The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards nominations
The winners of the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced on 23 May 2011 at a ceremony held in the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center, which will be hosted by former Drama Desk Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Hairspray and Torch Song Trilogy).
The annual awards honor excellence in theater for Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway during the season. Leading the slate is the musical comedy 'The Book of Mormon 'with 12 nominations, followed by the Roundabout's revival of Cole Porter's 'Anything Goes.'
The Public's production of 'Anything Goes' was nominated in seven categories, receving the most nominations for any play - new or revival.
The following awards were voted by the nominating committee and will be presented by the Drama Desk at its awards ceremony:
Outstanding Ensemble Performances:
This year the nominators chose to bestow special ensemble awards for acting to the casts of two shows. Therefore, individual cast members for these shows were not eligible for acting awards in the competitive categories.
- In Transit
- The Normal Heart
Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theater. For 2010/2011, these awards are presented:
- To A.R. Gurney for his enduring, keenly observed portraits of American life over a prolific four-decade-long career.
- To Reed Birney for his versatile and finely nuanced performances over the past thirty-five years, and for his exceptional work this season in 'Tigers Be Still,' 'A Small Fire' and 'The Dream of the Burning Boy.'
- To The New Group and Artistic Director Scott Elliott for presenting contemporary new voices, and for uncompromisingly raw and powerful productions.
- To The Pearl Theatre Company for notable productions of classic plays and nurturing a stalwart resident company of actors.
- To the creative team of War Horse for thrilling stagecraft: Paule Constable, Marianne Elliott, 59 Productions, Adrian Kohler with Basil Jones for Handspring Puppet Company, Tom Morris, Rae Smith, Christopher Shutt, Toby Sedgwick, Adrian Sutton and John Tams.
The 2011 Drama Desk Award winners by category:
Winners are indicated in bold font.
Outstanding Play:
- Jon Robin Baitz: Other Desert Cities
- Adam Bock: A Small Fire
- Stephen Adly Guirgis: The Motherfker With the Hat
- Samuel D. Hunter: A Bright New Boise
- Rajiv Joseph: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- David Lindsay-Abaire: Good People
- Nick Stafford: War Horse
Outstanding Musical:
- In Transit
- Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical
- See Rock City & Other Destinations
- Sister Act
- The Book of Mormon
- The Kid
Outstanding Revival of a Play:
- Born Yesterday
- The House of Blue Leaves
- The Importance of Being Earnest
- The Merchant of Venice
- The Normal Heart
- Three Sisters
Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
- Anything Goes
- Hello Again
- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Outstanding Actor in a Play:
- Charles Busch: The Divine Sister
- Bobby Cannavale: The Motherfker With the Hat
- Al Pacino: The Merchant of Venice
- Geoffrey Rush: The Diary of a Madman
- Mark Rylance: Jerusalem
- Michael Shannon: Mistakes Were Made
- Paul Sparks: Dusk Rings a Bell
Outstanding Actress in a Play:
- Nina Arianda: Born Yesterday
- Stockard Channing: Other Desert Cities
- Frances McDormand: Good People
- Laurie Metcalf: The Other Place
- Michele Pawk: A Small Fire
- Lily Rabe: The Merchant of Venice
Outstanding Actor in a Musical:
- Norbert Leo Butz: Catch Me if You Can
- Colin Donnell: Anything Goess
- Daniel Radcliffe: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
- Andrew Rannells: The Book of Mormon
- Tony Sheldon: Priscilla Queen of the Desert:The Musical
- Christopher Sieber: The Kid
Outstanding Actress in a Musical:
- Sutton Foster: Anything Goes
- Beth Leavel: Baby It's You!
- Patina Miller: Sister Act
- Donna Murphy: The People in the Picture
- Sherie Rene Scott: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:
- Brian Bedford: The Importance of Being Earnest
- Christian Borle: Peter and the Starcatcher
- Boyd Gaines: The Grand Manner
- Logan Marshall-Green: The Hallway Trilogy
- Zachary Quinto: Angels in America
- Tom Riley: Arcadia
- Yul Vázquez: The Motherfker With the Hat
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:
- Lisa Emery: The Collection & A Kind of Alaska
- Edie Falco: The House of Blue Leaves
- Julie Halston:The Divine Sister
- Sarah Nina Hayon: A Bright New Boise
- Celia Keenan-Bolger: Peter and the Starcatcher
- Linda Lavin: Other Desert Cities
- Judith Light: Lombardi
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
- Adam Godley: Anything Goes
- John Larroquette: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
- Brian Stokes Mitchell: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- Rory O'Malley: The Book of Mormon
- Bob Stillman: Hello Again
- Tom Wopat: Catch Me if You Can
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
- Laura Benanti: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- Kerry Butler: Catch Me if You Can
- Victoria Clark: Sister Act
- Jill Eikenberry: The Kid
- Nikki M. James: The Book of Mormon
- Patti LuPone: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- Laura Osnes: Anything Goes
Outstanding Director of a Play:
- Trip Cullman: A Small Fire
- Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe: The Normal Heart
- Moisés Kaufman: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- Davis McCallum: A Bright New Boise
- Daniel Sullivan: The Merchant of Venice
- Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock: Baby Universe
Outstanding Director of a Musical:
- Rob Ashford: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
- Joe Calarco: In Transit
- Jack Cummings III: Hello Again
- Jack Cummings III: See Rock City & Other Destinations
- Kathleen Marshall: Anything Goes
- Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker: The Book of Mormon
Outstanding Choreography:
- Rob Ashford: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
- Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett: Beautiful Burnout
- Steven Hoggett: Peter and the Starcatcher
- Kathleen Marshall: Anything Goes
- Casey Nicholaw: The Book of Mormon
- Siudy: Between Worlds
Outstanding Music:
- Brad Alexander: See Rock City & Other Destinations
- Alan Menken: Sister Act
- Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone: The Book of Mormon
- Marc Shaiman: Catch Me if You Can
- Mike Stoller and Artie Butler: The People in the Picture
- David Yazbek: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Outstanding Lyrics:
- Rick Crom: Newsical The Musical — Full Spin Ahead
- Jack Lechner: The Kid
- Adam Mathias: See Rock City & Other Destinations
- Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone: The Book of Mormon
- Glenn Slater: Sister Act
- Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman: Catch Me if You Can
Outstanding Book of a Musical:
- Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth: In Transit
- Iris Rainer Dart: The People in the Picture
- Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott: Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical
- Adam Mathias: See Rock City & Other Destinations
- Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone: The Book of Mormon
- Michael Zam: The Kid
Outstanding Orchestrations:
- Mary-Mitchell Campbell: Hello Again
- Bruce Coughlin: The Burnt Part Boys
- Simon Hale, Jim Abbott and David Yazbek: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus: The Book of Mormon
- Marc Shaiman and Larry Blank: Catch Me if You Can
- Lynne Shankel: The Extraordinary Ordinary
Outstanding Music in a Play
- Wayne Barker: Peter and the Starcatcher
- Kathryn Bostic: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- Lars Petter Hagen: Baby Universe
- Alan John: The Diary of a Madman
- Tom Kitt: The Winter's Tale
- Dan Moses Schreier: The Merchant of Venice
Outstanding Revue
- Fyvush Finkel Live!
- Newsical The Musical — Full Spin Ahead
- Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles on Broadway
Outstanding Set Design:
- Rachel Hauck: Orange, Hat & Grace
- David Korins and Zachary Borovay (projection design): Lombardi
- Derek McLane: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- Derek McLane: Anything Goes
- Tony Straiges: Treasure Island
- Mark Wendland: The Merchant of Venice
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner: Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical
- Desmond Heeley: The Importance of Being Earnest
- Ann Hould-Ward: A Free Man of Color
- Martin Pakledinaz: Anything Goes
- Ann Roth: The Book of Mormon
- Paloma Young: Peter and the Starcatcher
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- Jean Kalman: John Gabriel Borkman
- R. Lee Kennedy: See Rock City & Other Destinations
- David Lander: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- Laura Mroczkowski: Spy Garbo
- Ben Stanton: The Whipping Man
- David Weiner: A Small Fire
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:
- Lindsay Jones: The Burnt Part Boys
- Michael Rasbury: Hello Again
- Brian Ronan: Anything Goes
- Brian Ronan: The Book of Mormon
- Jon Weston: In Transit
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play:
- Acme Sound Partners: The Merchant of Venice
- Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
- Ian Dickinson: John Gabriel Borkman
- Brett Jarvis: Baby Universe
- Bray Poor: Wings
- Eric Shimelonis: The Hallway Trilogy
Outstanding Solo Performance:
- Daniel Beaty: Through the Night
- Mike Birbiglia: Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
- Juliette Jeffers: Batman and Robin in the Boogie Down
- John Leguizamo: Ghetto Klown
- Colin Quinn: Colin Quinn Long Story Short
- Joanna Tope: The Promise
Unique Theatrical Experience:
- Being Harold Pinter
- Circus Incognitus
- Gatz
- Play Dead
- Room 17B
- Sleep No More
Note: The nominating committee made the following decisions related to the scope of technical award nominations:
Basil Twist's puppetry was included in the nomination for Outstanding Set Design for The Addams Family.
Bob Flanagan's puppet and mask design were included in the Outstanding Costume Design nomination for The Emperor Jones.
Fela! was considered last season in its off-Broadway premiere and received four nominations— Outstanding Musical; Sahr Ngaujah as Outstanding Actor in a Musical; Bill T. Jones for Outstanding Choreography and Aaron Johnson and Antibalas were nominated for Outstanding Orchestrations. Under Drama Desk rules, only new elements in a transfer can be considered.
Ragtime: The musical was initially nominated in two categories: Outstanding Costume Design: Santo Loquasto and Outstanding Orchestrations: William David Brohn. Both nominations were later removed as the Drama Desk Award's committee decided that both the costumes and the orchastrations were two similar to the earlier 1998 production of Ragtime, that both artists worked on.
List of Awards by show:
| Anything Goes (5 Awards) | Outstanding Revival of a Musical Outstanding Actress in a Musical Outstanding Choreography Outstanding Set Design Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical |
| The Book of Mormon (5 Awards) | Outstanding Musical Outstanding Director of a Musical Outstanding Music Outstanding Lyrics Outstanding Orchestrations |
| Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (2 Awards) | Outstanding Lighting Design Outstanding Sound Design in a Play |
| The Normal Heart (2 Awards) | Outstanding Revival of a Play Outstanding Director of a Play |
| Catch Me if You Can (1 Award) | Outstanding Actor in a Musical |
| Ghetto Klown (1 Award) | Outstanding Solo Performance |
| Good People (1 Award) | Outstanding Actress in a Play |
| How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1 Award) | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical |
| The Importance of Being Earnest (1 Award) | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Outstanding Costume Design |
| The Motherfker With the Hat (1 Award) | Outstanding Actor in a Play Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play |
| The House of Blue Leaves (1 Award) | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play |
| Peter and the Starcatcher (1 Award) | Outstanding Music in a Play |
| Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical (1 Award) | Outstanding Costume Design |
| Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles on Broadway (1 Award) | Outstanding Revue |
| See Rock City & Other Destinations (1 Award) | Outstanding Book of a Musical |
| Sleep No More (1 Award) | Unique Theatrical Experience |
| War Horse (1 Award) | Outstanding Play |
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