| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding Lyrics |
| Location | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Drama Desk |
| First award | 1969 |
| Currently held by | Will Aronson and Hue Park for Maybe Happy Ending (2025) |
| Website | dramadesk.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.
Stephen Sondheim holds the record for most wins and nominations for the award, with ten wins out of twelve nominations.
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | ||
| George Haimsohn & Robin Miller | Dames at Sea | |
| Fred Ebb | Zorba |
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Silver | In Gay Company | |
| 1976 | ||
| Edward Kleban & Marvin Hamlisch | A Chorus Line | |
| Leonard Bernstein | 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue | |
| Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe | Tuscaloosa'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 |
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Colker | 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down | |
| Ellen Fitzhugh | Grind | |
| 1986, 1987 | — | |
| 1988 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Into the Woods | |
| Barry Harman | Romance/Romance | |
| 1989 | — | |
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