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Carousel and SpongeBob SquarePants Top List of 2018 Drama Desk Award Nominees

The nominations were announced this morning by Jane Krakowski and Tituss Burgess at Feinstein’s / 54 Below.

Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry both earned Drama Desk Award nominations for their performances in the Broadway revival of Carousel, which earned 12 nominations overall.
Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry both earned Drama Desk Award nominations for their performances in the Broadway revival of Carousel, which earned 12 nominations overall.
(© Julieta Cervantes)

Nominations for the 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at Feinstein's / 54 Below by Jane Krakowski (She Loves Me, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Tituss Burgess (Guys and Dolls, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). The announcement was streamed live on TheaterMania.

The nominees were selected from the 2017-18 season of Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway productions. The Broadway revival of Carousel topped the list with 12 nominations, closely followed by SpongeBob SquarePants with 11 and Mean Girls with 10. The Band's Visit, which earned three Drama Desk Awards last year for its off-Broadway run, was deemed eligible only for the elements that constituted new work in its current Broadway mounting.

Take a look below at the complete list of 2018 nominees.

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Outstanding Play
Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater
Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop
Miles for Mary, by the Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons
People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical
Desperate Measures, the York Theatre Company
KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theatre Company / Woodshed Collective
Mean Girls
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company / 59E59
SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Angels in America
Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company
In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company
Three Tall Women
Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory / Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Amerike —The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Carousel
My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre / Atlantic Theater Company
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory / Roundabout Theatre Company
James McArdle, Angels in America
Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop
Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic / Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, the Public Theater
LaChanze, Summer
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theater Company / Woodshed Collective
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, the Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre
Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground
Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club
Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova
Alexander Gemignani, Carousel
Grey Henson, Mean Girls
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants
Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Lindsay Mendez, Carousel
Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady
Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women
Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons
Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic / Park Avenue Armory
John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company / 59E59
Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theater Company / Woodshed Collective
Jack O'Brien, Carousel
Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants
Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady

The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
Justin Peck, Carousel
Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company

Outstanding Music
The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova / Piece by Piece Productions / Z Space
Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company / 59E59
David Friedman, Desperate Measures, the York Theatre Company
Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, the Public Theater
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theater Company / Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Lyrics
Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes / Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, the Public Theater
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, the York Theatre Company
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theater Company / Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Tina Fey, Mean Girls
Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob SquarePants
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, the York Theatre Company
Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre / 59E59

Outstanding Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants
AnnMarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design), Once on
This Island

Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, the Public Theater
Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Jonathan Tunick, Carousel

Outstanding Music in a Play
Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Hicks, Mlima's Tale, the Public Theater
Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company
Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Public Theater
Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women
Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann's Warehouse / National Theatre / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic / Park Avenue Armory
Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company / 59E59
Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club
Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island
Santo Loquasto, Carousel
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King
Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ann Roth, Three Tall Women
Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls
Clint Ramos, Once on This Island
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Natasha Chivers, 1984
Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women
Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company / 59E59
Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island
Brian MacDevitt, Carousel
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theater Company / Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali, Van Gogh's Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century
Andrzej Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants
Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls
Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company / Stages Repertory Theatre / 59E59
Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Tom Gibbons, 1984
Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre / St. Ann's Warehouse / Bryan Singer
Productions / Headlong
Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic / Park Avenue Armory
Palmer Hefferan, Today Is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Kai Harada, The Band's Visit
Scott Lehrer, Carousel
Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova / Ma-Yi Theatre Company / Woodshed Collective
Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Wig and Hair
Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King
Cookie Jordan, School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants
Josh Marquette, Mean Girls

Outstanding Solo Performance
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre
David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group
Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank / Flint & Tinder
Lesli Margherita, Who's Holiday!
Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59

The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company
Master, Foundry Theatre
Say Something Bunny!

Outstanding Fight Choreography
J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep
Steve Rankin, Carousel
UnkleDave's Fight-House, Oedipus El Rey, the Public Theater / the Sol Project

Outstanding Puppet Design
Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America
Michael Curry, Frozen
Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolen, and Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, the Tank / Flint & Tinder
Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

SPECIAL AWARDS
To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, whose last-minute entrances into the Signature
production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending.

Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play, whose
characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.

Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El Rey, A
Parallelogram
, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate
great things to come for this talented performer.

The 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Michael Urie, will take place on Sunday, June 3, at
8pm at Town Hall in Manhattan. For the seventh consecutive year, TheaterMania will present the
awards ceremony, with Joey Parnes Productions producing and managing the show.