2024 Drama League Award Thoughts

[Jcrispee2]

Posted: 3/13/24 at 12:53pm

With the Drama League Awards coming up in April, I wondered who we thought might be in the running for the Distinguished Performance Award? I haven't seen everything this year, but I would say Kelli O'Hara could possibly be in the running with her captivating performance in Days of Wine and Roses. Thoughts?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/13/24 at 1:30pm

I try not to give the Drama League Awards too much thought, since it's largely voted upon by a pay-to-play group of people with no meaningful standing in the industry, whose primary goal is selling as many tables as possible for their Gala and hobnobbing with fancy people.

The fact that the last 3 awards went to Annaleigh in Sweeney, Sutton in Music Man, and Burstein in Moulin makes me think that perhaps this year it could go to someone like Skybell in Cabaret, or Mendez in Merrily, or Ensemble #3 in The Wiz.

This year's special prizes go to:

• Jonathan Groff = Musical Theatre Award
• Jessica Lange = Contribution to the Theater Award
• Schele Williams = Excellence in Directing Award
• Kandi Burruss = Gratitude Award

Updated On: 3/13/24 at 01:30 PM

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 3/13/24 at 2:12pm

Off the top of my head, these seem like viable candidates for the Distinguished Performance Award:

Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Who's Tommy

Brian d'Arcy James, Days of Wine and Roses

Cole Escola, Oh Mary

Eden Espinosa, Lempicka

Celia Keenan-Bolger, Mother Play

Kelli O'Hara, Days of Win and Roses

Sarah Paulson, Appropriate

Maryann Plunkett, The Notebook

Gayle Rankin, Cabaret

Eddie Redmayne, Cabaret

Michael Stuhlbarg, Patriots

Jeremy Strong, An Enemy of the People

Kara Young, Purlie Victorious

 

If they werent already giving Groff or Lange a special award, it feels like they could be contenders. I also dont remember if anyone in my above list has already claimed the award in the past and is therefore ineligible. But Im in between meetings so someone with more time on their hands or a better memory can correct me lol

[FLarnhill]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 9:53pm

Jeremy Strong is definitely gonna sweep the season, this included.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 10:30pm

FLarnhill said: "Jeremy Strong is definitely gonna sweep the season, this included."

Even though I think Kara Young’s odds are better for her own category, I think Leslie Odom Jr is going to put up a real fight against Strong. It helps that the show lasted as long as it did and has an upcoming PBS broadcast in May that will bring it back into the mind of Tony voters.

[Jcrispee2]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 9:42am

With them giving these awards out later today, wondered if anyone had any more thoughts on these?

[KarenValentine'sheadband]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:19pm

Hell’s Kitchen winning best musical? Ummmm, okay? A billion eye rolls. 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:27pm

The Tony for Best Musical is totally up in the air. Hell's Kitchen won the Drama League; Suffs won the Outer Critics Circle.

We'll see who wins the Drama Desk on June 10 but I really could see the Tony going in so many different directions.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:44pm

ElephantLoveMedley said: "The Tony for Best Musical is totally up in the air. Hell's Kitchenwon the Drama League;Suffswon the Outer Critics Circle.

We'll see who wins the Drama Desk on June 10 but I really could see the Tony going in so many different directions."

Neither Suffs or Hell's Kitchen are nominated for the Drama Desk, so it's either Illinoise or The Outsiders.

We'll likely only know when the NYT sample is published and even that could say it's a toss up between two or even three titles.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:50pm

ElephantLoveMedley said: "The Tony for Best Musical is totally up in the air. Hell's Kitchenwon the Drama League;Suffswon the Outer Critics Circle.

We'll see who wins the Drama Desk on June 10 but I really could see the Tony going in so many different directions."


Well the only Broadway musicals nominated for Best Musical at the Desks are Outsiders and Illinoise (up against Lizard Boy, Dead Outlaw, Teeth, and The Connector), so no matter what happens there won't be a consensus going into Tony night.

Perhaps we'll get a better sense of how the race is solidifying after the Road Conference next week. Or we could go into Tony night fully blind! It's a fun year.

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:54pm

Wow, I didn't realize that! Thanks for pointing out. Pretty crazy.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 4:02pm

Having dunked on the Drama League voting base above --

The Drama League membership base might actually have more overlap with the Tonys than any other voting group, in that some of the voters have a financial interest in show, where as the OCCs and DDs are critics groups.

Since 2000, the DL Award for Best Musical has matched the Tony winner for Best Musical 15 times. On 14 occasions since 2000, the DL Distinguished Performance Award winner has gone on to receive a Tony in one of the 8 acting categories.

Updated On: 5/17/24 at 04:02 PM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 4:13pm

Oh, Paulson is taking, for sure.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/18/24 at 12:28am

/p>

Updated On: 5/18/24 at 12:28 AM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/18/24 at 1:09am

Looks like the Drama League had no notes for Sarah Paulson.

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/18/24 at 2:32am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Having dunked on the Drama League voting base above --

The Drama League membership base might actually have more overlap with the Tonys than any other voting group, in that some of the voters have a financial interest in show, where as theOCCs and DDs are critics groups.

Since 2000, the DL Award for Best Musical has matched the Tony winner for Best Musical 15 times. On 14 occasions since 2000, the DL Distinguished Performance Award winner has gone on to receive a Tony in one of the 8 acting categories."

You said it yourself above, anyone can pay to be in the Drama League and vote so I don't know what you're talking about them having the same voting body as the Tonys.

Also, matching 15 times and getting it wrong 9 times is not good odds. This year will likely be one of those years they get it wrong. It's an award voted on by audiences so of course they're going to go for a jukebox musical with all Alicia Keys music.