michael Korie Far from Heaven
Lisa Kron Fun Home
2015
Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton
Jason Robert Brown Honeymoon in Vegas
Fred Ebb The Visit
Michael Friedman The Fortress of Solitude
Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick Something Rotten!
Benjamin Scheuer The Lion
2016
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul Dear Evan Hansen
Sara Bareilles Waitress
Glenn Slater School of Rock
Michael John LaChiusa First Daughter Suite
2017
David Yazbek The Band's Visit
Gerard Alessandrini Spamilton
GQ & JAQ Othello: The Remix
Michael Korie War Paint
David Hein & Irene Sankoff Come from Away
2018
Peter Kellogg Desperate Measures
Nell Benjamin Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes & Erin McKeown Miss You Like Hell
Helen Park & Max Vernon KPOP
2019
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

2020s

YearLyricistProduction
2020
Michael R. Jackson A Strange Loop
Susan Birkenhead The Secret Life of Bees
Adam Gwon Scotland, PA
Joanne Sydney Lessner & Joshua Rosenblum Einstein's Dreams
Dave Malloy Octet
Mark Saltzman Romeo & Bernadette
2021No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City [1]
2022
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Six
Amanda Green Mr. Saturday Night
Taylor Mac The Hang
David Lindsay-Abaire Kimberly Akimbo
Lynn Nottage Intimate Apparel
Shaina Taub Suffs
2023
Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Some Like It Hot
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally Shucked
Jonathan HogueStranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Michael R. Jackson White Girl in Danger
Adam Schlesinger and Sarah Silverman The Bedwetter
2024 [2]
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna Dead Outlaw
Rachel Bloom, Eli Bolin, and Jack DolgenRachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Show
Jason Robert Brown The Connector
Michael R. Jackson Teeth
Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine The Outsiders

Multiple wins

10 wins
2 wins

Multiple nominations

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Lane</span> American actor (born 1956)

Nathan Lane is an American actor. Since 1975, he has been seen on stage and screen in both comedic and dramatic roles. Lane has received numerous awards, including three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Lane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, The New York Times hailed Lane as "the greatest stage entertainer of the decade".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drama Desk Award</span> New York theater awards

The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Following the 1964 renaming as the Drama Desk Awards, Broadway productions were included beginning with the 1968–69 award season. The awards are considered a significant American theater distinction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Tunick</span> American orchestrator, musical director, and composer,

Jonathan Tunick is an American orchestrator, musical director, and composer, and one of nineteen of the "EGOT" – people to have won all four major American show business awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. He is best known for orchestrating the works of Stephen Sondheim, their collaboration starting in 1970 with Company and continuing until Sondheim's death in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Kuhn</span> American actress and singer (born 1958)

Judy Kuhn is an American actress, singer and activist, known for her work in musical theatre. A four-time Tony Award nominee, she has released four studio albums and sang the title role in the 1995 film Pocahontas, including her rendition of the song "Colors of the Wind", which won its composers the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Richard Eldridge Maltby Jr. is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He conceived and directed the only two musical revues to win the Tony Award for Best Musical: Ain't Misbehavin' and Fosse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raúl Esparza</span> American actor

Raúl Eduardo Esparza is an American actor and singer. Considered one of Broadway's most prominent leading men since the 2000s, he is best known for his Tony Award-nominated performance as Bobby in the 2006 Broadway revival of Company and for his television role as New York Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Rafael Barba in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he had a recurring role in Season 14 and was promoted to a series regular in Seasons 15 to 19.

The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation, with additional support from the Theatre Development Fund.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor 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.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The awards were established in 1955, with the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director being presented each year to a director from any play or musical production. Starting in 1975, the singular director's award was replaced by separate play and musical categories.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical is 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 awards were established in 1955, with the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director being presented each year to a director from any play or musical production. Starting in 1975, the singular director's award was replaced by separate play and musical categories.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical is 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 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was first presented at the 1993 ceremony, after Drama Desk retired the Outstanding Revival (1955–1992), a singular award covering achievement by either a play or a musical production. The accompanying category Revival of a Musical was also created, though it was first presented at the 1994 ceremony.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was first presented at the 1994 ceremony, after Drama Desk retired the Outstanding Revival category (1955–1992), a singular award covering achievement by either a play or a musical production. The accompanying Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play was also created, though it was first presented at the 1993 ceremony.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was originally entitled Best Composer, before being renamed to its current title in 1969. The award is often referred to as Outstanding Score of a Musical.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical is 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. It was first presented at the 1969 ceremony, under the shorter name Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book, changing to its current name as of the 1988 ceremony.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. This category was eliminated after the 2011 ceremony, only to be reinstated about a week later due to popular and overwhelming demand from much of the Broadway community.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

Larry Hochman is an American orchestrator and composer. He has won four Emmy Awards for his original music on the TV series Wonder Pets! and a Tony Award for his orchestrations for The Book of Mormon.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk recognize achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

References

  1. 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.
  2. "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards with 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play - Playbill.com". 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-06-13.