Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Director of a Play
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Choreography
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Music
Elton John, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Lyrics
Stephen Sondheim, Road Show
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Lee Hall, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Orchestrations
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Music in a Play
Dominic Kanza, Ruined
Outstanding Set Design of a Play
David Korins, Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them
Outstanding Set Design of a Musical
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
Outstanding Costume Design
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
David Hersey, Equus
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Sound Design
Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot The Musical
Outstanding Solo Performance
Lorenzo Pisoni, Humor Abuse
Unique Theatrical Experience
Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words
The following awards were voted by the nominating committee and will be presented by the Drama Desk at its awards ceremony:
Outstanding Ensemble Performances
This year the nominators chose to bestow special ensemble awards for acting to the casts of two shows. Therefore, individual cast members for these shows were not eligible for acting awards in the competitive categories.
* The Cripple of Inishmaan
* The Norman Conquests
Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theater. For 2008/2009, these awards are:
* To Liza Minnelli, a beloved American musical theater icon, for her enduring career of sustained excellence, and her glorious performance in Liza's at the Palace.
* To Forbidden Broadway at the end of its nearly three-decade run and the creators, casts and designers who made it an unparalleled New York institution cherished for its satire and celebration of Broadway.
* To Atlantic Theater Company and artistic director Neil Pepe for exceptional craftsmanship, dedication to excellence and productions that engage, inspire and enlighten.
* To TADA! Youth Theater for providing an invaluable contribution to the future of the theater. The company makes outstanding training and experience accessible and affordable to young people and mounts productions remarkable for their quality and professionalism.
Next to Normal was considered last season in its off-Broadway premiere. Alice Ripley was nominated as Outstanding Actress in a Musical and Tom Kitt for Outstanding Music. Under Drama Desk rules only new elements in a transfer can be considered. The producers, who requested that we consider the Broadway transfer only as an entirely new show, refused to invite nominators until it was too late for any new elements to be evaluated.
All elements in both productions of shows that transferred to Broadway in the same season were eligible.
[title of show] was considered in a previous season in its off-Broadway premiere.
Only one actor playing Billy in Billy Elliot was seen by all nominators, who were not invited to see the other two for consideration unless the Drama Desk Executive Board agreed to classify all three separate performances as one unit for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. The Board rejected that request, as well as a request that as an alternative no actor playing Billy be considered.
The Executive Board of the Drama Desk is composed of: William Wolf, President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake, Vice President; Charles Wright, Treasurer and 2nd Vice President; Richard Ridge, Secretary; Robert Cashill; Isa Goldberg, David Kaufman; Ellis Nassour; Sam Norkin; and Barbara Siegel.
The awards show was webcast live for the seventh year in a row by TheaterMania.
