Theater News

Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and More Win Drama League Awards

Winners of the 2016 ceremony have been revealed.

Hamilton has won the 2016 Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or off-Broadway Musical.
Hamilton has won the 2016 Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or off-Broadway Musical.
(© Joan Marcus)

Recipients of the 2016 Drama League Awards were announced during a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on May 20.

First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, the Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theatergoer awards chosen by audience members — specifically, by the thousands of Drama League members nationwide who attend Broadway and off-Broadway productions.

The Drama League previously announced its 2016 special recognition honorees: Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me creator Sheldon Harnick will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award; Deaf West Theatre will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theater Award for their vital work; and Ivo van Hove will receive the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.

Winners can be found in bold below. Hyperlinked shows are currently running.

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

10 Out of 12 by Anne Washburn
Eclipsed by Danai Gurira
The Father by Florian Zeller
Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Hir by Taylor Mac
The Humans by Stephen Karam
King Charles III by Mike Bartlett
Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison
The Royale by Marco Ramirez
Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

Awake and Sing! by Clifford Odets
Blackbird by David Harrower
Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn
Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (directed by Eric Tucker)
Noises Off by Michael Frayn
Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen, adapted for the stage by Kate Hamill
A View From the Bridge by Arthur Miller

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

American Psycho
Bright Star
Dear Evan Hansen
Futurity
Hamilton
Iowa
On Your Feet!
School of Rock
Tuck Everlasting
Waitress

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

The Color Purple
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening

NOMINEES FOR THE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD

One winner is selected from this category. The recipient can only receive this award once during his or her career.

Nina Arianda, Fool for Love

Annaleigh Ashford, Sylvia

Laura Benanti, She Loves Me

Reed Birney, The Humans

Alex Brightman, School of Rock

Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof

Timothée Chalamet, Prodigal Son

Kelley Curran, The Dingdong

Carmen Cusack, Bright Star

Jeff Daniels, Blackbird

Khris Davis, The Royale

Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

Georgia Engel, John

Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Fully Committed

Lynda Gravatt, Skeleton Crew

Michael C. Hall, Lazarus

Anne Hathaway, Grounded

Megan Hilty, Noises Off

Jackie Hoffman, Once Upon a Mattress

Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans

Jennifer Hudson, The Color Purple

Marin Ireland, Ironbound

Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Tuck Everlasting

Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom

Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Judith Light, Thérèse Raquin

Zachary Levi, She Loves Me

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Jessie Mueller, Waitress

Kristine Nielsen, Hir

Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed

Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible

Annette O'Toole, Southern Comfort

Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III

Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Phylicia Rashad, Head of Passes

Sam Rockwell, Fool for Love

Thomas Jay Ryan, 10 Out of 12

Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Jennifer Simard, Disaster!

Lois Smith, Marjorie Prime and John

Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge

Cicely Tyson, The Gin Game

Michael Urie, Shows for Days

Ana Villafañe, On Your Feet!

Benjamin Walker, American Psycho

Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge

Ben Whishaw, The Crucible

Michelle Williams, Blackbird

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.

James Earl Jones, The Gin Game

Patti LuPone, Shows for Days

Frank Langella, The Father

Mary-Louise Parker, Heisenberg

Mark Rylance, Nice Fish

Sam Waterston, The Tempest

Featured In This Story

The Humans

Closed: January 15, 2017