Awards History
Categories
- Distinguished Performance Award
- Outstanding Production of a Play
- Outstanding Production of a Musical
- Outstanding Revival of a Play and Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Founders Award for Excellence in Directing
- Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater
- Contribution to the Theater Award
- The Gratitude Awards
- Unique 2021 Awards
Distinguished Performance Award
Originally known as the Delia Austrian Medal, the Distinguished Performance Award is the oldest and most exclusive theatrical honor in North America. First presented to Katharine Cornell in 1935, the Award is bestowed each season on a single performer from dozens of nominees chosen from the season’s Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.
Outstanding Production of a Play
First bestowed in 1996, the Outstanding Production of a Play Award recognizes a full production.
| 2025 | Oh, Mary! |
| 2024 | Stereophonic |
| 2023 | Leopoldstadt |
| 2022 | The Lehman Trilogy |
| 2021 | No Award Given |
| 2020 | The Inheritance |
| 2019 | The Ferryman |
| 2018 | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 and 2 |
| 2017 | Oslo |
| 2016 | The Humans |
| 2015 | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime |
| 2014 | All The Way |
| 2013 | Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike |
| 2012 | Other Desert Cities |
| 2011 | War Horse |
| 2010 | Red |
| 2009 | God of Carnage |
| 2008 | August: Osage County |
| 2007 | The Coast of Utopia |
| 2006 | The History Boys |
| 2005 | Doubt |
| 2004 | I Am My Own Wife |
| 2003 | Take Me Out |
| 2002 | Metamorphoses |
| 2001 | Proof |
| 2000 | Copenhagen |
| 1999 | Wit |
| 1998 | The Beauty Queen of Leenane |
| 1997 | The Last Night of Ballyhoo |
| 1996 | Seven Guitars |
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Outstanding Production of a Musical
First bestowed in 1996, the Outstanding Production of a Musical Award recognizes a full production.
| 2025 | Maybe Happy Ending |
| 2024 | Hell’s Kitchen |
| 2023 | Some Like It Hot |
| 2022 | A Strange Loop |
| 2021 | No Award Given |
| 2020 | Moulin Rouge! |
| 2019 | Hadestown |
| 2018 | The Band’s Visit |
| 2017 | Dear Evan Hansen |
| 2016 | Hamilton |
| 2015 | An American In Paris |
| 2014 | A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder |
| 2013 | Kinky Boots |
| 2012 | Once |
| 2011 | The Book of Mormon |
| 2010 | Sondheim on Sondheim |
| 2009 | Billy Elliot |
| 2008 | A Catered Affair |
| 2007 | Spring Awakening |
| 2006 | Jersey Boys |
| 2005 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels |
| 2004 | Wicked |
| 2003 | Hairspray |
| 2002 | Urinetown |
| 2001 | The Producers |
| 2000 | Contact |
| 1999 | Fosse |
| 1998 | Ragtime |
| 1997 | The Life |
| 1996 | Rent |
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Outstanding Revival of a Play and Outstanding Revival of a Musical
First bestowed in 1996, the Outstanding Revival Award now recognizes a full production of a Musical and a Play.
Outstanding Direction of a Play
In 2022, The Drama League first presented competitive awards for direction, to more fully illuminate its mission as the nation’s preeminent career development home for directors.
| 2025 | Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! |
| 2024 | Daniel Aukin, Stereophonic |
| 2023 | Anne Kauffman, The Sign In Sidney Brustein’s Window |
| 2022 | Kate Whoriskey, Clyde’s |
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
In 2022, The Drama League first presented competitive awards for direction, to more fully illuminate its mission as the nation’s preeminent career development home for directors.
| 2025 | Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending |
| 2024 | Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along |
| 2023 | Lear deBessonet, Into The Woods |
| 2022 | Marianne Elliott, Company |
Founders Award for Excellence in Directing
In 2000, the Drama League intensified its educational focus on the art and craft of theatrical direction, creating a new award to honor the lifetime achievements of directors.
| 2025 | Whitney White |
| 2024 | Schele Williams |
| 2023 | Lear deBessonet |
| 2022 | Lileana Blain-Cruz |
| 2021 | Liesl Tommy |
| 2020 | Marianne Elliott |
| 2019 | Alex Timbers |
| 2018 | Casey Nicholaw |
| 2017 | Michael Greif |
| 2016 | Ivo van Hove |
| 2015 | Stephen Daldry |
| 2014 | John Tiffany |
| 2013 | Jerry Mitchell |
| 2012 | Diane Paulus |
| 2011 | Susan Stroman |
| 2010 | Kenny Leon |
| 2009 | Arthur Laurents |
| 2008 | Bartlett Sher |
| 2007 | Michael Mayer |
| 2006 | Des McAnuff |
| 2005 | Mike Nichols |
| 2004 | George C. Wolfe |
| 2003 | Joe Mantello |
| 2002 | Sir Richard Eyre |
| 2001 | Jack O’Brien |
| 2000 | Daniel Sullivan |
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Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater
First bestowed in 1985, the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre recognizes performers, composers, lyricists, choreographers, and directors whose careers have defined the utmost standard of excellence in musicals.
| 2025 | Lea Salonga |
| 2024 | Jonathan Groff |
| 2023 | André de Shields |
| 2022 | Hugh Jackman |
| 2021 | Richard & Demi Weitz |
| 2020 | James Lapine |
| 2019 | Kelli O’Hara |
| 2018 | Idina Menzel |
| 2017 | Bette Midler |
| 2016 | Sheldon Harnick |
| 2015 | Joel Grey |
| 2014 | Barbara Cook |
| 2013 | Bernadette Peters |
| 2012 | Alan Menken |
| 2011 | Liza Minnelli |
| 2010 | Nathan Lane |
| 2009 | Sir Elton John |
| 2008 | Paul Gemignani |
| 2007 | John Kander and Fred Ebb |
| 2006 | Patti LuPone |
| 2005 | The BMI Musical Theatre Workshop |
| 2004 | Donna Murphy |
| 2003 | Twyla Tharp |
| 2002 | Elaine Stritch |
| 2001 | Susan Stroman |
| 2000 | Audra McDonald |
| 1999 | Ann Reinking and Gwen Verdon |
| 1998 | Julie Taymor |
| 1997 | Gerard Alessandrini |
| 1996 | George C. Wolfe |
| 1995 | Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber |
| 1994 | George Abbott |
| 1993 | Chita Rivera |
| 1992 | Agnes de Mille |
| 1991 | Stephen Sondheim |
| 1990 | Tommy Tune |
| 1989 | Mandy Patinkin |
| 1988 | Michael Crawford |
| 1987 | Robert Lindsay |
| 1986 | Bob Fosse |
| 1985 | Yul Brynner |
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Contribution to the Theater Award
First bestowed in 1982, the Contribution to the Theatre Award recognizes singular achievement by individuals, organizations, or partnerships that have made an indelible impact upon professional theatre in New York City.
The Gratitude Award
After 2020, the Gratitude Award became an official award to thank undersung heroes of the New York theater community.
| 2025 | Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron |
| 2024 | Kandi Burress |
| 2023 | Darin Oduyoye |
| 2022 | Willette Murphy Klausner |
| 2021 | Iris Smith |
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Unique Awards for 2021
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, The Drama League honored digital and socially-distanced productions with a distinct set of awards.
| Outstanding Digital Theater, Individual Production | |
Outstanding Digital Theater, | |
Outstanding Interactive or | |
Outstanding Audio Theater | |
Outstanding Digital Concert | |
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