Passing Strange, Osage County, South Pacific Win Big at Drama Desk Awards

The winners of the Drama Desk Awards were announced May 18 at the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. The stars of the upcoming Broadway musical [title of show]—Jeff Bowen, Hunter Bell, Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell—hosted the event.

The acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific took home the most awards, winning five in total including Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Paulo Szot, the opera singer making his Broadway debut in the show.

Passing Strange beat out the competition to win Outstanding Musical, also bringing home trophies for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics. In the Heights was not eligible because it had been considered last season, during its off-Broadway run. Of the other musical categories, all three Gypsy stars—Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines and Patti LuPone—won in their respective acting races.

On the play front, Tracy Letts' August: Osage County was named Outstanding Play, while also winning awards for leading lady Deanna Dunagan and director Anna D. Shapiro. Boeing-Boeing won in the category of Outstanding Revival of a Play, with funny leading man Mark Rylance also being named a winner.

A complete list of winners follows.

Outstanding Musical
Passing Strange

Outstanding Play
August: Osage County by Tracy Letts

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
South Pacific

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Gypsy

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Paulo Szot, South Pacific

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Linda Lavin, The New Century

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Conleth Hill, The Seafarer

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Gypsy

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

Outstanding Solo Performance
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood

Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening

Outstanding Theatrical Experience
The 39 Steps

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Bartlett Sher, South Pacific

Outstanding Director of a Play
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County

Outstanding Choreography
Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Douglas Carter Beane, Xanadu

Outstanding Music
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange

Outstanding Lyrics
Stew, Passing Strange

Outstanding Orchestrations
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George

Outstanding Set Design of a Musical
Michael Yeargan, South Pacific

Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps

Outstanding Costume Design
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Outstanding Sound Design
Scott Lehrer, South Pacific

Outstanding Projection and Video Design
Timothy Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with George

Outstanding Ensemble Performances
The Dining Room
The Homecoming

In addition, special awards were presented to Edward Albee, James Earl Jones, 59E59 Theaters and Playwrights Horizons.

Number of Wins by Show:
South Pacific - 5
August: Osage County - 3
Gypsy - 3
Passing Strange - 3
Boeing-Boeing - 2
Les Liaisons Dangereuses - 2
Sunday in the Park with George - 2
The 39 Steps - 2
Cry-Baby - 1
Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening - 1
The New Century - 1
The Seafarer - 1
Thurgood - 1
Xanadu - 1