New York City
Special acknowledgements also went to previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award, including Glenn Close, Hugh Jackman, and Nathan Lane.
The Drama League announced the 2015 Drama League Awards nominees this morning at an event hosted by Broadway favorites Cherry Jones and Denis O'Hare at Sardi’s. The nominations, which include Broadway and off-Broadway productions, kick off a month of celebrations leading up to the 81st annual Drama League Awards ceremony, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on May 15.
First awarded in 1922, the Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They recognize work in five competitive categories, including Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance.
As previously announced, recipients of the Drama League's 2015 special recognitions are as follows: Tony and Oscar Award winner Joel Grey will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award; WNET: Neal Shapiro and David Horn will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theater Award for their vital work in bringing New York theater to viewers across America; and Tony, Drama Desk, and Olivier Award winner and Stephen Daldry will receive the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.
See below for the complete list of nominees.
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
The Audience
Between Riverside and Crazy
Bootycandy
Constellations
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Hand to God
An Octoroon
Punk Rock
Scenes From a Marriage
Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL
OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Big Love
The Elephant Man
The Heidi Chronicles
The Iceman Cometh
It's Only a Play
Skylight
Tamburlaine, Parts I and II
This Is Our Youth
You Can’t Take It With You
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
An American in Paris
Finding Neverland
Fun Home
Ghost Quartet
Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
Something Rotten!
The Visit
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL
OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Allegro
Into the Woods
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
NOMINEES FOR
THE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD
One winner is selected from this category. The recipient can receive this award only once during his or her career.
Usman Ally, The Invisible Hand
Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Steven Boyer, Hand to God
Sterling K. Brown, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1, 2 & 3
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Jim Dale, Just Jim Dale
Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Renée Fleming, Living on Love
Kelsey Grammer, Finding Neverland
Jake Gyllenhaal, Constellations
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Lisa Howard, It Shoulda Been You
Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Rebecca Naomi Jones, Big Love
Cush Jumbo, Josephine and I, The River
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Lesley Manville, Ghosts
Jan Maxwell, The City of Conversation
Richard McCabe, The Audience
Rob McClure, Honeymoon in Vegas
Ewan McGregor, The Real Thing
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Helen Mirren, The Audience
Matthew Morrison, Finding Neverland
Elisabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Tam Mutu, Doctor Zhivago
Bill Nighy, Skylight
Kelli O'Hara, The King and I
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Bryce Pinkham, The Heidi Chronicles
Roger Rees, The Visit
Chita Rivera, The Visit
Alexander Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Douglas Sills, Living on Love
John Douglas Thompson, Tamburlaine, Parts I and II; The Iceman Cometh
Julie White, Airline Highway
Ruth Wilson, Constellations
Tony Yazbeck, On the Town
The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in New York productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, they are ineligible this season. Their exemplary work, however, is recognized and applauded.
Kathleen Chalfant, A Walk in the Woods
Stockard Channing, It's Only a Play
Glenn Close, A Delicate Balance
Rosemary Harris, Indian Ink
Hugh Jackman, The River
Cherry Jones, When We Were Young and Unafraid
James Earl Jones, You Can’t Take It With You
Nathan Lane, The Iceman Cometh, It’s Only A Play
John Lithgow, A Delicate Balance, King Lear
Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre
Joel Grey
Unique Contribution to the Theatre
WNET: Neal Shapiro and David Horn
Founders Award for Excellence in Directing
Stephen Daldry