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Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical

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Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Book of a Musical
Awarded forOutstanding Book of a Musical
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
First awarded1969
Currently held byItamar Moses for Dead Outlaw (2024)
Websitedramadesk.org (defunct)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. It was first presented at the 1969 ceremony, under the shorter name Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book, changing to its current name as of the 1988 ceremony.

For two years, in addition to the award for Outstanding Book, an award was presented to the writers of the Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Book. In 1972, that award went to Melvin Van Peebles for Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, while the 1973 award went to Ron House and Diz White for El Grande de Coco-Cola.

Winners and nominees

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1960s

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Year Writer Production
1969
Peter Stone 1776

1970s

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Year Writer Production
1970
George Furth Company
1971
Burt Shevelove No, No, Nanette
1972
John Guare and Mel Shapiro Two Gentlemen of Verona
1973
Hugh Wheeler A Little Night Music
1974
Hugh Wheeler Candide
1975
1976
James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante A Chorus Line
Alfred Uhry The Robber Bridegroom
John Weidman Pacific Overtures
1977
Thomas Meehan Annie
1978
1979
Hugh Wheeler Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

1980s

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Year Writer Production
1980–1983
1984
James Lapine Sunday in the Park with George
Harvey Fierstein La Cage aux Folles
Garry Trudeau Doonesbury
1985
Jerry Colker Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down
1986
Rupert Holmes The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Marta Kauffman, Seth Friedman and David Crane Personals
Warren Leight Mayor
1987
L. Arthur Rose, Douglas Furber, Stephen Fry and Mike Ockrent Me and My Girl
Barry Harman Olympus on My Mind
1988
James Lapine Into the Woods
1989

1990s

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Year Writer Production
1990
Larry Gelbart City of Angels
1991
Marsha Norman The Secret Garden
John Weidman Assassins
1992
George C. Wolfe Jelly's Last Jam
1993
1994
James Lapine Passion
Michael John LaChiusa Hello Again
1995
1996
Jonathan Larson Rent
Graciela Daniele and Jim Lewis Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Laurence Klavan Bed and Sofa
Tina Landau Floyd Collins
John Weidman Big: the musical
1997
1998
Terrence McNally Ragtime
1999
Alfred Uhry Parade
William Finn and James Lapine A New Brain

2000s

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Year Writer Production
2000
2001
Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan The Producers
Kirsten Childs The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming Bat Boy: The Musical
Greg Kotis Urinetown
Terrence McNally The Full Monty
2002
John Lahr and Elaine Stritch Elaine Stritch at Liberty
John Guare Sweet Smell of Success
Jonathan Larson and David Auburn Tick, Tick... BOOM!
Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan Thoroughly Modern Millie
2003
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan Hairspray
Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris Zanna, Don't!
Terrence McNally A Man of No Importance
Jeremy Sams and Didier Van Cauwelaert Amour
Jeff Whitty Avenue Q
2004
Winnie Holzman Wicked
Tony Kushner Caroline, or Change
2005
Rachel Sheinkin The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe Cam Jansen
Kevin Del Aguila Altar Boyz
Mark Harelik The Immigrant
Eric Idle Monty Python's Spamalot
Jeffrey Lane Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
2006
Bob Martin and Don McKellar The Drowsy Chaperone
Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman Jersey Boys
Doug Wright Grey Gardens
2007
Rupert Holmes and Peter Stone Curtains
Scott Brown and Anthony King Gutenberg! The Musical!
Julian Fellowes Mary Poppins
Heather Hach Legally Blonde
Steven Sater Spring Awakening
Alfred Uhry LoveMusik
2008
Douglas Carter Beane Xanadu
Harvey Fierstein A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt Adding Machine
Stew Passing Strange
Eric H. Weinberger Wanda's World
2009
Lee Hall Billy Elliot the Musical
Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis This Beautiful City
Joe DiPietro The Toxic Avenger
Brian Hill The Story of My Life
David Lindsay-Abaire Shrek the Musical
Patricia Resnick 9 to 5

2010s

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Year Writer Production
2010
Alex Timbers Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe DiPietro Memphis
Joe Iconis Bloodsong of Love
Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture
David Thompson The Scottsboro Boys
David Zellnik Yank!
2011
Adam Mathias See Rock City and Other Destinations
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth In Transit
Iris Rainer Dart The People in the Picture
Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone The Book of Mormon
Michael Zam The Kid
2012
Joe DiPietro Nice Work If You Can Get It
Douglas Carter Beane Lysistrata Jones
Janus Cercone and Warren Leight Leap of Faith
Joy Gregory The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
Michael John LaChiusa Queen of the Mist
Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone Death Takes a Holiday
2013
Dennis Kelly Matilda the Musical
Sybille Pearson Giant
Joseph Robinette A Christmas Story: The Musical
David Rossmer and Steve Rosen The Other Josh Cohen
Jeff Whitty Bring It On: The Musical
Doug Wright Hands on a Hardbody
2014
Robert L. Freedman A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
Chad Beguelin Aladdin
Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair Murder for Two
Lisa Kron Fun Home
Douglas McGrath Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Marsha Norman The Bridges of Madison County
2015
Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton
Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree Found
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell Something Rotten!
Craig Lucas An American in Paris
Terrence McNally The Visit
Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, and Michael Mitnick Fly by Night
2016
John Caird Daddy Long Legs
Michael John LaChiusa First Daughter Suite
Jessie Nelson Waitress
2017
Irene Sankoff and David Hein Come from Away
Terrence McNally Anastasia
Itamar Moses The Band's Visit
Richard Oberacker and Rob Taylor Bandstand
Joe Tracz The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
2018
Tina Fey Mean Girls
Kyle Jarrow SpongeBob SquarePants
Peter Kellogg Desperate Measures
Hannah Moscovitch Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story
2019
Robert Horn Tootsie
Scott Brown and Anthony King Beetlejuice
Andrew R. Butler Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin The Prom
Dominique Morisseau Ain't Too Proud

2020s

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Year Writer Production
2020
Michael R. Jackson A Strange Loop
David Henry Hwang Soft Power
Dave Malloy Octet
Lynn Nottage The Secret Life of Bees
Mark Saltzman Romeo & Bernadette
Dick Scanlan The Unsinkable Molly Brown
2021 No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City[1]
2022
Bruce Sussman Harmony: A New Musical
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel Mr. Saturday Night
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Six
Lynn Nottage Intimate Apparel
2023
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin Some Like It Hot
Jonathan Hogue Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Robert Horn Shucked
Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue Titanique
David West Read & Juliet
2024 [2]
Itamar Moses Dead Outlaw
Justin Huertas Lizard Boy: The Musical
Michael R. Jackson and Anna K. Jacobs Teeth
Michael John LaChiusa The Gardens of Anuncia
Rebekah Green Melocik How to Dance in Ohio

Multiple wins

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Multiple nominations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Evans, Greg (2021-05-05). "Broadway To Reopen Sept. 14, Says Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Broadway League "Cautiously Optimistic"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  2. ^ "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards with 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play - Playbill.com". 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-06-13.