Drama League Award


The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards are presented by The Drama League at the Annual Awards Luncheon with performers, directors, producers, and Drama League members in attendance. The Drama League membership comprises the entire theater community, including award-winning actors, designers, directors, playwrights, producers, industry veterans, critics and theater-going audiences from across the U.S.
The Drama League Awards are the oldest awards honoring theater in North America. The awards were established in 1922, and formalized in 1935. Katharine Cornell was the recipient of the first award in 1935, for Distinguished Performance. Five competitive awards are presented: Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award. The Distinguished Performance Award is presented to one performer every year, and the recipient can only receive the award once in his or her career. The Drama League also bestow three special honors at the awards ceremony: Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater, Unique Contribution to the Theater, and The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing. The award statues are designed by New York firm Society Awards.

Categories of awards

Additionally, an honorary award may be given in the following categories:
The Distinguished Performer Award was first presented in 1935, to Katharine Cornell for Romeo and Juliet. The first recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing was Daniel J. Sullivan in 2000. Actor Yul Brynner was the first recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre award in 1985. The Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award was first bestowed in 1982 to the New York Production of Nicholas Nickelby: Bernard Jacobs, Gerald Schoenfeld, James M. Nederlander, Elizabeth McCann, and Nelle Nugent.
;Winners 2019–2020
Source: Playbill.com
;Winners 2018–2019
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;Winners 2017–2018
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;Winners 2016–2017
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;Winners 2015–2016
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;Winners 2014–2015
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;Winners 2013–2014
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;Winners 2012–2013
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;Winners 2011–2012
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;Winners 2010–2011
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;Winners 2009–2010
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;Winners 2008–2009
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;Winners 2007–2008
Source:Variety
;Winners 2006–2007
;Winners 2005–2006
;Winners 2004–2005
;Winners 2003–2004
;Winners 2002–2003
;Winners 2001–2002
;Winners 2000–2001
;Winners 1999–2000
;Winners 1998–1999
;Winners 1997–1998
;Winners 1996–1997
;Winners 1995–1996
;Winners history
List of winners, 1935 through 2014.