Some Like It Hot Leads Drama Desk Award Winners

Winners have been revealed for the 2023 Drama Desk Awards, honoring artistic excellence on Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway. Winners will be presented with their awards in a ceremony held on June 6 at Sardi’s and produced by Staci Levine/Groundswell Theatricals.

As previously announced, this is the first year in which acting categories are gender-free. As a result, two winners were chosen in each of those four categories.

Some Like It Hot received eight Drama Desks, including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for star J. Harrison Ghee, Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical for Kevin Del Aguila, Outstanding Choreography for Casey Nicholaw, Outstanding Lyrics for Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Outstanding Book of a Musical for Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, Outstanding Orchestrations for Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter and Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical for Gregg Barnes.

Life of Pi was honored with the most awards of any Broadway play, including Outstanding Direction of a Play for Max Webster, Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play for Tim Hatley, Outstanding Projection and Video Design for Andrzej Goulding and Outstanding Puppetry for Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell.

Shucked, which led all productions with 12 nominations, won just two awards including Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical for Alex Newell and Outstanding Music for Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.

For the first time, the performance categories were gender-free and each declared two winners.

Also of note, Prima Facie star Jodi Comer won the award for Outstanding Solo Performance — a category that does not exist at the Tony Awards, where she is instead nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.

In addition to Outstanding Solo Performance, the Drama Desks include several other categories that the Tony Awards do not, including Outstanding Wig and Hair which went to Mia M. Neal for Ain’t No Mo’.

The Drama Desk is run under the leadership of co-presidents David Barbour and Charles Wright. The 2022-2023 nominating committee includes Martha Wade Steketee, Linda Armstrong, Dan Dinero, Peter Filichia, Kenji Fujishima, Margaret Hall and Wright.

A full list of 2023 Drama Desk nominations and winners can be found below. Winners are denoted in bold.

Outstanding Play
A Case for the Existence of God, by Samuel D. Hunter, Signature Theatre
Fat Ham, by James Ijames, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre
Leopoldstadt by Tom Stoppard
Love, by Alexander Zeldin, Park Avenue Armory
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
Wish You Were Here, by Sanaz Toossi, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Musical
& Juliet
Between the Lines
F*ck7thGrade, The Wild Project
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater

Outstanding Revival of a Play
A Raisin in the Sun, The Public Theater
Death of a Salesman
Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre
The Piano Lesson
Ohio State Murders
Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Into the Woods
Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Parade
Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play
Hiran Abeysekera, Life of Pi
Kyle Beltran, A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre
Will Brill, A Case for the Existence of God, Signature Theatre
Brittany Bradford, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House
Sharon D. Clarke, Death of a Salesman
Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Denise Manning, Amani, National Black Theatre and Rattlestick Theater
Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Wendell Pierce, Death of a Salesman
John Douglas Thompson, Endgame, Irish Repertory Theatre
Kara Young, Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd
Nicholas Barasch, The Butcher Boy, Irish Repertory Theatre
Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods
Andrew Burnap, Camelot
Micaela Diamond, Parade
Andrew Durand, Shucked
Callum Francis, Kinky Boots, Stage 42
J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Somi Kakoma, Dreaming Zenzile, New York Theatre Workshop|
Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Anna Uzele, New York, New York

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play
Emily Bergl, Good Night, Oscar
Danielle Brooks, The Piano Lesson
Amelda Brown, Love, Park Avenue Armory
Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson
K. Todd Freeman, Downstate, Playwrights Horizons
Francis Guinan, Downstate, Playwrights Horizons
Nick Holder, Love, Park Avenue Armory
Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House
Brian Quijada, Wolf Play, MCC Theater and Soho Rep
Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt
Kara Young, Cost of Living

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, Shucked
Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot
Robyn Hurder, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
Mark Jacoby, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
Tarra Conner Jones, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage
Theater
Julia Lester, Into the Woods
Alex Newell, Shucked
Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Phillipa Soo, Into the Woods
Mare Winningham, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Zi Alikhan, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages
Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO
Miranda Cromwell, Death of a Salesman
Adam Meggido, Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Max Webster, Life of Pi
Alexander Zeldin, Love, Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Jeff Calhoun, Between the Lines, Tony Kiser Theater
John Doyle, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop
Thomas Kail, Sweeney Todd
Jack O’Brien, Shucked

Outstanding Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Tislarm Bouie, the bandaged place,  Roundabout Theatre Company
Edgar Godineaux, The Harder They Come, The Public Theater
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot
Susan Stroman, New York, New York
Jennifer Weber, KPOP

Outstanding Music
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked
Michael R. Jackson, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater
Tom Kitt and AnnMarie Milazzo (vocal designer), Almost Famous
Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, Between the Lines, Tony Kiser Theater
The Kilbanes, Weightless, WP Theater

Outstanding Lyrics
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked
Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Michael R. Jackson, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage
Theater
Adam Schlesinger and Sarah Silverman, The Bedwetter, Atlantic Theater Company
Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Some Like it Hot

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Robert Horn, Shucked
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, Some Like It Hot
Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, Titanique
David West Read, & Juliet

Outstanding Orchestrations
Bruce Coughlin, A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company
Jason Howland, Shucked
Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, Some Like It Hot
Kenny Seymour, The Harder They Come, The Public Theater
Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, New York, New York

Outstanding Music in a Play
Ben Edelman, Zane Pais, and Sinan Refik Zafar, Letters from Max, a ritual,
Signature Theatre
Mauricio Escamilla, the bandaged place, Roundabout Theatre Company
Suzan-Lori Parks, Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater
Ian Ross, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, National
Theatre
Daniel Schlosberg, Montag, Soho Rep

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play
Jason Ardizzone-West, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
Beowulf Boritt, Ohio State Murders
dots, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO
Tim Hatley, Life of Pi
Natasha Jenkins, Love, Park Avenue Armory
John McDermott, Chains, Mint Theater Company

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York
David Korins, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Scott Pask, Shucked
Walt Spangler and Brendan McCann (production props), Stranger Sings! The
Parody Musical
Michael Yeargan, Camelot

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play
Kara Branch, According to the Chorus, New Light Theater Project
Enver Chakartash, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO
Qween Jean, Wedding Band, Theatre for a New Audience
Sarah Laux, Wish You Were Here, Playwright Horizons
Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’
Roberto Surace, Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Some Like It Hot
Tilly Grimes, Shucked
Jennifer Moeller, Camelot
Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, KPOP
Anita Yavich, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Donna Zakowska, New York, New York

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, Epiphany, Lincoln Center Theater
Jiyoun Chang, The Far Country, Atlantic Theater Company
Natasha Chivers and Willie Williams (video), Prima Facie
Allen Lee Hughes, Ohio State Murders
Cha See, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages
Japhy Weideman, The Piano Lesson

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, New York, New York
Jeff Croiter, Only Gold, MCC Theater
Heather Gilbert, Parade
David Grill, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Projection and Video Design
Simon Baker, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children, and National Theatre
Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi
Caite Hevner, Between the Lines, Tony Kiser Theater
Josh Higgason, White Girl in Danger, Vineyard Theatre and Second Stage Theater
Nicholas Hussong, On That Day in Amsterdam, Primary Stages
Johnny Moreno, Public Obscenities, Soho Rep and NAATCO

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, Ohio State Murders
Tom Gibbons, Hamlet, Park Avenue Armory
Josh Anio Grigg, Love, Park Avenue Armory
Lee Kinney and Daniel Kluger, You Will Get Sick, Roundabout Theatre Company
Ben & Max Ringham, A Doll’s House
Mikaal Sulaiman, Fat Ham, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Almost Famous
Scott Lehrer and Alex Neumann, Into the Woods
John Shivers, Shucked
Joanna Lynne Staub, Weightless, WP Theater
Jon Weston, Parade

Outstanding Wig and Hair
Campbell Young Associates, Almost Famous
Cookie Jordan, The Piano Lesson
Mia M. Neal, Ain’t No Mo’
Earon Nealey, Twelfth Night, The Classical Theatre of Harlem
Mitsuteru Okuyama, Chushingura 47 Ronin
Luc Verschueren, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical

Outstanding Solo Performance
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
David Greenspan, Four Saints in Three Acts, Lucille Lortel Theatre
Jessica Hendy, Walking With Bubbles, AMT Theater
Anthony Rapp, Without You
Tracy Thorne, Jack Was Kind, Irish Repertory Theatre

Unique Theatrical Experience
Asi Wind’s Inner Circle
Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater
Zephyr, Cirque Mechanics at The New Victory Theater

Outstanding Fight Choreography
B.H. Barry, Camelot
Rocio Mendez, Día y Noche, LAByrinth Theater Company
Rocio Mendez, How to Defend Yourself, The New York Theatre Workshop
Unkledave’s Fight-House, soft, MCC Theater

Outstanding Adaptation
A Doll’s House, by Amy Herzog
Arden of Faversham, by Jeffrey Hatcher and Kathryn Walat, Red Bull Theater
black odyssey, by Marcus Gardley, Classic Stage Company
Oresteia, by Robert Icke, Park Avenue Armory
Wuthering Heights, by Emma Rice, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children and National Theatre

Outstanding Puppetry
John Leader, Wuthering Heights, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Wise Children and National Theatre
James Ortiz (design) and Kennedy Kanagawa (as Milky White), Into the Woods
Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi
Kirjan Waage, The Immortal Jellyfish Girl, Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre at 59E59

 

Special Awards

Harold Prince Lifetime Achievement Award
Stephen McKinley Henderson

Ensemble Award
The cast of Soho Rep’s Public Obscenities – Tashnuva Anan, Abrar Haque, Golam Sarwar Harun, Gargi Mukherjee, NaFis, Jakeem Dante Powell, and Debashis Roy Chowdhury

Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award
Ryan J. Haddad, Dark Disabled Stories

Broadway shows with multiple wins
Some Like It Hot: 8
Life of Pi: 4
A Doll’s House: 3
Sweeney Todd: 3
Ain’t No Mo’: 2
Leopoldstadt: 2
Prima Facie: 2
Shucked: 2