2005 Drama Desk Awards Presented

The 50th annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony, hosted by Harvey Fierstein, was held on the evening of Sunday, May 22 at LaGuardia Concert Hall. John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt took home most of the top play honors, while Monty Python’s Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza made strong showings in the musical categories. Here is the complete list of nominees, with the winners noted in bold:

Outstanding Orchestrations
Steven M. Alper, The Immigrant
Larry Hochman, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Doug Katsaros & Lynne Shankel, Altar Boyz
Kim Scharnberg, Little Women
Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, Bruce Coughlin, The Light in the Piazza
Harold Wheeler, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe, Cam Jensen
Kevin Del Aguila, Altar Boyz
Mark Harelik, The Immigrant
Eric Idle, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Jeffrey Lane, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Outstanding Lyrics
Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker, Altar Boyz
Douglas J. Cohen, Children’s Letters to God
Rick Crom, Newsical
William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Eric Idle, Monty Python’s Spamalot
David Yazbek, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Outstanding Music
Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker, Altar Boyz
Terry Davies, Play Without Words
William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Stephen Flaherty, Dessa Rose
Adam Guettel, The Light in the Piazza
David Yazbek, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Unique Theatrical Experience
all wear bowlers
Belle Epoque
The Mysteries
Play Without Words
Slava’s Snowshow
Typo

Outstanding Revue
Absolutely Fascinating
Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit
Newsical

Outstanding Solo Performance
Billy Crystal, 700 Sundays
Dave Gorman, Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack! Adventure
Barry Humphries, Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance
Jackie Mason, Jackie Mason:Freshly Squeezed
Tim Miller, Us
James Urbaniak, Thom Pain (based on nothing)

Outstanding Costume Design
Lez Brotherston, Play Without Words
Tim Hatley, Monty Python’s Spamalot
William Ivey Long, La Cage aux Folles
Jeff Mahshie, Hurlyburly
Anthony Ward, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Catherine Zuber, The Light in the Piazza

Outstanding Lighting Design
Christopher Akerlind, Belle Epoque
Christopher Akerlind, The Light in the Piazza
Mark Henderson, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Donald Holder, Gem of the Ocean
R. Lee Kennedy, The Audience
James Japhy Weideman, Frankenstein

Outstanding Sound Design
ACME Sound Partners, The Light in the Piazza
Paul Arditti, The Pillowman
Jill B.C. DuBoff, Miss Julie
Jill B.C. DuBoff, Spatter Pattern (Or, How I Got Away With It)
Jeff Lorenz, Frankenstein
Darron L. West, Hot ‘n’ Throbbing

Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Robert Brill, A Streetcar Named Desire
Marisa Frantz, Frankenstein
Nathan Heverin, Outward Bound
Richard Hoover, After the Fall
David Korins, Orange Flower Water
Santo Loquasto, Glengarry Glen Ross

Outstanding Set Design of a Musical
Lez Brotherston, Play Without Words
Tim Hatley, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Scott Pask, Sweet Charity
David Rockwell, All Shook Up
Anthony Ward, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Michael Yeargan, The Light in the Piazza

Outstanding Choreography
Matthew Bourne, Play Without Words
Christopher Gattelli, Altar Boyz
Barry McNabb, Sailor’s Song
Jerry Mitchell, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Jerry Mitchell, La Cage aux Folles
Casey Nicholaw, Monty Python’s Spamalot

Outstanding Director of a Play
Joshua Carlebach, Frankenstein
Scott Elliott, Hurlyburly
Scott Ellis, Twelve Angry Men
Edward Hall, Rose Rage
Doug Hughes, Doubt
Joe Mantello, Glengarry Glen Ross

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Matthew Bourne, Play Without Words
Jack Cummings III, The Audience
Mark Dornford-May, The Mysteries
James Lapine, The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Mike Nichols, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Bartlett Sher, The Light in the Piazza

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Julie Halston, White Chocolate
Adriane Lenox, Doubt
Portia, McReele
Lily Rabe, Steel Magnolias
Lee Roy Rogers, Orson’s Shadow
Mary Testa, String of Pearls

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Sarah Uriarte Berry, The Light in the Piazza
Joanna Gleason, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Kecia Lewis, Dessa Rose
Jan Maxwell, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Maureen McGovern, Little Women
Jennifer Simard, Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Philip Bosco, Twelve Angry Men
Larry Bryggman, Romance
Jeff Goldblum, The Pillowman
Josh Hamilton, Hurlyburly
Paul Sparks, Orange Flower Water
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Pillowman

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Gregory Jbara, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Norm Lewis, Dessa Rose
Tyler Maynard, Altar Boyz
Michael McGrath, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Denis O’Hare, Sweet Charity

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Adam Arkin, Brooklyn Boy
John Cullum, Sin (A Cardinal Deposed)
Bill Irwin, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Brían F. O’Byrne, Doubt
Jeremy Piven, Fat Pig
John Turturro, Souls of Naples

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Hank Azaria, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Mike Burstyn, On Second Avenue
Norbert Leo Butz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Matthew Morrison, The Light in the Piazza
David Hyde Pierce, Monty Python’s Spamalot
Bill Thompson, God Hates the Irish: The Ballad of Armless Johnny

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Veanne Cox, Last Easter
Cherry Jones, Doubt
Judy Kaye, Souvenir
Laura Linney, Sight Unseen
Frances Sternhagen, Echoes of the War
Kathleen Turner, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Christina Applegate, Sweet Charity
Victoria Clark, The Light in the Piazza
Sutton Foster, Little Women
LaChanze, Dessa Rose
Sherie Rene Scott, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Rachel York, Dessa Rose

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Glengarry Glen Ross
Hurlyburly
Outward Bound
Pullman Car Hiawatha
Twelve Angry Men
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death
La Cage aux Folles
On Second Avenue
Sweet Charity

Outstanding Play
Democracy (Michael Frayn)
Doubt (John Patrick Shanley)
Pentecost (David Edgar)
The Pillowman (Martin McDonagh)
Sailor’s Song (John Patrick Shanley)
Sin (A Cardinal Deposed) (Michael Murphy)

Outstanding Musical
Altar Boyz
The Audience
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Light in the Piazza
Monty Python’s Spamalot
The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

In addition, the following non-competitive awards were presented:

Outstanding Ensemble Performances
The cast of Glengarry Glen Ross
The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

A Career Achievement Award to Julie Harris for her commitment to excellence in the theater.

To Keen Company, a Special Award for moving and enlightening audiences with plays that build upon our theatrical heritage.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Drama Desk Awards, a Special Award to The Public Theater for its 50 years of exceptional contributions to the theater.