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Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics

FieldValue
nameDrama Desk Award
for Outstanding Lyrics
awarded_forOutstanding Lyrics
presenterDrama Desk
locationNew York City
countryUnited States
year1969
holderWill Aronson and Hue Park for *Maybe Happy Ending* (2025)
website

for Outstanding Lyrics The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

Stephen Sondheim holds the record for most wins and nominations for the award, with ten wins out of twelve nominations.

Winners and nominees

;Key

1960s

YearLyricistProductionRef.1969
**George Haimsohn & Robin Miller*****Dames at Sea***
**Fred Ebb*****Zorba***

1970s

YearLyricistProductionRef.1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
**Stephen Sondheim*****Company* **
**Bertolt Brecht*****Mahagonny***
**Stephen Sondheim*****Follies* **
**John Guare*****Two Gentlemen of Verona* **
**Stephen Sondheim*****A Little Night Music* **
**Al Carmines*****The Faggot***
**Charlie Smalls*****The Wiz* **
Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand*The Lieutenant*
Jerry Herman*Mack and Mabel*
Fred Silver*In Gay Company*
**Edward Kleban & Marvin Hamlisch*****A Chorus Line* **
Leonard Bernstein*[1600 Pennsylvania Avenue](1600-pennsylvania-avenue-musical)*
Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe*Tuscaloosa's Calling Me*
Stephen Sondheim*Pacific Overtures*
**Martin Charnin*****Annie* **
Alfred Uhry*The Robber Bridegroom*
**Carol Hall*****The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas***
Elizabeth Swados*Runaways*
**Stephen Sondheim*****Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* **
Gretchen Cryer*I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road*

1980s

YearLyricistProductionRef.1980198119821983198419851986, 198719881989
**Tim Rice*****Evita* **
Steve Brown*Strider*
colspan="3"
**Stephen Sondheim*****Merrily We Roll Along* **
**Maury Yeston*****Nine* **
Tom Eyen*Dreamgirls*
Jim Wann*Pump Boys and Dinettes*
**Howard Ashman*****Little Shop of Horrors***
Michael Colby*Charlotte Sweet*
T.S. Eliot*Cats*
Des McAnuff*Death of Von Richthofen*
**Stephen Sondheim*****Sunday in the Park with George* **
Jerry Herman*La Cage aux Folles*
Richard Maltby Jr.*Baby*
Garry Trudeau*Doonesbury*
**Roger Miller*****Big River* **
Jerry Colker*3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down*
Ellen Fitzhugh*Grind*
colspan="3"
**Stephen Sondheim*****Into the Woods* **
Barry Harman*Romance/Romance*
colspan="3"

1990s

YearLyricistProductionRef.1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
**David Zippel*****City of Angels* **
Richard Maltby Jr.*Closer Than Ever*
Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston*Grand Hotel*
**William Finn*****Falsettoland***
Marsha Norman*The Secret Garden*
Stephen Sondheim*Assassins*
**Susan Birkenhead*****Jelly's Last Jam* **
Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul Lockheart*Song of Singapore*
**Joel Paley*****Ruthless!***
Douglas Bernstein & Denis Markell*A Backer's Audition*
Arthur Perlman*Wings*
David Zippel*The Goodbye Girl*
**Stephen Sondheim*****Passion* **
Howard Ashman & Tim Rice*Beauty and the Beast*
Michael John LaChiusa*Hello Again*
colspan="3"
**Jonathan Larson*****Rent* **
Adam Guettel*Floyd Collins*
Laurence Klavan*Bed and Sofa*
Mark Campbell*Splendora*
Richard Maltby Jr.*Big*
**Gerard Alessandrini*****Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back***
Brian Crawley*Violet*
Mark Waldrop*When Pigs Fly*
**Lynn Ahrens*****Ragtime* **
Stephen Trask*Hedwig and the Angry Inch*
Susan Birkenhead*Triumph of Love*
**Gerard Alessandrini*****Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act***
Jason Robert Brown*Parade*
William Finn*A New Brain*

2000s

YearLyricistProductionRef.2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
**Stephen Sondheim*****Saturday Night***
Boyd Graham*The Big Bang*
Jordan Allen-Dutton, Jason Catalano & GQ*The Bomb-itty of Errors*
Andrew Lippa*The Wild Party*
**Mel Brooks*****The Producers* **
Kirsten Childs*The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin*
Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis*Urinetown*
Ed Kleban*A Class Act*
Laurence O'Keefe*Bat Boy: The Musical*
David Yazbek*The Full Monty*
**Jason Robert Brown*****The Last Five Years***
Craig Carnelia*Sweet Smell of Success*
Jonathan Larson*Tick, Tick... BOOM!*
Kevin Murphy*Reefer Madness*
Dick Scanlan*Thoroughly Modern Millie*
Ben Schatz*Dragapella Starring The Kinsey Sicks*
**Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman*****Hairspray* **
Tim Acito & Alexander Dinelaris*Zanna, Don't!*
Lynn Ahrens*A Man of No Importance*
Craig Carnelia*Imaginary Friends*
Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx*Avenue Q*
Jeremy Sams & Didier van Cauwelaert*Amour*
**Stephen Schwartz*****Wicked* **
Joanne Bogart*The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)*
Boy George*Taboo*
Sean Hartley*Cupid and Psyche*
Joel Higgins*Johnny Guitar*
**Eric Idle*****Spamalot* **
Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker*Altar Boyz*
Douglas J. Cohen*Children's Letters to God*
Rick Crom*Newsical*
William Finn*The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee*
David Yazbek*Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*
**Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison*****The Drowsy Chaperone* **
Chad Beguelin*The Wedding Singer*
Mark Campbell*Songs from an Unmade Bed*
Ryan Cunningham*I Love You Because*
Michael Korie*Grey Gardens*
Michael John LaChiusa*See What I Wanna See*
**Steven Sater*****Spring Awakening* **
Fred Ebb, Rupert Holmes & John Kander*Curtains*
Lin-Manuel Miranda*In the Heights*
Nell Benjamin & Laurence O'Keefe*Legally Blonde*
Mark Eaton, Elaina Newport & William Strauss*Capitol Steps*
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman*Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me*
**Stew*****Passing Strange* **
Lynn Ahrens*The Glorious Ones*
Mel Brooks*Young Frankenstein*
John Bucchino*A Catered Affair*
Ben Katchor*The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island*
Jason Loewith & Joshua Schmidt*Adding Machine*
**Stephen Sondheim*****Road Show***
Neil Bartram*The Story of My Life*
Jason Robert Brown*[13](13-musical)*
Marcy Heisler*Dear Edwina*
David Lindsay-Abaire*Shrek the Musical*
Dolly Parton*[9 to 5](9-to-5-musical)*

2010s

YearLyricistProductionRef.2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
**Fred Ebb & John Kander*****The Scottsboro Boys* **
Rick Crom*Newsical*
Kevin Del Aguila*Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type*
Adèle Anderson & Dillie Keane*Fascinating Aïda*
Andrew Lippa*The Addams Family*
David Zellnik*Yank!*
**Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone*****The Book of Mormon* **
Rick Crom*Newsical The Musical – Full Spin Ahead*
Jack Lechner*The Kid*
Adam Mathias*See Rock City & Other Destinations*
Glenn Slater*Sister Act*
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman*Catch Me If You Can*
**Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová*****Once***
Don Black*Bonnie & Clyde*
Jack Feldman*Newsies*
Joy Gregory & Gunnar Madsen*The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World*
Michael John LaChiusa*Queen of the Mist*
Maury Yeston*Death Takes a Holiday*
**Tim Minchin*****Matilda the Musical* **
Amanda Green*Hands on a Hardbody*
Green & Lin-Manuel Miranda*Bring It On: The Musical*
Michael John LaChiusa*Giant*
Dave Malloy*Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812*
Steve Rosen & David Rossmer*The Other Josh Cohen*
**Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak*****A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder* **
Howard Ashman, Chad Beguelin & Tim Rice*Aladdin*
Jason Robert Brown*The Bridges of Madison County*
Michael Friedman*Love's Labour's Lost*
Michael Korie*Far from Heaven*
Lisa Kron*Fun Home*
**Lin-Manuel Miranda*****Hamilton* **
Jason Robert Brown*Honeymoon in Vegas*
Fred Ebb*The Visit*
Michael Friedman*The Fortress of Solitude*
Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick*Something Rotten!*
Benjamin Scheuer*The Lion*
**Benj Pasek & Justin Paul*****Dear Evan Hansen* **
Sara Bareilles*Waitress*
Glenn Slater*School of Rock*
Michael John LaChiusa*First Daughter Suite*
**David Yazbek*****The Band's Visit* **
Gerard Alessandrini*Spamilton*
GQ & JAQ*Othello: The Remix*
Michael Korie*War Paint*
David Hein & Irene Sankoff*Come from Away*
**Peter Kellogg*****Desperate Measures***
Nell Benjamin*Mean Girls*
Quiara Alegría Hudes & Erin McKeown*Miss You Like Hell*
Helen Park & Max Vernon*KPOP*
**David Yazbek*****Tootsie* **
Chad Beguelin*The Prom*
Andrew R. Butler*Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future*
Joe Iconis*Be More Chill*
Peter Mills*The Hello Girls*

2020s

YearLyricistProductionRef.202020212022202320242025
**Michael R. Jackson*****A Strange Loop***
Susan Birkenhead*The Secret Life of Bees*
Adam Gwon*Scotland, PA*
Joanne Sydney Lessner & Joshua Rosenblum*Einstein's Dreams*
Dave Malloy*Octet*
Mark Saltzman*Romeo & Bernadette*
*No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City*}}
**Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss*****Six***
Amanda Green*Mr. Saturday Night*
Taylor Mac*The Hang*
David Lindsay-Abaire*Kimberly Akimbo*
Lynn Nottage*Intimate Apparel*
Shaina Taub*Suffs*
**Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman*****Some Like It Hot***
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally*Shucked*
Jonathan Hogue*Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical*
Michael R. Jackson*White Girl in Danger*
Adam Schlesinger and Sarah Silverman*The Bedwetter*
**David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna*****Dead Outlaw***
Rachel Bloom, Eli Bolin, and Jack Dolgen*Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Show*
Jason Robert Brown*The Connector*
Michael R. Jackson*Teeth*
Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine*The Outsiders*
**Will Aronson and Hue Park***Maybe Happy Ending*
Gerard Alessandrini*Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song*
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts*Operation Mincemeat*
Adam Gwon*All the World's a Stage*
Marla Mindelle and Philip Drennen*The Big Gay Jamboree*
Luis Quintero*Medea: Re-Versed*

Multiple wins

; 10 wins

  • Stephen Sondheim

; 3 wins

  • David Yazbek

; 2 wins

  • Gerard Alessandrini
  • Fred Ebb
  • Marc Shaiman
  • Scott Wittman

Multiple nominations

; 12 nominations

  • Stephen Sondheim

; 6 nominations

  • Jason Robert Brown

; 5 nominations

  • Michael John LaChiusa
  • David Yazbek

; 4 nominations

  • Fred Ebb
  • Marc Shaiman
  • Scott Wittman

; 3 nominations

  • Lynn Ahrens
  • Gerard Alessandrini
  • Howard Ashman
  • Chad Beguelin
  • Rick Crom
  • William Finn
  • Amanda Green
  • Michael R. Jackson
  • Michael Korie
  • Richard Maltby, Jr.
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda
  • Tim Rice
  • Maury Yeston

; 2 nominations

  • Susan Birkenhead
  • Mel Brooks
  • Mark Campbell
  • Craig Carnelia
  • Michael Friedman
  • Jerry Herman
  • John Kander
  • Jonathan Larson
  • David Lindsay-Abaire
  • Andrew Lippa
  • Robert Lopez
  • Dave Malloy
  • Laurence O'Keefe
  • Glenn Slater
  • David Zippel

References

References

  1. "1969 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  2. "1970 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  3. "1971 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  4. "1972 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  5. "1973 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  6. "1974 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  7. "1975 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  8. "1976 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  9. "1977 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  10. "1978 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  11. (June 2, 1979). "Sweeney and Elephant Man Win Top Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times.
  12. "1979 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  13. "1980 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  14. "1982 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  15. "1983 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  16. "1984 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  17. "1985 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  18. "1988 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  19. (May 25, 1988). "Into the Woods Wins Award". The New York Times.
  20. "1990 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  21. (May 17, 1990). "Drama Desk Awards to Angels and Lesson". The New York Times.
  22. "1991 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  23. (13 May 1991). "'Will Rogers' and 'Yonkers' Win Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times.
  24. "1992 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  25. "1993 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  26. (May 18, 1993). "Drama Desk Honors Kiss and Angels". The New York Times.
  27. "1994 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  28. "1996 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  29. Robert Viagas. (May 20, 1996). "Drama Desk Awards to Rent, Master Class".
  30. "1997 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  31. (May 13, 1997). "Drama Desk Picks Performers, Presenters & Venue, May 18".
  32. (May 1997). "Chicago Tops Drama Desks". Variety.
  33. "1998 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  34. (May 17, 1998). "Ragtime, Beauty Queen Win Drama Desk Awards".
  35. "1999 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  36. (May 9, 1999). "List of 1999 Drama Desk Winners".
  37. (May 9, 1999). "1999 Drama Desk Winners: Not About Nightingales Design Trio".
  38. "2000 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  39. Kenneth Jones. (May 14, 2000). "2000 Drama Desk Winners Are Real Thing, Kate, Copenhagen & Contact".
  40. "2001 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  41. Kenneth Jones, Robert Simonson. (May 20, 2001). "2001 Drama Desk Winners Include Producers, Proof and Mnemonic".
  42. "2002 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  43. Robert Simonson. (May 20, 2002). "Drama Desk Awards Announced; Goat, Metamorphoses Tie for Best Play, Millie Scores".
  44. "2003 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  45. Robert Simonson. (May 1, 2003). "Hairspray Leads 2003 Drama Desk Award Nominations".
  46. (May 19, 2003). "Hairspray Wins 10 Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times.
  47. "2004 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  48. (April 29, 2004). "Wicked Leads Drama Desk Nominations". The New York Times.
  49. Andrew Gans, Robert Simonson. (May 16, 2004). "Wicked, Assassins, Henry IV, Wife Win Drama Desk Awards".
  50. "2005 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  51. (May 23, 2005). "2005 Drama Desk Award winners announced".
  52. "2006 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  53. Andrew Gans. (May 22, 2006). "Drowsy Chaperone and History Boys Big Winners at the 2006 Drama Desk Awards".
  54. "2007 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  55. New York Theatre Guide Staff. (May 20, 2007). "Drama Desk Awards 2006–2007 Winners Announced".
  56. Andrew Gans. (May 20, 2007). "52nd Annual Drama Desk Awards Presented May 20".
  57. "2008 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  58. (May 19, 2008). "Arts: Drama Desk’s Awards". The New York Times.
  59. New York Theatre Guide Staff. (October 19, 2017). "Drama Desk Awards 2008 Winners Announced".
  60. "2009 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  61. (May 17, 2009). "Drama Desk Awards Announced". The New York Times.
  62. Andrew Gans. (May 18, 2009). "Ruined and Billy Elliot Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards".
  63. "2010 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  64. "2011 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  65. Kenneth Jones. (May 24, 2011). "Drama Desk Awards Go to Book of Mormon, Normal Heart, War Horse, Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz".
  66. David Rooney. (May 23, 2011). "Book of Mormon, Anything Goes Top Drama Desk Awards". Variety.
  67. "2012 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  68. (June 4, 2012). "Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times.
  69. New York Theatre Guide Staff. (June 3, 2012). "The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards".
  70. "2013 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  71. Michael Paulson. (May 20, 2013). "Matilda Wins Big at Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times.
  72. "2014 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  73. New York Theatre Guide Staff. (June 1, 2014). "The 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards".
  74. Jesse Green. (June 1, 2014). "Drama Desk Embraces a Gentleman’s Guide". The New York Times.
  75. "2015 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  76. Gordon Cox. (May 31, 2015). "2015 Drama Desk Awards Winners (FULL LIST): 'Hamilton' Takes 7".
  77. "2016 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  78. Gordon Cox. (June 5, 2016). "2016 Drama Desk Awards (FULL LIST): 'Shuffle Along,' 'The Humans'".
  79. "2017 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  80. Variety Staff. (June 5, 2017). "Drama Desk Awards 2017: Full List of Winners".
  81. "2018 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  82. Playbill Staff. (June 3, 2018). "SpongeBob SquarePants Leads 2018 Drama Desk Awards".
  83. "2019 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  84. Ruthie Fierberg. (June 2, 2019). "Tootsie, Hadestown, and The Ferryman Lead 2019 Drama Desk Award Winners".
  85. "2020 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  86. Dan Meyer. (June 13, 2020). "A Strange Loop, The Inheritance, Moulin Rouge! Win Big at 2020 Drama Desk Awards".
  87. Evans, Greg. (2021-05-05). "Broadway To Reopen Sept. 14, Says Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Broadway League "Cautiously Optimistic"". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
  88. "2022 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  89. Chloe Rabinowitz. (June 8, 2022). "COMPANY, SIX & More Win 2022 Drama Desk Awards – See the Full List!".
  90. Gillian Russo. (June 8, 2022). "2022 Drama Desk Award winners announced".
  91. "2023 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  92. Logan Culwell-Block. (May 31, 2023). "Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Drama Desk Awards; See the Full List of Winners".
  93. "2024 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  94. Logan Culwell-Block. (June 10, 2024). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards With 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play".
  95. "2025 Awards – Nominees and Recipients".
  96. Logan Culwell-Block. (June 1, 2025). "Drama Desk Award Winners 2025: The Full List".
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