The smash hit musical Hairspray swept the Drama Desk Awards last night, taking home ten trophies, including Outstanding Musical. However, the Baz Lurhmann revival of La Boheme was the big winner in the design categories; winners included Catherine Martin for set design of a musical, Nigel Levings for lighting design, and Acme Sound Partners for sound design.
There were non-La Boheme design winners, as well. The Drama Desk splits the set design category in two, for musicals and plays. John Lee Beatty took the award for set design of a play, for his work on the Lincoln Center Theatre revival of Dinner at Eight. Also, William Ivey Long won in the costume category for his work on Hairspray.
The biggest surprise of the evening came with Antonio Banderas and Harvey Fierstein tied in the Outstanding Actor in a Musical category, for their work in Nine and Hairspray, respectively. The ceremony also featured the unusual instance of two wins in one family, with Vanessa Redgrave cited as Outstanding Actress in a Play, for her work in the Broadway revival of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and her sister, Lynn, winning as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play, for the Off Broadway play Talking Heads.
The full list of winners;
Outstanding Choreography: Twyla Tharp, Movin’ Out
Outstanding Orchestrations: Harold Wheeler, Hairspray
Outstanding Book of a Musical: Mark O’Donnell, Hairspray
Outstanding Director of a Musical: Jack O’Brien, Hairspray
Outstanding Director of a Play: Robert Falls, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Outstanding Lyrics: Scott Wittman, Marc Shaiman, Hairspray
Outstanding Music: Marc Shaiman, Hairspray
Outstanding Costume Design: William Ivey Long, Hairspray
Outstanding Sound Design: Acme Sound Partners, La Boheme
Outstanding Lighting Design: Nigel Levings, La Boheme
Outstanding Set Design of a Play: John Lee Beatty, Dinner at Eight
Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Catherine Martin, La Boheme
Outstanding Solo Performance: Tovah Feldshuh, Golda’s Balcony
Unique Theatrical Experience: The Exonerated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: Lynn Redgrave, Talking Heads
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Denis O’Hare, Take Me Out
Outstanding Actress in a Play: Vanessa Redgrave, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Outstanding Actor in a Play: Eddie Izzard, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Jane Krakowski, Nine
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Dick Latessa, Hairspray
Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Marissa Jaret Winokur, Hairspray
Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Antonio Banderas, Nine; Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray
Outstanding Play: Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg
Outstanding Revival of a Play: Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Outstanding Musical: Hairspray
Outstanding Revival of a Musical: Nine
The Drama Desk is an organization of approximately 120 critics, journalists, and editors who regularly cover the New York theatre.