Come From Away, Hello, Dolly!, The Great Comet & More Win 2017 Drama Desk Awards

The 62nd Annual Drama Desk Awards took place at New York’s Town Hall on June 4, with stage veteran Michael Urie serving as host. Winners in top categories included the new Broadway musical Come From Away, which took home the prize for Outstanding Musical while J.T. Rogers' epic work Oslo won the prize for Outstanding Play. Other winners included both rotating stars of The Little Foxes, Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon, along with Hello, Dolly! headliner Bette Midler and Groundhog Day leading man Andy Karl. The downtown premiere of the Broadway-bound musical The Band's Visit took home two awards for its composer and lyricist, David Yazbek, and a prize for its director, David Cromer (who tied with The Great Comet director Rachel Chavkin). The Great Comet also won awards for its set design, lighting design and sound design, making the immersive Broadway musical the biggest winner of the night, with four awards. The full list of winners can be found below, identified in bold and preceded by an asterisk.

Outstanding Play
If I Forget, by Steven Levenson, Roundabout Theatre Company
Indecent, by Paula Vogel, Vineyard Theatre
A Life, by Adam Bock, Playwrights Horizons
*Oslo, by J. T. Rogers, Lincoln Center Theatre
Sweat, by Lynn Nottage, Public Theater

Outstanding Musical
Anastasia
The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company
*Come From Away
Hadestown, New York Theatre Workshop
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

Outstanding Revival of a Play
The Front Page
The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
*Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club
The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club
"Master Harold"… and the Boys, Signature Theatre Company
Picnic, Transport Group

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Falsettos, Lincoln Center Theater
*Hello, Dolly!
Sweeney Todd
Sweet Charity, New Group
Tick, Tick… BOOM!, Keen Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Daniel Craig, Othello, New York Theatre Workshop
*Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
David Hyde Pierce, A Life, Playwrights Horizons
John Douglas Thompson, Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
*Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll's House, Part 2
Amy Ryan, Love, Love, Love, Roundabout Theatre Company
Harriet Walter, The Tempest, St. Ann's Warehouse

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Nick Blaemire, Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Keen Company
Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon
Nick Cordero, A Bronx Tale
*Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Jeremy Secomb, Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Christy Altomare, Anastasia
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Sutton Foster, Sweet Charity, New Group
Patti LuPone, War Paint
*Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Laura Osnes, Bandstand

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Michael Aronov, Oslo, Lincoln Center Theater
*Danny DeVito, The Price, Roundabout Theatre Company
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Jeremy Shamos, If I Forget, Roundabout Theatre Company
Justice Smith, Yen, MCC Theater

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll's House, Part 2
Randy Graff, The Babylon Line, Lincoln Center Theater
Marie Mullen, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Brooklyn Academy of Music
*Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club
Emily Skinner, Picnic
Kate Walsh, If I Forget, Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
*Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Jeffry Denman, Kid Victory, Vineyard Theatre
George Salazar, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Ari'el Stachel, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos, Lincoln Center Theater

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos, Lincoln Center Theater
*Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
Nora Schell, Spamilton

Outstanding Director of a Play
Richard Jones, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Anne Kauffman, A Life, Playwrights Horizons
Richard Nelson, What Did You Expect?/Women of a Certain Age, Public Theater
*Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club
Daniel Sullivan, The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club
Daniel Sullivan, If I Forget, Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Director of a Musical (TIE)
Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Bill Buckhurst, Sweeney Todd
*Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
*David Cromer, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!

Outstanding Choreography
*Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Warren Carlyle, Hello, Dolly!
Aletta Collins, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Terrence McNally, Anastasia
Itamar Moses, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company
Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor, Bandstand
*Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away
Joe Tracz, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

Outstanding Music
Stephen Flaherty, Anastasia
Dave Malloy, Beardo, Pipeline Theatre Company
Richard Oberacker, Bandstand
Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away
*David Yazbek, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company

Outstanding Lyrics
Gerard Alessandrini, Spamilton
GQ and JQ, Othello: The Remix
Michael Korie, War Paint
Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away
*David Yazbek, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company

Outstanding Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, Anastasia
Bruce Coughlin, War Paint
Benjamin Cox, Sweeney Todd
*Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
August Eriksmoen, Come From Away
Jamshied Sharifi, The Band's Visit, Atlantic Theater Company

Outstanding Music in a Play
Daniel Ocanto, Graham Ulicny and Sean Smith, Alligator, New Georges in collaboration with the Sol Project
Marcus Shelby, Notes From the Field, Second Stage
*Bill Sims Jr., Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Revue
Hello Dillie!, 59E59 Theaters
*Life Is for Living: Conversations with Coward, 59E59 Theaters

Outstanding Set Design for a Play
David Gallo, Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club
*Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Laura Jellinek, A Life, Playwrights Horizons
Stewart Laing, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Lez Brotherston, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, St. Ann's Warehouse
Simon Kenny, Sweeney Todd
*Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Jason Sherwood, The View UpStairs

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
*Jane Greenwood, The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Murell Horton, The Liar, Classic Stage Company
Toni-Leslie James, Jitney, Manhattan Theatre Club
Stewart Laing, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Ann Roth, The Front Page

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Linda Cho, Anastasia
Toni-Leslie James, Come From Away
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Anita Yavich, The View UpStairs
Paloma Young, Bandstand
*Catherine Zuber, War Paint

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
*Christopher Akerlind, Indecent, Vineyard Theatre
James Farncombe, The Tempest, St. Ann's Warehouse
Rick Fisher, The Judas Kiss, Brooklyn Academy of Music
Mimi Jordan Sherin, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
Stephen Strawbridge, "Master Harold"…and the Boys, Signature Theatre Company
Justin Townsend, The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Jeff Croiter, Bandstand
Mark Henderson, Sunset Boulevard
Bradley King, Hadestown, New York Theatre Workshop
*Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Amy Mae, Sweeney Todd
Malcolm Rippeth, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, St. Ann's Warehouse

Outstanding Projection Design
Reid Farrington, CasablancaBox, HERE
Elaine McCarthy, Notes From the Field, Second Stage
Jared Mezzocchi, Vietgone, Manhattan Theatre Club
John Narun, Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
*Aaron Rhyne, Anastasia

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Mikhail Fiksel, A Life, Playwrights Horizons
*Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin, The Encounter
Brian Quijada, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Radio Drama Network
Leon Rothenberg, Notes From the Field, Second Stage
Jane Shaw, Men on Boats, Playwrights Horizons/Clubbed Thumb

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Simon Baker, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, St. Ann's Warehouse
Peter Hylenski, Anastasia
Scott Lehrer, Hello, Dolly!
*Nicholas Pope, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Mick Potter, Cats
Brian Ronan, War Paint
Matt Stine, Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Wig and Hair
*David Brian Brown, War Paint
Campbell Young Associates, Hello, Dolly!
John Jared Janas, Yours Unfaithfully, Mint Theatre Company
Jason Hayes, The View UpStairs
Josh Marquette, Present Laughter
Tom Watson, The Little Foxes, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Solo Performance
Nancy Anderson, The Pen (Inner Voices), Premieres
*Ed Dixon, Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose
Marin Ireland, On the Exhale, Roundabout Underground
Sarah Jones, Sell/Buy/Date, Manhattan Theatre Club
Brian Quijada, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Radio Drama Network
Anna Deavere Smith, Notes From the Field, Second Stage

Unique Theatrical Experience
CasablancaBox, HERE
The Paper Hat Game, The Tank/3-Legged Dog
*The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, National Theatre of Scotland
The Ephemera Trilogy, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Outstanding Fight Choreography
J. David Brimmer, Yen, MCC Theater
Donal O'Farrell, Quietly, Irish Repertory Theatre
Michael Rossmy and Rick Sordelet, Troilus and Cressida, New York Shakespeare Festival
Thomas Schall, Othello, New York Theatre Workshop
Thomas Schall, The Hairy Ape, Park Avenue Armory
*U. Jonathan Toppo, Sweat, Public Theater

Outstanding Adaptation
*David Ives, The Liar, Classic Stage Company
Ellen McLaughlin, The Trojan Women, Flea Theatre

Outstanding Puppet Design
*Basil Twist, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Lyndie Wright, Sarah Wright, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, St. Ann's Warehouse

Wins by Production:
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 - 4
The Band’s Visit - 3
Come From Away - 3
Hello, Dolly! - 3
Jitney - 3
The Little Foxes - 3
Bandstand - 2
War Paint - 2
Anastasia - 1
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - 1
The Encounter - 1
Georgie - 1
Groundhog Day - 1
Indecent - 1
The Liar - 1
Life Is for Living: Conversations with Coward - 1
Oslo - 1
The Play That Goes Wrong - 1
Present Laughter - 1
The Price - 1
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart - 1
Sweat - 1

Special Awards:

Outstanding Ensemble
The Wolves, The Playwrights Realm: The superbly talented cast of Sarah DeLappe's debut play—Mia Barron, Brenna Coates, Jenna Dioguardi, Samia Finnerty, Midori Francis, Lizzy Jutila, Sarah Mezzanotte, Tedra Millan, Lauren Patten and Susannah Perkins—jelled as one, proving that team spirit is just as alive on the stage as it is on the soccer field.

Special Award to Phil LaDuca: Proving that character comes from the ground up, the designer's innovative flexible dance shoe ensures that hoofers on any stage remain on point.

Sam Norkin Award: Lila Neugebauer: During a season that saw her helm the original works The Antipodes, Everybody, Miles for Mary and The Wolves, and resurrect the works of esteemed playwrights Edward Albee, Maria Irene Fornes and Adrienne Kennedy in Signature Plays, director Lila Neugebauer has shown that her dauntless insight into the human condition knows no bounds.

Please note: The Drama Desk nominating committee considered Dear Evan Hansen and Significant Other in the 2015-2016 season, making them ineligible for consideration this season. Indecent, Sweat and Oslo were considered for their off-Broadway runs, even though they transferred to Broadway this season. The committee determined that the book and score of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 were not sufficiently different from earlier, already eligible productions to be considered this season. However, the design, staging and new members of the company were considered this year. The committee determined that all aspects of In Transit had been significantly reworked since its off-Broadway engagement in 2010 and thus deemed it eligible for consideration this season. In accordance with the wishes of its producers, the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George was not considered. With respect to the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard, the committee determined that Glenn Close’s performance was not eligible because of eligibility in an earlier season, but the other performances, direction, choreography and design aspects were eligible.