Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical
The Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical is a theater award presented annually since 1996 by The Drama League for the most outstanding new musical of the theater season.
Stephen Sondheim is the writer/composer with the most wins, winning three, followed closely by David Yazbek, Scott Wittman, Marc Shaiman and Harvey Fierstein with two each. Jeanine Tesori holds the record for most nominations (and most nominations without a win) with eight.
Several shows have been nominated multiple times in consecutive years, including Hamilton, Fun Home, A Strange Loop, Six and Dear Evan Hansen.
Awards and nominations
1990s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 |
Rent |
Jonathan Larson |
||
Bed and Sofa |
Laurence Klavan |
Polly Pen and Laurence Klavan |
||
Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk |
Reg E. Gaines |
Reg E. Gaines, George C. Wolfe, Ann Duquesnay and Daryl Waters |
||
Chronicle of a Death Foretold |
Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa |
Bob Telson, Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa |
||
State Fair |
Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli |
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II |
||
Victor/Victoria |
Blake Edwards |
Henry Mancini, Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse |
||
1997 |
The Life |
David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman |
Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman |
|
Play On! |
Cheryl L. West |
Duke Ellington and Various |
||
Steel Pier |
David Thompson |
John Kander and Fred Ebb |
||
Titanic |
Peter Stone |
Maury Yeston |
||
Violet |
Brian Crawley |
Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley |
||
1998 |
Ragtime |
Terrence McNally |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
|
The Scarlet Pimpernel |
Nan Knighton |
Nan Knighton and Frank Wildhorn |
||
Side Show |
Bill Russell |
Bill Russell and Henry Krieger |
||
The Lion King |
Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi |
Elton John and Tim Rice |
||
Triumph of Love |
James Magruder |
Susan Birkenhead and Jeffrey Stock |
||
The Last Session |
Jim Brochu |
Steve Schalchlin, John Bettis and Marie Cain |
||
Hedwig and the Angry Inch |
John Cameron Mitchell |
Stephen Trask |
||
1999 |
Fosse |
Various |
||
2000s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 |
Contact |
John Weidman |
Various |
|
Aida |
Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang |
Elton John and Tim Rice |
||
James Joyce's The Dead |
Richard Nelson |
Shaun Davey and Richard Nelson |
||
Kat and the Kings |
David Kramer |
Taliep Petersen and David Kramer |
||
Swing! |
Paul Kelly |
Various |
||
The Wild Party |
George C. Wolfe and Michael John LaChiusa |
Michael John LaChiusa |
||
The Wild Party |
Andrew Lippa |
|||
2001 |
The Producers |
Mel Brooks |
||
Bat Boy |
Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming |
Laurence O'Keefe |
||
Seussical |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
|||
Suburb |
David Javerbaum and Robert Cohen |
|||
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
Ken Ludwig |
Don Schlitz |
||
The Full Monty |
Terrence McNally |
David Yazbek |
||
2002 |
Urinetown |
Greg Kotis |
Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis |
|
Thoroughly Modern Millie |
Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan |
Dick Scanlan and Jeanine Tesori |
||
Sweet Smell of Success |
John Guare |
Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia |
||
Mamma Mia! |
Catherine Johnson |
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus |
||
The Spitfire Grill |
James Valcq and Fred Alley |
|||
The Streets of New York |
Barry Alan Grael |
Barry Alan Grael and Richard B. Chodosh |
||
Swimming with Watermelons |
Diane Paulus, Randy Weiner and Project 40 |
|||
2003 |
Hairspray |
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan |
Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman |
|
Movin' Out |
Various |
Billy Joel |
||
A Year With Frog and Toad |
Willie Reale |
Willie Reale and Robert Reale |
||
My Life with Albertine |
Richard Nelson |
Ricky Ian Gordon and Richard Nelson |
||
Cookin' at the Cookery |
Marion J. Caffey |
|||
Amour |
Jeremy Sams |
Michel Legrand and Jeremy Sams |
||
Avenue Q |
Jeff Whitty |
Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx |
||
2004 |
Wicked |
Winnie Holzman |
Stephen Schwartz |
|
Caroline, or Change |
Tony Kushner |
Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori |
||
Johnny Guitar |
Nicholas van Hoogstraten |
Martin Silvestri and Joel Higgins |
||
Never Gonna Dance |
Jeffrey Hatcher |
Jerome Kern and Various |
||
Taboo |
Mark Davies Markham and Charles Busch |
Boy George, Kevan Frost, John Themis and Richie Stevens |
||
Bombay Dreams |
Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan |
A. R. Rahman and Don Black |
||
2005 |
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels |
Jeffrey Lane |
David Yazbek |
|
Altar Boyz |
Kevin del Aguila |
Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker |
||
The Frogs |
Burt Shevelove and Nathan Lane |
Stephen Sondheim |
||
Ghetto Superstar |
Billy Porter |
|||
The Light in the Piazza |
Craig Lucas |
Adam Guettel |
||
The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) |
Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell |
|||
Spamalot |
Eric Idle |
John Du Prez and Eric Idle |
||
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee |
Rachel Sheinkin |
William Finn |
||
2006 |
Jersey Boys |
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice |
Various |
|
The Color Purple |
Marsha Norman |
Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray |
||
The Drowsy Chaperone |
Bob Martin and Don McKellar |
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison |
||
Grey Gardens |
Doug Wright |
Scott Frankel and Michael Korie |
||
title of show |
Hunter Bell |
Jeff Bowen |
||
See What I Wanna See |
Michael John LaChiusa |
|||
The Wedding Singer |
Tim Herlihy and Chad Beguelin |
Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar |
||
2007 |
Spring Awakening |
Steven Sater |
Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik |
|
In the Heights |
Quiara Alegría Hudes |
Lin-Manuel Miranda |
||
Legally Blonde |
Heather Hach |
Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe |
||
Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me |
Martin Short |
|||
Mary Poppins |
Julian Fellowes |
Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe |
||
Curtains |
Rupert Holmes |
John Kander, Fred Ebb and Rupert Holmes |
||
2008 |
A Catered Affair |
Steven Sater |
Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik |
|
The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (or the Friends of Dr. Rushower) |
Ben Katchor |
Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy |
||
Xanadu |
Douglas Carter Beane |
Jeff Lynne and John Farrar |
||
Adding Machine |
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt |
|||
Young Frankenstein |
Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan |
Mel Brooks |
||
Cry-Baby |
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan |
David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger |
||
Next to Normal |
Brian Yorkey |
Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt |
||
Passing Strange |
Stew |
Stew and Heidi Rodewald |
||
2009 |
Billy Elliot |
Lee Hall |
Lee Hall and Elton John |
|
9 to 5 |
Patricia Resnick |
Dolly Parton |
||
This Beautiful City |
Steve Cosson and Jim Lewis |
Michael Friedman |
||
Road Show |
John Weidman |
Stephen Sondheim |
||
Fela! |
Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis |
Fela Kuti |
||
Liza's at The Palace.... |
Liza Minnelli |
John Kander, Fred Ebb and Various |
||
The Marvelous Wonderettes |
Roger Bean |
Various |
||
Rock of Ages |
Chris D'Arienzo |
Various |
||
Shrek the Musical |
David Lindsay-Abaire |
David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori |
||
The Toxic Avenger |
Joe DiPietro |
Joe DiPietro and David Bryan |
||
2010s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 |
Sondheim on Sondheim |
Various |
Stephen Sondheim |
|
Brief Encounter |
John Caird |
André Previn |
||
Come Fly Away |
Twyla Tharp |
Various |
||
Memphis |
Joe DiPietro |
David Bryan and Joe DiPietro |
||
Million Dollar Quartet |
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux |
Various |
||
The Scottsboro Boys |
David Thompson |
John Kander and Fred Ebb |
||
The Addams Family |
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice |
Andrew Lippa |
||
American Idiot |
Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer |
Green Day and Billie Joe Armstrong |
||
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson |
Alex Timbers |
Michael Friedman |
||
2011 |
The Book of Mormon |
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone |
||
The People in the Picture |
Iris Rainer Dart |
Iris Rainer Dart, Mike Stoller and Artie Butler |
||
Priscilla Queen of the Desert |
Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott |
Various |
||
Sister Act |
Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner |
Alan Menken and Glenn Slater |
||
In Transit |
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth |
|||
Elf |
Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan |
Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin |
||
Catch Me If You Can |
Terrence McNally |
Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman |
||
2012 |
Once |
Various |
Stephen Sondheim |
|
Newsies |
Harvey Fierstein |
Alan Menken and Jack Feldman |
||
Leap of Faith |
Janus Cercone and Warren Leight |
Alan Menken and Glenn Slater |
||
Queen of the Mist |
Michael John LaChiusa |
|||
Ghost |
Bruce Joel Rubin |
Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard and Bruce Joel Rubin |
||
Nice Work If You Can Get It |
Joe DiPietro |
George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin |
||
Mission Drift |
TEAM, Heather Christian and Sarah Gancher |
Heather Christian |
||
2013 |
Kinky Boots |
Harvey Fierstein |
Cyndi Lauper |
|
Murder Ballad |
Julia Jordan |
Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash |
||
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 |
Dave Malloy |
|||
Dogfight |
Peter Duchan |
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
||
Here Lies Love |
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim |
|||
Matilda |
Dennis Kelly |
Tim Minchin |
||
Motown |
Berry Gordy |
Various |
||
2014 |
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder |
Robert L. Freedman |
Steven Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman |
|
The Bridges of Madison County |
Marsha Norman |
Jason Robert Brown |
||
Aladdin |
Chad Beguelin |
Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin |
||
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical |
Douglas McGrath |
Various |
||
Bullets Over Broadway |
Woody Allen |
Various |
||
Fun Home |
Lisa Kron |
Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori |
||
Murder for Two |
Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian |
|||
Rocky |
Thomas Meehan and Sylvester Stallone |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
||
After Midnight |
Various |
|||
2015 |
An American in Paris |
Craig Lucas |
George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin |
|
Something Rotten! |
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell |
Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick |
||
The Visit |
Terrence McNally |
John Kander and Fred Ebb |
||
Fun Home |
Lisa Kron |
Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori |
||
Ghost Quartet |
Dave Malloy |
|||
Hamilton |
Lin-Manuel Miranda |
|||
Finding Neverland |
Allan Knee and James Graham |
Scott Frankel, Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy and Michael Korie |
||
It Shoulda Been You |
Brian Hargrove |
Barbara Anselmi and Brian Hargrove |
||
2016 |
Hamilton |
Lin-Manuel Miranda |
||
On Your Feet! |
Alexander Dinelaris Jr. |
Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine |
||
American Psycho |
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa |
Duncan Sheik |
||
Iowa |
Jenny Schwartz and Todd Almond |
|||
Bright Star |
Steve Martin |
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell |
||
Dear Evan Hansen |
Steven Levenson |
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
||
Futurity |
César Alvarez and Molly Rice |
César Alvarez |
||
Tuck Everlasting |
Claudia Shear and Tim Federle |
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen |
||
Waitress |
Jessie Nelson |
Sara Bareilles |
||
School of Rock |
Julian Fellowes |
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater |
||
2017 |
Dear Evan Hansen |
Steven Levenson |
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
|
Groundhog Day |
Danny Rubin |
Tim Minchin |
||
Come from Away |
Irene Sankoff and David Hein |
|||
Anastasia |
Terrence McNally |
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens |
||
Amélie |
Craig Lucas |
Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen |
||
War Paint |
Doug Wright |
Scott Frankel and Michael Korie |
||
Bandstand |
Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor |
|||
Hadestown |
Anaïs Mitchell |
|||
Ride the Cyclone |
Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell |
|||
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 |
Dave Malloy |
|||
2018 |
The Band's Visit |
Itamar Moses |
David Yazbek |
|
Bella: An American Tall Tale |
Kirsten Childs |
|||
Frozen |
Jennifer Lee |
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez |
||
Hundred Days |
The Bengsons and Sarah Gancher |
The Bengsons |
||
Woody Sez |
Woody Guthrie |
|||
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical |
Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff |
Various |
||
Mean Girls |
Tina Fey |
Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin |
||
KPOP |
Jason Kim |
Helen Park and Max Vernon |
||
SpongeBob SquarePants |
Kyle Jarrow |
Various |
||
2019 |
Hadestown |
Anaïs Mitchell |
||
Beetlejuice |
Scott Brown and Anthony King |
Eddie Perfect |
||
Be More Chill |
Joe Tracz |
Joe Iconis |
||
The Cher Show |
Rick Elice |
Various |
||
Ain't Too Proud |
Dominique Morisseau |
The Legendary Motown Catalog |
||
The Hello Girls |
Peter C. Mills and Cara Reichel |
Peter C. Mills |
||
Tootsie |
Robert Horn |
David Yazbek |
||
Head Over Heels |
Jeff Whitty and James Magruder |
The Go-Go's |
||
King Kong |
Jack Thorne |
Marius de Vries and Eddie Perfect |
||
The Prom |
Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin |
Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin |
||
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future |
Andrew R. Butler |
|||
2020s
Year |
Production |
Bookwriter |
Composer |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 |
Moulin Rouge! |
Various |
Stephen Sondheim |
|
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical |
Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins |
Tina Turner |
||
Six |
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss |
|||
Girl from the North Country |
Conor McPherson |
Bob Dylan |
||
Jagged Little Pill |
Diablo Cody |
Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard, Michael Farrell and Guy Sigsworth |
||
Octet |
Dave Malloy |
|||
The Secret Life of Bees |
Lynn Nottage |
Duncan Sheik and Susan Birkenhead |
||
Sing Street |
Enda Walsh |
Gary Clark and John Carney |
||
Soft Power |
David Henry Hwang |
David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori |
||
A Strange Loop |
Michael R. Jackson |
|||
2021 |
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|||
2022 |
A Strange Loop |
Michael R. Jackson |
||
Mr. Saturday Night |
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel |
Jason Robert Brown and Amanda Green |
||
Oratorio for Living Things |
Heather Christian |
|||
Six |
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss |
|||
American Utopia |
David Byrne |
|||
Suffs |
Shaina Taub |
|||
The Hang |
Taylor Mac |
Various |
||
Mrs. Doubtfire |
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell |
Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick |
||
Kimberly Akimbo |
David Lindsay-Abaire |
David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori |
||
MJ |
Lynn Nottage |
Various |
||
2023 |
Some Like It Hot |
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin |
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman |
|
& Juliet |
David West Read |
Max Martin and Various |
||
Titanique |
Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli |
Various |
||
White Girl in Danger |
Michael R. Jackson |
|||
Dreaming Zenzile |
Somi Kakoma |
|||
Shucked |
Robert Horn |
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally |
||
A Beautiful Noise |
Anthony McCarten |
Neil Diamond and Various |
||
Wuthering Heights |
Bernard J. Taylor |
|||
New York, New York |
David Thompson and Sharon Washington |
John Kander, Fred Ebb and Lin-Manuel Miranda |
||
2024 |
Hell's Kitchen |
Kristoffer Diaz |
Alicia Keys and Others |
|
Lempicka |
Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer |
|||
The Heart of Rock and Roll |
Jonathan Abrams and Tyler Mitchell |
Huey Lewis and the News |
||
Harmony |
Bruce Sussman |
Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow |
||
Dead Outlaw |
Itamar Moses |
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna |
||
Buena Vista Social Club |
Marco Ramirez |
Various |
||
Teeth |
Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson |
|||
Suffs |
Shaina Taub |
|||
The Outsiders |
Adam Rapp and Justin Levine |
Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance and Justin Levine |
||
The Notebook |
Bekah Brunstetter |
Ingrid Michaelson |
||
Illinoise |
Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury |
Sufjan Stevens |
||
Water for Elephants |
Rick Elice |
PigPen Theatre Co. |
||
2025 |
Maybe Happy Ending |
Hue Park and Will Aronson |
|
|
Operation Mincemeat |
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts |
|||
Macbeth in Stride |
Whitney White |
|||
Just in Time |
Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver |
Various |
||
Drag: The Musical |
Tomas Costanza, Justin Andrew Honard and Ash Gordon |
|||
Death Becomes Her |
Marco Pennette |
Julia Mattison and Noel Carey |
||
Dead Outlaw |
Itamar Moses |
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna |
||
Buena Vista Social Club |
Marco Ramirez |
Various |
||
Boop! The Musical |
Bob Martin |
David Foster and Susan Birkenhead |
||
Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends |
Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne and Mary Rodgers |
|||
Real Women Have Curves |
Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin |
Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez |
||
Smash |
Rick Elice and Bob Martin |
Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman |
||
2026 |
Mexodus |
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson |
||
Beaches |
Iris Rainer Dart and Thom Thomas |
Mike Stoller and Iris Rainer Dart |
||
Beau the Musical |
Douglas Lyons |
Douglas Lyons and Ethan D. Pakchar |
||
Bigfoot! |
Amber Ruffin and Kevin Sciretta |
David Schmoll and Amber Ruffin |
||
The Lost Boys |
David Hornsby and Chris Hoch |
The Rescues |
||
My Joy is Heavy |
The Bengsons |
|||
Night Side Songs |
The Lazours and Taibi Magar |
|||
Saturday Church |
Damon Cardasis and James Ijames |
Sia and Honey Dijon |
||
Schmigadoon! |
Cinco Paul |
|||
The Seat of Our Pants |
Ethan Lipton |
|||
Titanique |
Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli |
Various |
||
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) |
Kit Buchan |
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan |
||
Artists with multiple wins
- 3 wins
- Stephen Sondheim
- 2 wins
- David Yazbek
- Scott Wittman
- Marc Shaiman
- Harvey Fierstein
Artists with multiple nominations
- 8 nominations
- Jeanine Tesori
- 6 nominations
- John Kander
- Fred Ebb
- David Yazbek
- Thomas Meehan
- Stephen Sondheim
- 5 nominations
- Terrence McNally
- Rick Elice
- Bob Martin
- 4 nominations
- Michael John LaChiusa
- Stephen Flaherty
- Lynn Ahrens
- Michael R. Jackson
- Scott Wittman
- Marc Shaiman
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Alan Menken
- 3 nominations
- Jim Lewis
- David Thompson
- Elton John
- Tim Rice
- Susan Birkenhead
- David Henry Hwang
- Robert Lopez
- Craig Lucas
- Scott Frankel
- Michael Korie
- Matthew Sklar
- Nell Benjamin
- Duncan Sheik
- Harvey Fierstein
- Joe DiPietro
- Glenn Slater
- Itamar Moses
- 2 nominations
- George C. Wolfe
- Richard Rodgers
- Frank Wildhorn
- James Magruder
- John Weidman
- Andrew Lippa
- Mel Brooks
- Laurence O'Keefe
- David Javerbaum
- Mark O'Donnell
- Richard Nelson
- Jeff Whitty
- Marshall Brickman
- Doug Wright
- Julian Fellowes
- Michael Friedman
- David Lindsay-Abaire
- Kristen Anderson-Lopez
- Warren Leight
- Marco Ramirez
- Anaïs Mitchell
- Lisa Kron
- Jason Robert Brown
- Tim Minchin
- Heather Christian
- Toby Marlow
- Lucy Moss
- Robert Horn
- Lynn Nottage
- Eddie Perfect
- David Byrne
- Shaina Taub