2025 Drama League Awards- Page 3

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/16/25 at 6:56pm

CoffeeBreak said: "PianoMann said: "HeyMrMusic said: "With Nicole andSunset winning, I’m slightly surprised Jamie Lloyd didn’t pull out a win."

I'm wondering if this is how the Tony race might play out. The contest isreminding me a bit of 2019, when Daniel Fish's Oklahoma!was very polarizing, still managed to win Best Revival, but he lost Direction to Rachel Chavkin forHadestown,a new, more widely acclaimed musical.

Ooops .  It won’t. Lloyd’s direction is the best of the year.

 

Updated On: 5/16/25 at 06:56 PM

[BJR]

Posted: 5/16/25 at 8:22pm

PianoMann said: "I'm wondering if this is how the Tony race might play out. The contest isreminding me a bit of 2019, when Daniel Fish's Oklahoma!was very polarizing, still managed to win Best Revival, but he lost Direction to Rachel Chavkin forHadestown,a new, more widely acclaimed musical."

Also worth noting Drama League's voters tend to be more conservative, less adventurous. In fact, that 2019 year KISS ME KATE beat OKLAHOMA!

I'd say MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, OH MARY and SUNSET are clear frontrunners. And while it doesnt settle the Audra v Nicole debate, it does not hurt Nicole's chances.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/16/25 at 10:56pm

BJR said: "Also worth noting Drama League's voters tend to be more conservative, less adventurous. In fact, that 2019 year KISS ME KATE beat OKLAHOMA!

I'd say MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, OH MARY and SUNSET are clear frontrunners. And while it doesnt settle the Audra v Nicole debate, it does not hurt Nicole's chances."

What's actually worth noting is that anyone who pays for a Drama League membership at the voting level or above is allowed to vote. This award is always more of a fan vote/popularity contest than other awards of the season since it's technically open to anyone. I used to be a member back in the day and voted several years running. But let's remember that in the last 10 years, this Distinguished Performance Award has gone to people like Lin-Manuel for Hamilton and Sutton for Music Man, neither of whom were really ever in the conversation to win the Tony for their performances. Frankly, I'd put less stock in these awards than I would in the OCCs.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/16/25 at 11:01pm

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Oh! Mary! from beginning to end, which was about 70 minutes later.  It was fun, it was clever, it was laugh out loud funny.  But best play of the season and best director of a play?  I laughed as much as anyone when Mary slid off the desk, but best director of a play or revival for the entire season.  

Did it win this award because it really deserved it or because it is a big hit?  

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/16/25 at 11:55pm

In the last 15 years - 8 of the Drama League Distinguished Performance winners won a Tony for the same performance/role. (60%)

2010 Alfred Molina Red - Drama Desk for Red

2011 Mark Ryance Jerusalem *** and La Bete  - Tonys for Twelfth Night & Boeing-Boeing

2012 Audra McDonald Porgy and Bess *** - Tonys for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, A Raisin In the Sun, Ragtime, Master Class & Carousel 

2013 Nathan Lane The Nance - Tonys for Angels In America, The Producers & A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum

2014 Neil Patrick Harris Hedwig and the Angry Inch ***

2015 Chita Rivera The Visit - Tonys for Lifetime Achievement, Kiss Of The Spiderwoman & The Rink

2016 Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton

2017 Ben Platt Dear Evan Hansen ***

2018 Gleanda Jackson Three Tall Women ***

2019 Bryan Cranston Network *** - Tony for All The Way

2020 Danny Burstein Moulin Rouge ***

2021No award presented

2022 Sutton Foster The Music Man - Tonys for Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern  Millie 

2023 Annaleigh Ashford Sweeney Todd  - Tony for You Can't Take It With You

2024 Sarah Paulson Appropriate *** 

2025 Nicole Scherzinger Sunset Boulevard - TBD

Updated On: 5/18/25 at 11:55 PM

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/17/25 at 3:19am

bjh2114 said: "BJR said: "Also worth noting Drama League's voters tend to be more conservative, less adventurous. In fact, that 2019 year KISS ME KATE beat OKLAHOMA!

I'd say MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, OH MARY and SUNSET are clear frontrunners. And while it doesnt settle the Audra v Nicole debate, it does not hurt Nicole's chances."

What's actually worth noting is that anyone who pays for a Drama League membership at the voting level or above is allowed to vote. This award is always more of a fan vote/popularity contest than other awards of the season since it's technically open to anyone. I used to be a member back in the day and voted several years running. But let's remember that in the last 10 years, this Distinguished Performance Award has gone to people like Lin-Manuel for Hamilton and Sutton for Music Man, neither of whom were really ever in the conversation to win the Tony for their performances. Frankly, I'd put less stock in these awards than I would in the OCCs."

Thank you for telling people who obviously have no idea that the Drama League is made up of regular people who pay for a membership. So anyone can vote as long as they pay. Maybe Happy Ending will win Best Musical but not bc it won the Drama League or OCC.

[Markie27]

Posted: 5/17/25 at 3:26am

CoffeeBreak said: "In the last 15 years - 9 of the DramaLeague Distinguished Performance winnerswon a Tony for the same performance/role. (60%)

2010 Alfred MolinaRed -Drama Desk forRed

2011Mark Ryance Jerusalem *** and La Bete- Tonys for Twelfth Night & Boeing-Boeing

2012 Audra McDonaldPorgy and Bess *** -Tonys for LadyDay at Emerson's Bar and Grill, A Raisin In the Sun, Ragtime, Master Class & Carousel

2013 Nathan LaneThe Nance -Tonys forAngels In America, The Producers & A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum

2014 Neil Patrick HarrisHedwig and the Angry Inch ***

2015 Chita RiveraThe Visit -Tonys for Lifetime Achievement, Kiss Of The Spiderwoman & The Rink

2016 Lin-Manuel MirandaHamilton

2017 Ben PlattDear Evan Hansen***

2018 Gleanda JacksonThree Tall Women ***

2019 Bryan CranstonNetwork *** - Tony forAll The Way

2020 Danny BursteinMoulin Rouge ***

2021No award presented

2022 Sutton FosterThe Music Man -Tonys for Anything GoesandThoroughly Modern Millie

2023 Annaleigh Ashford Sweeney Todd - Tony forYou Can't Take It With You

2024 Sarah PaulsonAppropriate ***

2025 Nicole ScherzingerSunset Boulevard -TBD"


Sutton Foster?!?

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/17/25 at 9:41am

''Did it win this award because it really deserved it or because it is a big hit?''

By their very nature, artistic awards are subjective, so what ''really deserved it'' will always be a matter of taste. Also, being really deserving and being a big hit are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Did ''The Producers'' or ''Hamilton'' win their awards because they ''really deserved to'' or because they were the biggest hits of their season? Sometimes, it can be both. Shows that win have some level of popularity or else people wouldn't vote for them. 

Updated On: 5/17/25 at 09:41 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/17/25 at 2:53pm

Jarethan said: "I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Oh! Mary! from beginning to end, which was about 70 minutes later. It was fun, it was clever, it was laugh out loud funny. But best play of the season and best director of a play? I laughed as much as anyone when Mary slid off the desk, but best director of a play or revival for the entire season.

Did it win this award because it really deserved it or because it is a big hit?"

I feel like people are always so dismissive to comedy as if it’s just so easy to do. It takes skill.  

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 5/17/25 at 3:44pm

It deserved to win.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 5/18/25 at 12:32pm

Has anyone been able to find videos of people’s speeches anywhere? Jinkx Monsoon made a gorgeous speech and posted it on her Instagram:

 Would love to see what the other nominees said! 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJwbW0jR8Qt/

Updated On: 5/18/25 at 12:32 PM