Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical

Annual theatre award in New York City

Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Musical

Awarded for| Outstanding Musical
Location| New York City
Country| United States
Presented by| Drama Desk
First award| 1975
Currently held by| Maybe Happy Ending (2025)
Website| dramadesk.org

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

## Winners and nominees

[edit]

### 1970s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

|
|
|
|

1975
The Wiz | William F. Brown | Charlie Smalls
Goodtime Charley | Sidney Michaels | Larry Grossman | Hal Hackady
In Gay Company | Fred Silver
The Lieutenant | Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman and Chuck Strand
1976
A Chorus Line | James Kirkwood | Marvin Hamlisch | Edward Kleban
Pacific Overtures | John Weidman | Stephen Sondheim
The Robber Bridegroom | Alfred Uhry | Robert Waldman | Alfred Uhry
1977
Annie | Thomas Meehan | Charles Strouse | Martin Charnin
Happy End | Elisabeth Hauptmann | Kurt Weill | Bertolt Brecht
I Love My Wife | Michael Stewart | Cy Coleman | Michael Stewart
The King and I | Oscar Hammerstein II | Richard Rodgers | Oscar Hammerstein II
Porgy and Bess | DuBose Heyward | George Gershwin | DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin
The Robber Bridegroom | Alfred Uhry | Robert Waldman | Alfred Uhry
1978
Ain't Misbehavin' | N/A | Thomas "Fats" Waller | Various
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | Larry L. King and Peter Masterson | Carol Hall
Dancin' | —  | Various
Runaways | Elizabeth Swados
Working | Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso  | Various
1979
Sweeney Todd | Hugh Wheeler | Stephen Sondheim
Eubie! | —  | Eubie Blake | Various
They're Playing Our Song | Neil Simon | Marvin Hamlisch | Carole Bayer Sager
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg | Jacques Demy | Michel Legrand | Sheldon Harnick

### 1980s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

|
|
|
|

1980
Evita | Tim Rice | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Tim Rice
The 1940's Radio Hour | Walton Jones  | Various
Barnum | Mark Bramble | Cy Coleman | Michael Stewart
Sidewalkin' | Jake Holmes
Tintypes | Mel Marvin and Gary Pearle  | Various
1981
The Pirates of Penzance | W. S. Gilbert | Arthur Sullivan | W. S. Gilbert
42nd Street | Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble | Harry Warren | Al Dubin
Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music | —  | Various
1982
Nine | Arthur Kopit | Maury Yeston
Dreamgirls | Tom Eyen | Henry Krieger | Tom Eyen
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Tim Rice | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Tim Rice
Pump Boys and Dinettes | Pump Boys and Dinettes
1983
Little Shop of Horrors | Howard Ashman | Alan Menken | Howard Ashman
My One and Only | Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer  | George Gershwin | Ira Gershwin
1984
Sunday in the Park with George | James Lapine | Stephen Sondheim
Baby | Sybille Pearson | David Shire | Richard Maltby, Jr.
The Rink | Terrence McNally | John Kander | Fred Ebb
Taking My Turn | Robert H. Livingston  | Gary William Friedman | Will Holt
1985

1986
The Mystery of Edwin Drood | Rupert Holmes
Big Deal | Bob Fosse | Various
Goblin Market | Polly Pen and Peggy Harmon  | Polly Pen  | Polly Pen and Peggy Harmon
Personals | Alan Merken  | Stephen Schwartz | Alan Merken
1987
Les Misérables | Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil | Claude-Michel Schönberg | Herbert Kretzmer
Me and My Girl | L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber | Noel Gay | L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber
Olympus on My Mind | Barry Harman  | Grant Sturiale  | Barry Harman
Starlight Express | —  | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Richard Stilgoe
1988
Into the Woods | James Lapine | Stephen Sondheim
The Phantom of the Opera | Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Charles Hart
1989
Jerome Robbins' Broadway | N/A | Various
Black and Blue | Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orezzoli  | Various

### 1990s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

|
|
|
|

1990
City of Angels | Larry Gelbart | Cy Coleman | David Zippel
Aspects of Love | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Don Black and Charles Hart
1991[1]
The Will Rogers Follies | Peter Stone | Cy Coleman | Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Assassins | John Weidman | Stephen Sondheim
The Secret Garden | Marsha Norman | Lucy Simon | Marsha Norman
1992
Crazy for You | Ken Ludwig | George Gershwin | Ira Gershwin
Jelly's Last Jam | George C. Wolfe | Jelly Roll Morton | Susan Birkenhead
1993
Kiss of the Spider Woman | Terrence McNally | John Kander | Fred Ebb
Ruthless! | Joel Paley  | Marvin Laird  | Joel Paley
The Who's Tommy | Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff | Pete Townshend
Wings | Arthur Perlman  | Jeffrey Lunden  | Arthur Perlman
1994
Passion | James Lapine | Stephen Sondheim
Beauty and the Beast | Linda Woolverton | Alan Menken | Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Hello Again | Michael John LaChiusa
1995
Show Boat | Oscar Hammerstein II | Jerome Kern | Oscar Hammerstein II and P.G. Wodehouse
A Christmas Carol | —  | Alan Menken | Lynn Ahrens
How to Succeed in Business Without
Really Trying | Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert | Frank Loesser
Merrily We Roll Along | George Furth | Stephen Sondheim
Sunset Boulevard | Christopher Hampton and Don Black | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Don Black
1996
Rent | Jonathan Larson
Bed and Sofa | Laurence Klavan  | Polly Pen  | Laurence Klavan
Big: the musical | John Weidman | David Shire | Richard Maltby, Jr.
Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk | Reg E. Gaines  | Daryl Waters, Zane Mark and Ann Duquesnay | Reg E. Gaines, George C. Wolfe and Ann Duquesnay
Chronicle of a Death Foretold | Graciela Daniele and Jim Lewis  | Bob Telson | Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa
Floyd Collins | Tina Landau | Adam Guettel
1997
The Life | Cy Coleman, David Newman and Ira Gasman | Cy Coleman | Ira Gasman
Steel Pier | David Thompson | John Kander | Fred Ebb
Violet | Brian Crawley  | Jeanine Tesori | Brian Crawley
1998
Ragtime | Terrence McNally | Stephen Flaherty | Lynn Ahrens
Forever Tango | —  | Various
Hedwig and the Angry Inch | John Cameron Mitchell | Stephen Trask
High Society | Arthur Kopit | Cole Porter | Cole Porter and Susan Birkenhead
The Lion King | Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi | Elton John | Tim Rice
1999
Parade | Alfred Uhry | Jason Robert Brown
A New Brain | William Finn and James Lapine | William Finn
The Civil War | Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn | Frank Wildhorn | Jack Murphy

### 2000s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

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|
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|

2000
Contact | John Weidman | Various
James Joyce's The Dead | Richard Nelson | Shaun Davey | Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey
Saturday Night | Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein | Stephen Sondheim
Swing! | Paul Kelley  | Various
The Wild Party | Andrew Lippa[2]
2001
The Producers | Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan | Mel Brooks
Bat Boy: The Musical | Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming | Laurence O'Keefe
Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her
Chameleon Skin | Kristen Childs
The Full Monty | Terrence McNally | David Yazbek
Urinetown | Greg Kotis | Mark Hollman  | Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman
2002
Thoroughly Modern Millie | Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan | Jeanine Tesori | Dick Scanlan
The Last Five Years | Jason Robert Brown
Sweet Smell of Success | John Guare | Marvin Hamlisch | Craig Carnelia
Tick, Tick... BOOM! | Jonathan Larson and David Auburn | Jonathan Larson
2003
Hairspray | Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan | Marc Shaiman | Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
A Man of No Importance | Terrence McNally | Stephen Flaherty | Lynn Ahrens
Amour | Didier Van Cauwelaert and Jeremy Sams | Michel Legrand | Jeremy Sams
Avenue Q | Jeff Whitty | Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
Movin' Out | Twyla Tharp | Billy Joel
Zanna, Don't! | Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris  | Tim Acito  | Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris
2004
Wicked | Winnie Holzman | Stephen Schwartz
Caroline, or Change | Tony Kushner | Jeanine Tesori | Tony Kushner
Johnny Guitar | Nicholas van Hoogstraten  | Martin Silvestri and Joel Higgins | Joel Higgins
The Musical of Musicals | Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell  | Eric Rockwell  | Joanne Bogart
2005
Monty Python's Spamalot | Eric Idle | John Du Prez and Eric Idle | Eric Idle
The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee | Rachel Sheinkin  | William Finn
Altar Boyz | Kevin Del Aguila  | Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Jeffrey Lane | David Yazbek
The Light in the Piazza | Craig Lucas | Adam Guettel
2006
The Drowsy Chaperone | Bob Martin and Don McKellar | Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Grey Gardens | Doug Wright | Scott Frankel | Michael Korie
Jersey Boys | Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice | Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe
See What I Wanna See | Michael John LaChiusa
Thrill Me | Stephen Dolginoff
The Wedding Singer | Tim Herlihy and Chad Beguelin | Matthew Sklar | Chad Beguelin
2007
Spring Awakening | Steven Sater | Duncan Sheik | Steven Sater
Curtains | Rupert Holmes | John Kander | Fred Ebb
In the Heights | Quiara Alegría Hudes | Lin-Manuel Miranda
Legally Blonde | Heather Hach | Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe
LoveMusik | Alfred Uhry | Kurt Weill | Various
Mary Poppins | Julian Fellowes | Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman, George Stiles
and Anthony Drewe
2008
Passing Strange | Stew | Stew and Heidi Rodewald | Stew
A Catered Affair | Harvey Fierstein | John Bucchino
Adding Machine | Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt  | Joshua Schmidt  | Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt
The Glorious Ones | Lynn Ahrens | Stephen Flaherty | Lynn Ahrens
The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island | Ben Katchor | Mark Mulcahy | Ben Katchor
Xanadu | Douglas Carter Beane | Jeff Lynne and John Farrar
2009
Billy Elliot the Musical | Lee Hall | Elton John | Lee Hall
9 to 5 | Patricia Resnick  | Dolly Parton
Fela! | Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis  | Fela Kuti
Liza's at the Palace... | Ron Lewis  | Various
Shrek the Musical | David Lindsay-Abaire | Jeanine Tesori | David Lindsay-Abaire
The Story of My Life | Brian Hill  | Neil Bartram

### 2010s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

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|
|
|

2010
Memphis | Joe DiPietro | David Bryan | Joe DiPietro and David Bryan
The Addams Family | Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice | Andrew Lippa
American Idiot | Michael Mayer and Billie Joe Armstrong | Green Day | Billie Joe Armstrong
Everyday Rapture | Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott | Various
The Scottsboro Boys | David Thompson | John Kander and Fred Ebb
Yank! | David Zellnik  | Joseph Zellnik  | David Zellnik
2011
The Book of Mormon | Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
In Transit | Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth
The Kid | Michael Zam  | Andy Monroe  | Jack Lechner
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert | Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott | Various
See Rock City & Other Destinations | Adam Mathias  | Brad Alexander | Adam Mathias
Sister Act | Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane | Alan Menken | Glenn Slater
2012
Once | Enda Walsh | Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Bonnie & Clyde | Ivan Menchell  | Frank Wildhorn | Don Black
Death Takes a Holiday | Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan | Maury Yeston
Leap of Faith | Janus Cercone and Glenn Slater | Alan Menken | Glenn Slater
Newsies | Harvey Fierstein | Alan Menken | Jack Feldman
Nice Work If You Can Get It | Joe DiPietro | George and Ira Gershwin
Queen of the Mist | Michael John LaChiusa
2013
Matilda the Musical | Dennis Kelly | Tim Minchin
A Christmas Story: The Musical | Joseph Robinette  | Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Giant | Sybille Pearson | Michael John LaChiusa
Hands on a Hardbody | Doug Wright | Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio | Amanda Green
Here Lies Love | —  | David Byrne and Fatboy Slim
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 | Dave Malloy
The Other Josh Cohen | David Rossmer and Steve Rosen
2014
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Robert L. Freedman | Steven Lutvak | Robert L. Freedman and
Steven Lutvak
Aladdin | Chad Beguelin | Alan Menken | Chad Beguelin, Howard Ashman
and Tim Rice
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | Douglas McGrath | Various
The Bridges of Madison County | Marsha Norman | Jason Robert Brown
Fun Home | Lisa Kron | Jeanine Tesori | Lisa Kron
Love's Labour's Lost | Alex Timbers | Michael Friedman
Rocky the Musical | Thomas Meehan | Stephen Flaherty | Lynn Ahrens
2015
Hamilton | Lin-Manuel Miranda
An American in Paris | Craig Lucas | George Gershwin | Ira Gershwin
Fly By Night | Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick and Kim Rosenstock
Pretty Filthy | Bess Wohl  | Michael Friedman
Something Rotten! | Karey Kirkpatrick and
John O'Farrell | Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
The Visit | Terrence McNally | John Kander | Fred Ebb
2016
Shuffle Along | George C. Wolfe | Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle
First Daughter Suite | Michael John LaChiusa
Daddy Long Legs | John Caird | Paul Gordon
School of Rock | Julian Fellowes | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Glenn Slater
Waitress | Jessie Nelson | Sara Bareilles
2017
Come from Away | Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Anastasia | Terrence McNally | Stephen Flaherty | Lynn Ahrens
The Band's Visit | Itamar Moses | David Yazbek
Hadestown | Anaïs Mitchell
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | Joe Tracz  | Rob Rokicki
2018
SpongeBob SquarePants | Kyle Jarrow | Various
Desperate Measures | Peter Kellogg | David Friedman | Peter Kellogg
KPOP | Jason Kim  | Helen Park and Max Vernon
Mean Girls | Tina Fey | Jeff Richmond | Nell Benjamin
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story | Hannah Moscovitch | Ben Caplan and Christian Barry
2019
The Prom | Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin | Matthew Sklar | Chad Beguelin
Be More Chill | Joe Tracz  | Joe Iconis
The Hello Girls | Peter Mills and Cara Reichel  | Peter Mills
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future | Andrew R. Butler
Tootsie | Robert Horn  | David Yazbek

### 2020s

[edit]

Year  | Musical  | Book  | Music  | Lyrics

|
|
|
|

2020
A Strange Loop | Michael R. Jackson
Octet | Dave Malloy
The Secret Life of Bees | Lynn Nottage | Duncan Sheik | Susan Birkenhead
Soft Power | David Henry Hwang | Jeanine Tesori | David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori
The Wrong Man | Ross Golan
2021  | No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City[3]
2022
Kimberly Akimbo | David Lindsay-Abaire | Jeanine Tesori | David Lindsay-Abaire
The Hang | Taylor Mac | Matt Ray  | Taylor Mac
Harmony: A New Musical | Bruce Sussman | Barry Manilow | Bruce Sussman
Intimate Apparel | Lynn Nottage | Ricky Ian Gordon | Lynn Nottage
Six | Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
2023
Some Like It Hot | Matthew López & Amber Ruffin | Marc Shaiman | Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
& Juliet | David West Read | Max Martin and various others
Between the Lines | Timothy Allen McDonald  | Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson
F*ck7thGrade | Liza Birkenmeier  | Jill Sobule
Shucked | Robert Horn | Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally
White Girl in Danger | Michael R. Jackson
2024[4] | Dead Outlaw | Itamar Moses | David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Illinoise | Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury | Sufjan Stevens
Lizard Boy | Justin Huertas
Teeth | Michael R. Jackson and Anna K. Jacobs
The Connector | Jonathan Marc Sherman | Jason Robert Brown
The Outsiders | Adam Rapp and Justin Levine  | Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance, and Justin Levine
2025[5]
Maybe Happy Ending | Will Aronson and Hue Park | Will Aronson | Will Aronson and Hue Park
Boop! The Musical | Bob Martin | David Foster | Susan Birkenhead
Death Becomes Her | Marco Pennette | Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Just in Time | Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver | various artists
Music City | Peter Zinn  | J. T. Harding

## See also

[edit]

* Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical
* Tony Award for Best Musical

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "'Will Rogers' and 'Yonkers' Win Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times. 13 May 1991.
2. ^ "Awards – Drama Desk".
3. ^ Evans, Greg (2021-05-05). "Broadway To Reopen Sept. 14, Says Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Broadway League "Cautiously Optimistic"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
4. ^ "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards with 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play - Playbill.com". 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
5. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 30, 2025). "Boop! Leads 2025 Drama Desk Award Nominations With 11 Nods Including Outstanding Musical; Read the Full List Here". Retrieved May 4, 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical

1975–2000|

* The Wiz (1975)
* A Chorus Line (1976)
* Annie (1977)
* Ain't Misbehavin' (1978)
* Sweeney Todd (1979)
* Evita (1980)
* The Pirates of Penzance (1981)
* Nine (1982)
* Little Shop of Horrors (1983)
* Sunday in the Park with George (1984)
* (no award) (1985)
* The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986)
* Les Miserables (1987)
* Into the Woods (1988)
* Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989)
* City of Angels (1990)
* The Secret Garden (1991)
* Crazy for You (1992)
* Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993)
* Passion  (1994)
* Show Boat (1995)
* Rent (1996)
* The Life (1997)
* Ragtime (1998)
* Parade (1999)
* Contact (2000)

2001–present|

* The Producers (2001)
* Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002)
* Hairspray (2003)
* Wicked (2004)
* Spamalot (2005)
* The Drowsy Chaperone (2006)
* Spring Awakening (2007)
* Passing Strange (2008)
* Billy Elliot the Musical (2009)
* Memphis (2010)
* The Book of Mormon (2011)
* Once (2012)
* Matilda the Musical (2013)
* A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2014)
* Hamilton (2015)
* Shuffle Along (2016)
* Come from Away (2017)
* SpongeBob SquarePants (2018)
* The Prom (2019)
* A Strange Loop (2020)
* No Award (2021)
* Kimberly Akimbo (2022)
* Some Like It Hot (2023)
* Dead Outlaw (2024)
* Maybe Happy Ending (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Drama Desk Awards

Play|

* Play
* Revival of a Play
* Lead Performance in a Play
* Featured Performance in a Play
* Director of a Play
* Music in a Play

Musical|

* Musical
* Revival of a Musical
* Lead Performance in a Musical
* Featured Performance in a Musical
* Director of a Musical
* Book
* Music
* Lyrics
* Orchestrations

Production|

* Choreography
* Costume Design of a Musical
* Costume Design of a Play
* Lighting Design for a Musical
* Lighting Design for a Play
* Scenic Design of a Musical
* Scenic Design of a Play
* Sound Design in a Musical
* Sound Design in a Play
* Wig and Hair Design
* Puppetry

Other (competitive)|

* Solo Performance
* Unique Theatrical Experience
* Revue
* Projection Design

Special (non-competitive)|

* Special Award
* Ensemble

Retired|

* Actor in a Play
* Actress in a Play
* Featured Actor in a Play
* Featured Actress in a Play
* Actor in a Musical
* Actress in a Musical
* Featured Actor in a Musical
* Featured Actress in a Musical
* Director
* Revival
* Costume Design
* Lighting Design
* Set Design
* Sound Design

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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template