The Drama Desk Awards Honors the Late Harold Prince with Namesake Lifetime Achievement Award

The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards will celebrate the life and legacy of theater producer and director Harold Prince with the Drama Desk’s newly established lifetime achievement honor. The Harold Prince Award will be bestowed annually for outstanding contributions to theater, and the posthumous award will be given in his honor this year. Prince died on July 31, 2019 at the age of 91.

Among his many accolades, Prince earned 10 Drama Desk Awards over the course of his distinguished career. He garnered these awards for his work at the helm of Show Boat, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Sweeney Todd, The Visit, Candide, The Great God Brown, A Little Night Music, Follies and Company. Prince, who an astounding 21 Tony Awards, played a significant role in shaping the New York theatrical landscape during the second half of the 20th century.

“It is nearly impossible to overstate Hal Prince’s contributions to the theater community, both onstage and off,” Charles Wright and David Barbour, Drama Desk co-presidents, said in a statement. “Through countless productions over the course of his life, Mr. Prince’s legacy is reflected every day on Broadway and beyond, and we are thrilled to honor that legacy with the establishment of The Harold Prince Award.”

As previously reported, the 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced during a special presentation of Spectrum News NY1’s On Stage on May 31, at 7:30PM ET. Check out the complete list of nominees here.