Tom Sturridge and Jake Gyllenhaal Photo by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
The Drama League (Artistic Director, Gabriel Stelian-Shanks / Executive Director, Bevin Ross) has announced the 2020 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much- coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this evening during The Gratitude Awards by Beetlejuice’s Alex Brightman and Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. Voting is open for Drama League members from May 1 – May 22. Award winners will be announced via livestream in June
The broadcast included special cameos from previous Distinguished Performance Award recipients Bernadette Peters, Bryan Cranston, and Patti LuPone, and the 86th Annual Drama League Artistic Awards Nominations presented by Beetlejuice’s Alex Brightman and Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer.
Other recognitions include Marianne Elliott as the recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing and James Lapine as the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award.
The Drama League honored the five-time Tony Award® winning Terrance McNally with the organization’s lifetime achievement award – “The Unique Contribution to Theater Award” at this year’s Drama League Awards. However, because of McNally’s unfortunate passing on March 24, 2020 due to complications from COVID-19 and New York City’s guidelines against large gatherings, The Drama League has had to make changes to their annual awards nomination ceremony this year. Tom Kirdahy accepted on behalf of Mr. McNally and a special tribute film was presented by Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross (producers of the documentary film Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life).
The Drama League announced that the spirit of The Gratitude Awards will live on via a new honorary category for the 87th Annual Drama League Awards starting in 2021 with The Gratitude Award, for a person or organization who has shown fearless support and kindness to the theater community.
Missed the broadcast? Watch the archive HERE
Here are the nominees for 86th Annual The Drama League’s five competitive categories for this year:
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Cambodian Rock Band: Directed by Chay Yew, written by Lauren Yee, Signature Theatre Company
Dana H.: Directed by Les Waters, written by Lucas Hnath, Vineyard Theatre
Grand Horizons: Directed by Leigh Silverman, written by Bess Wohl, Second Stage/Helen Hayes Theater
The Hot Wing King: Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, written by Katori Hall, Signature Theatre Company
The Inheritance: Directed by Stephen Daldry, written by Matthew Lopez, Barrymore Theatre
The Michaels: Written and Directed by Richard Nelson, Public Theater
Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow: Directed by Trip Cullman, written by Halley Feiffer, MCC Theater
One in Two: Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, written by Donja R. Love, The New Group
Sea Wall/A Life: Directed by Carrie Cracknell, written by Simon Stephens/Nick Payne, Hudson Theater
Seared: Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, written by Theresa Rebeck, MCC Theater
Slave Play: Directed by Robert O’Hara, written by Jeremy O. Harris, New York Theatre Workshop/John Golden Theatre
Stew: Directed by Colette Robert, written by Zora Howard, Page 73
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Girl from the North Country: Directed by Conor McPherson, book by Conor McPherson, music and lyrics by Bob Dylan, Belasco Theatre
Jagged Little Pill: Directed by Diane Paulus, music by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, lyrics by Alanis Morissette, book by Diablo Cody, Broadhurst Theatre
Moulin Rouge!: Directed by Alex Timbers, book by John Logan, music and lyrics by Various Artists, Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Octet: Directed by Annie Tippe, written by Dave Malloy, Signature Theatre Company
The Secret Life of Bees: Directed by Sam Gold, book by Lynn Nottage, music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, Atlantic Theater Company
Sing Street: Directed by Rebecca Taichman, book by Enda Walsh, music and lyrics by Gary Clark and John Carney, New York Theatre Workshop
Six: Directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Soft Power: Directed by Leigh Silverman, book and lyrics by David Henry Hwang, music and additional lyrics by Jeanine Tesori, Public Theater
A Strange Loop: Directed by Stephen Brackett, book, music and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson, Playwrights Horizons
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical: Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, music by Various Artists, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Betrayal: Directed by Jamie Lloyd, written by Harold Pinter, Jacobs Theatre
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf: Directed by Leah C. Gardiner, written by Ntozake Shange, Public Theater
Fires in the Mirror: Directed by Saheem Ali, written by Anna Deavere Smith, Signature Theatre Company
Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune: Directed by Arin Arbus, written by Terrence McNally, Broadhurst Theatre
Judgment Day: Directed by Richard Jones, written by Ödön von Horváth, adapted by Christopher Shinn, Park Avenue Armory
Medea: Directed by Simon Stone, written by Simon Stone after Euripides, Brooklyn Academy of Music
Native Son: Directed by Seret Scott, written by Nambi E. Kelley, based on the novel by Richard Wright, The Acting Company
The Rose Tattoo: Directed by Trip Cullman, written by Tennessee Williams, Roundabout Theatre Company
A Soldier’s Play: Directed by Kenny Leon, written by Charles Fuller, Roundabout Theatre Company
The Woman in Black: Directed by Robin Herford, written by Stephen Mallatratt, based on the novel by Susan Hill, The McKittrick Hotel
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Enter Laughing: Directed by Stuart Ross, book by Joseph Stein, music and lyrics by Stan Daniels, York Theatre Company
Little Shop of Horrors: Directed by Michael Mayer, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken, Westside Theatre
Rock of Ages: Directed by Kristin Hanggi, book by Chris D’Arienzo, music and lyrics by Various Artists, New World Stages
The Unsinkable Molly Brown: Directed by Kathleen Marshall, book and new lyrics by Dick Scanlan, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, The Transport Group
West Side Story: Directed by Ivo van Hove, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Broadway Theatre
DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD
David Acton, The Woman in Black
Jeffrey Bean, Dublin Carol
Ato Blankson-Wood, The Rolling Stone and Slave Play
Christian Borle, Little Shop of Horrors
Danielle Brooks, Much Ado About Nothing
Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge!
Rose Byrne, Medea
Len Cariou, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand
Patrice Johnson Chevannes, runboyrun & In Old Age
Liza Colón-Zayas, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
Kate del Castillo, the way she spoke
Edmund Donovan, Greater Clements
Raúl Esparza, Seared
Francesca Faridany, The Half-Life of Marie Curie
Halley Feiffer, The Pain of My Belligerence
Danyel Fulton, Broadbend, Arkansas
Annie Golden, Broadway Bounty Hunter
Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Where We Stand
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
Jonathan Groff, Little Shop of Horrors
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance
Kathryn Hunter, Timon of Athens
Galen Ryan Kane, Native Son
Brittney Mack, Six
April Matthis, Toni Stone
Susannah Millonzi, The Crucible
Kate Mulgrew, The Half-Life of Marie Curie
Joe Ngo, Cambodian Rock Band
Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H.
Brenock O’Connor, Sing Street
Okwui Okpokwasili, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge!
Larry Owens, A Strange Loop
Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Chris Perfetti, Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow
Ben Porter, The Woman in Black
Isaac Powell, West Side Story
Jonathan Pryce, The Height of the Storm
Elizabeth Rodriguez, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
Michael Shannon, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Marisa Tomei, The Rose Tattoo
Blair Underwood, A Soldier’s Play
Michael Urie, Grand Horizons
Adrienne Warren, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Michael Benjamin Washington, Fires in the Mirror
Portia, Stew
The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, they are ineligible to be nominated; however, their exemplary work is recognized and applauded.
Harvey Fierstein, Bella Bella
Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
The Drama League Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements on and off Broadway, is a tradition we have been honored to provide since 1935.
All proceeds raised during the program will go towards The Ghost Light Campaign, which supports our 2020-2021 cohort of Directing Fellows & Residents, New Visions / New Voices after-school directing mentorship program for NYC high school students, as well as a portion allocated directly to our micro re-grant program, the Directors Emergency Relief Fund. In the meantime you can donate here.
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