Tony Winner Jason Robert Brown Asks Composers to Boycott Drama Desk Awards Over Orchestrations Snub

Composer Jason Robert Brown is upset over the Drama Desk Awards' decision to not include an Outstanding Orchestrations category among its 2012 nominations. Brown, the composer of Songs for a New World, The Last Five Years and 13, took to his blog at JasonRobertBrown.com to denounce the dismissal of the category and is calling on the awards' nominated composers not to attend the June 3 ceremony should the category not be reinstated.

“Every New York theatre musician I know is offended and confused by the decision of this year's Drama Desk Nominating Committee,” Brown wrote. “I'll tell you one thing: it certainly wasn't for lack of competition. There was some extraordinary work this year from some fantastic arrangers, some of whom have been recognized repeatedly in the past for their consistently glorious work, and some of whom (like Once's amazing Martin Lowe and Nice Work If You Can Get It swingmonster Bill Elliott) are much less familiar to New York audiences and totally thrilling. Orchestrators have to become more and more clever each year to combat the continual downsizing of theater orchestras and to honor the expanding range of musical theater styles, and this year's crop is as sophisticated and creative as you can get.”

A petition has also now been started on Change.org to reinstate the category and has received support from orchestrators such as Tony winners Stephen Oremus and Larry Hochman (The Book of Mormon) and Alex Lacamoire (In the Heights), as well as performers like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lea Salonga. “I have worked with amazing orchestrators in Broadway shows and various concerts, and to exclude their contributions to musical theater is nothing short of outrageous,” Salonga wrote on the site. “The gift of an orchestrator can determine the differences between romance and passion, love and hate. It sets a mood, an emotion, or rallies the troops to head into the streets seeking justice.”

Among the nominated composers Brown hopes stay home from the award ceremony are Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (Once), Michael John LaChiusa (Queen of the Mist), Alan Menken (Leap of Faith, Newsies), Frank Wildhorn (Bonnie & Clyde) and Maury Yeston (Death Takes a Holiday). 

Brown posted a response sent from Drama Desk president Isa Goldberg which credits complications that arise "every season by practical issues presented by circumstances particular to that season" among the reasons for removing the category. "This means that every year's slate of nominations requires a certain degree of flexibility and, consequently, the categories of Drama Desk Awards differ to some extent from year to year," the letter continued. Goldberg said the removal of the category is not necessarily permanent.

Brown, unhappy with the response, replied with the below YouTube clip saying, "perhaps you will enjoy watching this video."