Drama Desk Award Winners 2022: Spreading the Love Around
Clyde’s, Company and SIX win four awards each
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Talk about spreading the love! No one production dominated the 2022 Drama Desk Awards, which honor shows on Broadway and beyond in NYC. The Broadway productions Clyde’s, SIX and Company snagged four awards each. However, Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical went to Off-Broadway productions: Prayer for the French Republic and Kimberly Akimbo, respectively. Many Tony Award front-runners, including A Strange Loop, Girl From the North Country and for colored girls…, were ineligible for this year’s Drama Desk Awards because the shows had runs Off Broadway in previous seasons. However, A Strange Loop‘s Jaquel Spivey won Outstanding Actor in a Musical since he’s new to the production. Also of note: There were ties for Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play and a Musical.
Below are the Drama Desk Award winners for the 2021-2022 season. Due to the ongoing pandemic, there will be no big ceremony. Instead, statuettes will be handed out at Sardi’s on Tuesday, June 14 from 3 to 6 p.m. Hamilton‘s Renée Elise Goldsberry will host the festivities, which will feature performances by the casts of Little Shop of Horrors and Harmony. You can live-stream the event for free on Broadway on Demand.
Outstanding Play
WINNER: Prayer for the French Republic by Joshua Harmon at Manhattan Theatre Club
Cullud Wattahby Erika Dickerson-Despenza at The Public Theater
Englishby Sanaz Toossi at Atlantic Theater Company
Sanctuary Cityby Martyna Majok at New York Theatre Workshop
Selling Kabulby Sylvia Khoury at Playwrights Horizons
The Chinese Ladyby Lloyd Suh at The Public Theater
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Outstanding Musical
WINNER: Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
Harmonyat National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Intimate Apparelat Lincoln Center Theater
SIXon Broadway
The Hangat HERE
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Outstanding Revival of a Play
WINNER: How I Learned to Drive on Broadway
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enufon Broadway
Lackawanna Blueson Broadway
Skeleton Crewon Broadway
Trouble in Mindon Broadway
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992at Signature Theatre
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Outstanding Revival of a Musical
WINNER: Company on Broadway
Assassinsat Classic Stage Company
Babyat Out of the Box Theatrics
Caroline, or Changeon Broadway
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Outstanding Actor in a Play
WINNER: Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Lackawanna Blues on Broadway– Read our interview with Santiago-Hudson
Brandon J. Dirden in Skeleton Crew on Broadway – Read our interview with Dirden
Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Take Me Out on Broadway
Jacob Ming-Trent in The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park’s Merry Wives
John Douglas Thompson in The Merchant of Venice at Theatre for a New Audience
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Outstanding Actress in a Play
WINNER: Phylicia Rashad in Skeleton Crew on Broadway
Tala Ashe in English at Atlantic Theater Company
Ruth Negga in Macbeth on Broadway
Andrea Patterson in Cullud Wattah at The Public Theater
Shannon Tyo in The Chinese Lady at The Public Theater
Michelle Wilson in Confederates at Signature Theatre
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Outstanding Actor in a Musical
WINNER: Jaquel Spivey in A Strange Loop on Broadway
Billy Crystal in Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway
Myles Frost in MJ on Broadway
Rob McClure in Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway
Chip Zien in Harmony at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
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Outstanding Actress in a Musical
WINNER: Joaquina Kalukango in Paradise Square on Broadway
Kearstin Piper Brown in Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
Victoria Clark in Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company – Read our interview with Clark
Sharon D Clarke in Caroline, or Change on Broadway
Jeanna de Waal in Diana: The Musical on Broadway
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Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
WINNER: Ron Cephas Jones in Clyde’s on Broadway
Joshua Boone in Skeleton Crew on Broadway
Chuck Cooper in Trouble in Mind on Broadway
Daniel K. Isaac in The Chinese Lady at The Public Theater
Billy Eugene Jones in On Sugarland at New York Theatre Workshop
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Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
WINNER: Francis Benhamou in Prayer for the French Republic at Manhattan Theatre Club
– Read our interview with Benhamou
Stephanie Berry in On Sugarland at New York Theatre Workshop
Sonnie Brown in what you are now at Ensemble Studio Theatre
Page Leong in Out of Time at The Public Theater
Kenita R. Miller in for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf on Broadway
Kara Young in Clyde’s on Broadway – Watch our TDF Conversation with Young
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Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
WINNER: Matt Doyle in Company on Broadway
– Watch our TDF Conversation with Doyle
Justin Austin in Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
Justin Cooley in Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
Jared Grimes in Funny Girl on Broadway
Tavon Olds-Sample in MJ on Broadway
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Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
WINNER: Patti LuPone in Company on Broadway
Judy Kuhn in Assassins at Classic Stage Company
Tamika Lawrence in Black No More at The New Group
Bonnie Milligan in Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
Jennifer Simard in Company
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Outstanding Director of a Play
WINNER: Rebecca Frecknall for Sanctuary City at New York Theatre Workshop
Knud Adams for English at Atlantic Theater Company
Saheem Ali for The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park Merry Wives
Taibi Magar for Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 at Signature Theatre
Whitney White for On Sugarland at New York Theatre Workshop
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Outstanding Director of a Musical
WINNER: Marianne Elliott for Company on Broadway
John Doyle for Assassins at Classic Stage Company
Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage for SIX on Broadway
Bartlett Sher for Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
Jessica Stone for Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
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Outstanding Choreography
WINNER: Bill T. Jones, Garrett Coleman, and Jason Oremus (Irish + Hammerstep), Gelan Lambert and Chloe Davis (associates) for Paradise Square on Broadway
Ayodele Casel for the tap choreography for Funny Girl on Broadway
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille for SIX on Broadway
Liam Steel for Company on Broadway
Christopher Wheeldon, Michael Balderrama (associate), Rich + Tone Taleuega (Michael Jackson movement) for MJ on Broadway
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Outstanding Music
WINNER: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss for SIX on Broadway
Jason Howland for Paradise Square on Broadway
Matt Ray for The Hang at HERE
Carrie Rodriguez for ¡Americano! at New World Stages
Jeanine Tesori for Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
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Outstanding Lyrics
WINNER: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss for SIX on Broadway
Amanda Green for Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway
Taylor Mac for The Hang at HERE
David Lindsay-Abaire for Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
Lynn Nottage for Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
Shaina Taub for Suffs at The Public Theater
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Outstanding Book of a Musical
WINNER: Bruce Sussman for Harmony at National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel for Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss for SIX on Broadway
Lynn Nottage for Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
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Outstanding Orchestrations
WINNER: Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg for MJ on Broadway
Tom Curran for SIX on Broadway
Greg Jarrett for Assassins at Classic Stage Company
Mark Hartman and Yasuhiko Fukuoka for The Streets of New York at Irish Repertory Theatre
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Outstanding Music in a Play
WINNER: Bill Sims Jr. for Lackawanna Blues on Broadway
Te’La and Kamauu for Thoughts of a Colored Man on Broadway
Michael Thurber and Farai Malianga (drum compositions) for The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park’s Merry Wives
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Outstanding Set Design of a Play
WINNER: Takeshi Kata for Clyde’s on Broadway
Beowulf Boritt for The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park’s Merry Wives
Wilson Chin for Pass Over on Broadway
Marsha Ginsberg for English at Atlantic Theater Company
Junghyun Georgia Lee for Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord at New York Theatre Workshop
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Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
WINNER: Beowulf Boritt for Flying Over Sunset on Broadway
Emma Bailey for SIX on Broadway
Bunny Christie for Company on Broadway
David Zinn for Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
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Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
WINNER: Jennifer Moeller for Clyde’s on Broadway
Linda Cho for The Chinese Lady at The Public Theater
Gregory Gale for Fairycakes
Tilly Grimes for The Alchemist at Red Bull Theater
Qween Jean for On Sugarland at New York Theatre Workshop
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Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
WINNER: Gabriella Slade for SIX on Broadway
Machine Dazzle for The Hang at HERE
Susan Hilferty for Funny Girl on Broadway
Santo Loquasto for The Music Man on Broadway
Catherine Zuber for Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
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Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play – Tie
WINNER: Christopher Akerlind for Clyde’s on Broadway
WINNER: Amith Chandrashaker for Prayer for the French Republic at Manhattan Theatre Club
Reza Behjat for English at Atlantic Theater Company
Isabella Byrd for Sanctuary City at New York Theatre Workshop
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew for Cullud Wattah at The Public Theater
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Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical – Tie
WINNER: Natasha Katz for MJ on Broadway
Bradley King for Flying Over Sunset on Broadway
Natasha Katz for Diana: The Musical on Broadway
Jennifer Tipton for Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater
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Outstanding Projection Design
WINNER: 59 Productions for Flying Over Sunset on Broadway
David Bengali for Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 at Signature Theatre
Stephania Bulbarella and Alex Basco Koch for Space Dogs at MCC Theater
Shawn Duan for The Chinese Lady at The Public Theater
Sven Ortel for Thoughts of a Colored Man on Broadway
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Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
WINNER: Ben and Max Ringham for Cyrano de Bergerac at BAM
Tyler Kieffer for Seven Deadly Sins at Tectonic Theater Project
Hidenori Nakajo and Ryan Rumery for Autumn Royal at Irish Repertory Theatre
Mikaal Sulaiman for Sanctuary City at New York Theatre Workshop
Lee Kinney for Selling Kabul at Playwrights Horizons
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Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
WINNER: Gareth Owen for MJ on Broadway
Ian Dickinson for Autograph for Company on Broadway
Paul Gatehouse for SIX on Broadway
Kai Harada for Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company
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Outstanding Wig and Hair
WINNER: David Brian Brown for Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway
Matthew B. Armentrout for Paradise Square on Broadway
Paul Huntley for Diana: The Musical on Broadway
Charles G. LaPointe for MJ on Broadway
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Outstanding Solo Performance
WINNER: Kristina Wong for Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord at New York Theatre Workshop
Alex Edelman for Just for Us at Cherry Lane Theatre
Arturo Luís Soria for Ni Mi Madre at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Unique Theatrical Experience
WINNER: Seven Deadly Sins at Tectonic Theater Project
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Outstanding Adaptation
WINNER: Merry Wives by Jocelyn Bioh at The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park
The Alchemistby Jeffrey Hatcher at Red Bull Theater
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Outstanding Puppet Design
WINNER: James Ortiz for The Skin of Our Teeth at Lincoln Center Theater
Amanda Villalobos for Wolf Play at Soho Rep
Rockefeller Productions for Winnie the Pooh at Theatre Row
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Ensemble Award
WINNER: The cast of SIX: Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Brittney Mack, Abby Mueller, Samantha Pauly and Anna Uzele – Read our interview with Macasaet
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The Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award
WINNER: Marjan Neshat
for her performances in Sylvia Khoury’s Selling Kabul and Sanaz Toossi’s English
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Additional Special Awards
Dede Ayite for her costumes for Merry Wives, Seven Deadly Sins, The Last of the Love Letters, Chicken and Biscuits, Slave Play, Nollywood Dreams, American Buffalo and How I learned to Drive
Adam Rigg for their scenic designs for Cullud Wattah, On Sugarland and The Skin of Our Teeth
Heather Christian’s genre-defying Oratorio for Living Things
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Award Totals: Clyde’s – 4
Company– 4
SIX– 4
Flying Over Sunset– 3
MJ– 3
Prayer for the French Republic– 3
Lackawanna Blues– 2
Paradise Square– 2
A Strange Loop– 1
Cyrano de Bergerac– 1
Harmony– 1
How I Learned to Drive– 1
Kimberly Akimbo– 1
Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord– 1
Merry Wives– 1
Mrs. Doubtfire– 1
Sanctuary City– 1
Seven Deadly Sins– 1
Skeleton Crew– 1
The Skin of Our Teeth
Top image: Patti LuPone as Joanne in Company, a performance that earned her the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. Photo by Brinkhoff/Mogenburg.