Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical |
| Location | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Drama Desk |
| First awarded | 2023 |
| Currently held by | |
| Website | dramadesk.org (defunct) |
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a 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.
From 1955 to 1974, acting awards were given only for lead performances, without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, nor between actors and actresses. From 1975 to 2022, acting awards were presented in eight categories: separate categories by gender; further divided by lead or featured performer; producing four acting awards each for plays and musicals.
In 2023, the Drama Desk organization announced that, starting with that year's awards, the eight acting categories had been retired and replaced with four gender neutral categories with twice the winners and nominees: separate categories by lead or featured performer; producing two acting categories each for plays and musicals.[1] The former awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and Outstanding Actress in a Musical were merged to create this Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical category.
Nominees
[edit]2020s
[edit]| Year | Actor | Title | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023[2] | |||
| Annaleigh Ashford | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Mrs. Lovett | |
| J. Harrison Ghee | Some Like It Hot | Jerry/Daphne | |
| Nicholas Barasch | The Butcher Boy | Francie Brady | |
| Sara Bareilles | Into the Woods | The Baker's Wife | |
| Andrew Burnap | Camelot | King Arthur | |
| Micaela Diamond | Parade | Lucille Frank | |
| Andrew Durand | Shucked | Beau | |
| Callum Francis | Kinky Boots | Lola | |
| Jonathan Groff | Merrily We Roll Along | Franklin Shepard | |
| Somi Kakoma | Dreaming Zenzile | Miriam Makeba | |
| Lindsay Mendez | Merrily We Roll Along | Mary Flynn | |
| Anna Uzele | New York, New York | Francine Evans | |
| 2024[3] | |||
| Brian d'Arcy James | Days of Wine and Roses | Joe Clay | |
| Maleah Joi Moon | Hell's Kitchen | Ali | |
| Kelli O'Hara | Days of Wine and Roses | Kirsten Arnesen | |
| Andrew Durand | Dead Outlaw | Elmer McCurdy | |
| Santino Fontana | I Can Get It for You Wholesale | Harry Bogen | |
| Brody Grant | The Outsiders | Ponyboy Curtis | |
| Liam Pearce | How to Dance in Ohio | Drew | |
| Gayle Rankin | Cabaret | Sally Bowles | |
| Ben Levi Ross | The Connector | Ethan Dobson | |
| Ricky Ubeda | Illinoise | Henry |
References
[edit]- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 26, 2023). "Drama Desk Awards Go Gender Neutral". Playbill. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ Gordon, David (April 27, 2023). "Shucked, Some Like It Hot Lead 2023 Drama Desk Award Nominations". Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards with 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play - Playbill.com". 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
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