Drama League 2023 Distinguished Performance Award

[JoeW4]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 6:03pm

Until now I totally missed that the Drama League nominations are being announced tomorrow! Any last-minute thoughts/predictions on who’s in the running for the Distinguished Performance Award? And who could/should be nominated? 

I’ll throw out a bunch of names for potential nominations. This list is way too long, but I figured I’d cast a wide net. And I’m sure I’ve still forgotten some people. This is a mix of nominations I think are likely + nominations I just personally want. 

Ben Platt, Nathan Lane, Danny Burstein, Audra McDonald, Neil Patrick Harris, and Norbert Leo Butz are ineligible due to having won before. 

 

Yahyah Abdul-Mateen II - Topdog Underdog 
Hiran Abeysekera - Life of Pi 
Analeigh Ashford - Sweeney 
Sara Bareilles - Into the Woods
Francois Battiste - Raisin in the Sun’s
Quincy Tyler Bernstein - Evanston Salt Costs Climbing
Danielle Brooks - Piano Lesson
Rachel Brosnahan - Sidney Brustein 
Andrew Burnap - Camelot 
Darcy Carden - Thanksgiving Play 
Carolee Carmello - Bad Cinderella 
Victoria Clark - Kimberly Akimbo
Jessica Chastain - Doll’s House
Sharon D. Clarke - Death of a Salesman 
Jodie Comer - Prima Facie
Hannah Cruz - Only Gold
Micaela Diamond - Parade 
Ralph Fiennes - Straight Line Crazy 
Katie Finneran - Thanksgiving Play 
K Todd Friedman - Downstate 
J. Harrison Ghee - Some Like it Hot
Josh Groban - Sweeney Todd
Danai Gurira - Richard III
Corey Hawkins - Topdog Underdog
Sean Hayes - Good Night Oscar
Jessica Hecht - Letters From Max + Summer 1976 
Stephen McKinley Henderson - Between Riverside
Adrianna Hicks - Some Like it Hot 
Anastasia Hille - Oresteia 
Bill Irwin - Endgame 
Oscar Isaac - Sidney Brustein 
Billy Eugene Jones - Fat Ham + Where the Mountain Meets the Sea
Arinze Kene - Misty
David Krumholtz - Leopoldstadt
Melanie La Berrie - & Juliet
Crystal Lucas-Perry - 1776 + Ain’t No Mo 
Jefferson Mays - Christmas Carol 
Grace McLean - Bad Cinderella 
Lindsey Mendez - Merrily
Bonnie Milligan - Kimberly Akimbo 
Marla Mindelle - Titanique 
Alex Newell - Shucked
Suzan-Lori Parks - Plays for the Plague Year
Wendell Pierce - Death of a Salesman 
Tonya Pinkins - Raisin in the Sun
Jeremy Pope - The Collaboration
Parker Posey - Seagull
Daniel Radcliffe - Merrily
Colton Ryan - New York New York
Phillipa Soo - Camelot + Into the Woods
Marcel Spears - Fat Ham
David Straithairn - Remember This
Katy Sullivan - Cost of Living 
Will Swenson - Beautiful Noise 
Shannon Tyo - Peerless + Far Country + Regretfully So the Birds Are
Brandon Uranowitz - Leopoldstadt 
Ana Uzele - New York New York
John David Washington - Piano Lesson 
Angus Wright - Oresteia + Hamlet
Kara Young - Cost of Living 

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 6:07pm

As soon as my friend and I left Prima Facie on April 12, he turned to me and said "Jodie Comer just won the Tony." My response to him was: "Jodie Comer just won the Drama League award!"

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 6:30pm

I’m wary of this award after they decided to give it to Sutton Foster for THE MUSIC MAN last year.

(A friend of mine within the Drama League said that’s EXACTLY why she got it)

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 6:32pm

I think the top contenders are:

Jodie Comer, Victoria Clark, Sean Hayes, Jessica Chastain, Wendell Pierce, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Groban, J. Harrison Ghee, and Annaleigh Ashford. 

I can't quite see anyone outside this list winning.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 6:57pm

Comer.

They feel like the type of group that would like to give a special award to Lea Michele.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 8:36pm

It could be Comer, but I think Victoria Clark is the most likely here. If we look at their recent history, they've trended towards giving it towards more veteran performers and Clark is someone who has been beloved in this industry for decades now. Plus it was presumably a very close race between her in Piazza and Norbert Leo Butz, so this could in many ways be a make-up award for her.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 8:50pm

Lea Michele. I doubt they will give to Jodi Comer as this is her Broadway debut but you never know?

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 10:04pm

Also, someone not on your list who should be is Crystal Lucas-Perry. They likely won't give the award to her (I think I'm leaning towards Victoria Clark for this group) but Crystal gave one of the best performances of the year in Ain't No Mo' even though it wasn't a lead role. She should absolutely be nominated.

But the more I think about the particulars of this group, the more I think it's Vicki's to lose.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 10:11pm

^(if this comment is directed at me - Crystal Lucas-Perry is in fact on the list 😊 - but there’s a trillion names there, so it’s an entirely reasonable mistake)

Can’t tell if the Lea Michele this is a joke, but she’s not eligible as a replacement. Even with the Drama League’s unusual eligibility rules, at least they have that in common with the other bodies 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 10:30pm

Sorry. I totally missed her in the list, it's been a long day!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 10:33pm

JoeW4 said: "Can’t tell if the Lea Michele this is a joke, but she’s not eligible as a replacement. Even with the Drama League’s unusual eligibility rules, at least they have that in common with the other bodies"

I'm aware that Lea Michele isn't eligible, but I would not be surprised one bit if they announce a special, non-competitive award for her. Which is why I brought it up. As far as NYC theatre awards organizations go, the Drama League is perhaps the least reputable, and the most easily-"bought"

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 10:35pm

I think this will definitely go to Victoria Clark but I could also see Sara Bareilles or Christian Borle getting it. 

[CityLights3]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 11:02pm

I know Jessica Hecht & Laura Linney (yet again) are in an uphill battle for Lead Actress for Summer, 1976 with Jodie Comer giving that blistering performance nightly.  However, after seeing and being completely won over yet again by the two of them in a show I just shouldn’t have like but really did, I can’t see them nominating one but not the other. 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 12:01am

I don't think Linney or Hecht are guaranteed nominees here and wouldn't be surprised if they are left off. Summer 1976 is a VERY slight play. When it ended, I just thought "who cares" and then, "why did these two amazing performers sign on to this?" (The answer is likely because they have strong ties to MTC, the director, and playwright...but this script is just so inconsequential). One of them might get in at the Tonys because there is basically one open slot (with most assuming Comer, Chastain, and McDonald will take 3 of the 4 spots). But at the Drama League, performers with weak awards standing don't usually cut it. (Though one never knows with the DL, name checking can definitely be a thing).

[troynow]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 7:45am

Pass. I think this goes to Jodie Cromer. I sure wish people would just stop the Lea Michelle conversation. There is no eligibility there. She is great in the role and saved the show, but the rules are the rules. 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:41am

Victoria has not been nominated this year. Is it because she was nominated for the same role last year?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:42am

I would love to see Linda Lavin win. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:47am

ElephantLoveMedley said: "Victoria has not been nominated this year. Is it because she was nominated for the same role last year?"

Bonnie Milligan, as well.

Full list:

https://www.playbill.com/article/see-the-full-list-of-2023-drama-league-award-nominations

Updated On: 4/25/23 at 11:47 AM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:51am

Per that Playbill article:

"Off-Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along will be considered next season, in conjunction with its upcoming Broadway transfer. Kimberly Akimbo was eligible during its 2021 Off-Broadway run, making the Broadway transfer ineligible this season. Cost of Living was deemed a transfer of the earlier Off-Broadway production, and thus was ruled eligible in the Outstanding Production of a Play categories. Between Riverside and Crazy, The Thanksgiving Play, and Wolf Play were deemed different enough from earlier runs that they were ruled eligible in the revival categories."

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:52am

ElephantLoveMedley said: "Victoria has not been nominated this year. Is it because she was nominated for the same role last year?"

Per the press release: Kimberly Akimbo was considered last season for its Off-Broadway run, prior to the Broadway transfer.

So they have changed their rules. (you'll recall Jennifer Simard got nominated for 3 different iterations of DISASTER.)

[Collingswood]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:55am

Interesting...they must have changed them. Jennifer Simard, Ben Platt, Hamilton, LMM were all nominated twice for off b'way and on B'way.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 12:03pm

Boo. I think it would have been Victoria Clark's year. Also, weird that they're putting off considering Merrily until next season.

How wild would it be for Marla Mindelle to take it? I loved her so, so much in Titanique. Glad she and the show were recognized.

Surprised to see David Krumholtz in but not Brandon Uranowitz.

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 12:10pm

The following is what this tells us about the Tonys:

Alex Newell is the clear front runner for Featured Actor in a musical, and that they might be Shucked's only acting nomination

J. Harrison Ghee possibly being the only acting nominee from Some Like It Hot

Bad Cinderella seems more and more likely to be shut out of the Tony's especially with the lack of recognition for either Carolee nor Grace's performances despite community support.

Lead actress in a musical noms are wide open with 7 actresses nominated, and this does not include front runner Victoria Clark who was not elligible and the same can be said for Leading Actor in a Play.

[Theaterlover83]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 12:11pm

Interesting…I noticed Wendell Pierce wasn’t nominated nor Death of a Salesman. I thought these were stand outs this season. What happened ? 

 

[JoeW4]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 12:22pm

Some miscellaneous thoughts:

Pretty sure these are new rules, and they’re very confusing. Some of the ones they deemed “different enough” seem kind of arbitrary. I have to wonder if, in fact, some of these productions (especially Merrily) simply didn’t invite the voters. 

Of the people I DID predict, who did NOT get in, the ones I’m most disappointed/surprised by are:
--Shannon Tyo – while none of her individual performances were necessarily knockout roles, she is on an incredible hot streak right now in the Off-Broadway sphere, and since the Drama League’s acknowledge multiple performances per nomination if applicable, I’m surprised they didn’t go for her. FWIW I also think she’s one of the most skilled actors working in NYC right now. 
--Nobody from Raisin in the Sun? 
--Nobody Seagull / Woodstock?  
--Grace McLean – Bad Cinderella
--Quincy Tyler Bernstein - Evanston Salt Costs Climbing
--Wendell Piece – Death of a Salesman

Of people I did NOT predict, who DID get in, I’m most happy about:
--Marylouise Burke -- Epiphany. Loved that play, and I forgot it was eligible 
--Brittany Bradford – Wedding Band. A fantastic performance, again forgot it was eligible 
--Jordan E. Cooper – Ain’t No Mo 
--Esco Jouley – Wolf Play