NYTG Logo
Titus Burgess & Jane Krakowski

Drama Desk Awards 2018 - And the Nominees are...

"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" co-stars Jane Krakowski and Titus Burgess announce the nominations for The 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

This morning the New York Theatre Guide was on hand at the nominations announcement for The 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards, co-hosted by "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" co-stars and Broadway favorites Jane Krakowski and Titus Burgess at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Ms. Krakowski won a Tony Award in 2003 for her performance as Carla in Nine and she earned Tony nominations in 1990 for Grand Hotel and for her most recent Broadway credit as Ilona Ritter in She Loves Me in 2016. She has also appeared on Broadway in Once Upon a MattressTartuffeCompanyFace Value and made her Broadway debut as Dinah in the 1987 Broadway premiere of Starlight Express.

Mr. Burgess made his Broadway debut in the 2005 production of Good Vibrations and went on to appear in Jersey Boys and to star as Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid and as Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the 2009 revival of Guys and Dolls.

As previously announced, Drama Desk Award winner Michael Urie will once again return to host this year's ceremony on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at 8pm at The Town Hall, marking his third consecutive year as host of the prestigious awards.

The Broadway revival of Carousel leads the pack this year with a grand total of 12 nominations, closely followed by the Broadway premieres of SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls with 11 and 10 noms, respectively. The most nominated play this year is the Broadway premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child which received a total of 8 nominations.

It should be noted that in determining the eligibility of The Band's Visit, which ran off-Broadway last season at Atlantic Theatre Company, the nominating committee considered only those elements that constituted new work. For all other eligible productions, nominations are consistent with opening-night credits.


The 2018 Nominees by category are:

Outstanding Play

Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater

Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop

Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons

People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater


Outstanding Musical

Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective

Mean Girls

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

SpongeBob SquarePants


Outstanding Revival of a Play

Angels in America

Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company

In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company

Three Tall Women

Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company


Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

Carousel

My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Once on This Island

Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company


Outstanding Actor in a Play

Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

James McArdle, Angels in America

Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company


Outstanding Actress in a Play

Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop

Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women

Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women

Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory


Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Jelani Alladin, Frozen

Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady

Joshua Henry, Carousel

Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell

Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants


Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

LaChanze, Summer

Jessie Mueller, Carousel

Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater


Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater

Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage

Nathan Lane, Angels in America

David Morse, The Iceman Cometh

Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club


Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground

Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club

Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground


Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova

Alexander Gemignani, Carousel

Grey Henson, Mean Girls

Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants

Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club


Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Lindsay Mendez, Carousel

Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island

Ashley Park, Mean Girls

Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady

Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls


Outstanding Director of a Play

Marianne Elliott, Angels in America

Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women

Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons

Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child


Outstanding Director of a Musical

Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Jack O'Brien, Carousel

Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants

Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady


The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography

Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island

Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants

Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls

Justin Peck, Carousel

Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company


Outstanding Music

The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space      

Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective


Outstanding Lyrics

Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls

Quiara Alegría Hudes, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective


Outstanding Book of a Musical

Tina Fey, Mean Girls

Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company

Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59


Outstanding Orchestrations

Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants

Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island

Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater

Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Jonathan Tunick, Carousel


Outstanding Music in a Play

Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Justin Hicks, Mlima's Tale, Public Theatre

Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company

Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Public Theater

Adrian Sutton, Angels in America


The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women

Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann's Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre


Outstanding Set Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island

Santo Loquasto, Carousel

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants


Outstanding Costume Design for a Play

Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King

Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ann Roth, Three Tall Women

Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre


Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls

Clint Ramos, Once on This Island

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons


Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play

Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Natasha Chivers, 1984

Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women

Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King


Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59

Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones

Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island

Brian MacDevitt, Carousel

Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective


Outstanding Projection Design

David Bengali, Van Gogh's Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century

Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants

Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls

Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child


Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59

Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Tom Gibbons, 1984

Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions


Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical

Kai Harada, The Band's Visit

Scott Lehrer, Carousel

Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective

Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company


Outstanding Wig and Hair

Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King

Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants

Josh Marquette, Mean Girls


Outstanding Solo Performance

Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre

David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group

Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Lesli Margherita, Who's Holiday!

Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59


The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience

Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company

Master, Foundry Theatre

Say Something Bunny!


Outstanding Fight Choreography

J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep

Steve Rankin, Carousel

Unkle Dave's Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project


Outstanding Puppet Design

Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America

Michael Curry, Frozen

Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers


SPECIAL AWARDS

To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the A Train ­­whose last-minute entrances into the Signature production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending

Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, whose characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.

Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El Rey, A Parallelogram, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate great things to come for this talented performer.


The Drama Desk nominating committee is comprised of David Barbour, Chairperson (Lighting & Sound America); Linda Buchwald (American Theatre, Playbill, TDF Stages, Theatre is Easy); Peter Filichia (Broadway Select, Broadway Radio); Helen Shaw (Time Out New York, Village Voice); Martha Wade Steketee (Theater Pizzazz)Zachary Stewart (TheaterMania); Doug Strassler (Garden State Journal, TDF Stages); and Charles Wright (President, Drama Desk), ex officio.

Drama Desk was founded in 1949 to explore key issues in the theater and to bring together critics and writers in an organization to support the ongoing development of theater in New York. The organization began presenting its awards in 1955, and it is the only critics' organization to honor achievement in the theater with competition among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions in the same categories.

(Photos by Tom Millward)

Originally published on

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive New York theatre updates!

  • Get early access to Broadway's newest shows
  • Access to exclusive deals and promotions
  • Stay in the know about top shows and news on Broadway
  • Get updates on shows that are important to you

You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy

NYTG Logo

© 2024 NewYorkTheatreGuide.com