2018 Drama Desk Nominations announced

Leading the pack in this year's nominations is the revival of Carousel with a grand total of 12 nominations. New musicals SpongeBob and Mean Girls received eleven nominations and ten nominations, respectively. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the revival of Angels in America are the top nominated plays.

Related:2018 Drama League Nominations announced

What sets the Drama Desk apart from the other awards given out on Broadway is that the awards are voted on by theatre critics, journalists, editors and publishers who are covering all theatre, inclusive of Off-Off Broadway, Off-Broadway and Broadway, without any absolute interest in the outcome; i.e., all productions compete at the same level. This is the reason that the Drama Desks Awards have such enthusiasm for the nominations, and why they are different from any other prize that is given in the theatre industry.

Formed in 1949 by a group of New York City journalistic professionals, the main goal was to educate the community about the vital issues faced in the theatre world.

In 1955, the Drama Desk became the first organization to honor the achievement of Off Broadway Theatre. The Vernon Rice Award was named after a New York Post theatre critic who had pioneered press coverage for Off Broadway.

As Off-Off Broadway became more popular in 1974, the Drama Desk made the distinction of what was considered Off-Broadway, and what was Off-Off Broadway.

Today, the committee meets twice a month to discuss the shows that are currently eligible and members of the organization vote all of the shows.

The 63rd ceremony will take place on June 3, 2018, and will be hosted live on TheaterMania.com.

See below for a full list of nominations as noted on Variety.

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, Public Theatre

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, 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, 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, Public Theatre
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

Andrezj 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

Unkle Dave’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 Nolan, and Jonathan 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.