Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor
Awarded for	Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Location	United States
Presented by	Drama Desk
Currently held by	Santino Fontana for Tootsie (2019)
Website	DramaDesk.org

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, with acting awards being given without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, or actors and actresses. The new award categories were later created in the 1975 ceremony.

† – indicates the performance won the Tony Award
‡ – indicates the performance was also nominated for the Tony Award

Winners and nominees

1970s

Year	Actor	Musical	Character
1975
	John Cullum	Shenandoah	Charlie Anderson †
	Tim Curry	The Rocky Horror Show	Dr. Frank N. Furter
	Joel Grey	Goodtime Charley	Charley ‡
	Raúl Juliá	Where's Charley?	Charley Wykeham ‡
1976
	Ian Richardson	My Fair Lady	Henry Higgins ‡
	Raúl Juliá	The Threepenny Opera	Macheath
	Jerry Orbach	Chicago	Billy Flynn ‡
	Nicol Williamson	Rex	Henry VIII, King of England
1977
	Lenny Baker	I Love My Wife	Alvin
	Barry Bostwick	The Robber Bridegroom	Jamie Lockhart †
	Yul Brynner	The King and I	The King of Siam
	Robert Guillaume	Guys and Dolls	Nathan Detroit ‡
	Reid Shelton	Annie	Oliver Warbucks ‡
1978
	Ken Page	Ain't Misbehavin'	Performer
	Gary Baker	A History of the American Film	Unknown
	Henderson Forsythe	The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas	Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd
	Richard Kiley	Man of La Mancha	Don Quixote / Cervantes
1979
	Len Cariou	Sweeney Todd	Sweeney Todd †
	Joel Grey	The Grand Tour	S. L. Jacobowsky ‡
	Charles Repole	Whoopee!	Henry Williams
	Peter Walker	My Old Friends	Peter Schermann

1980s

Year	Actor	Musical	Character
1980
	Jim Dale	Barnum	P. T. Barnum †
	Christopher Durang	Das Lusitania Spongspiel	Performer
	Mandy Patinkin	Evita	Che
	Mickey Rooney	Sugar Babies	Mickey ‡
	Giorgio Tozzi	The Most Happy Fella	Tony ‡
	Jerry Zaks	Tintypes	Performer
1981
	Kevin Kline	The Pirates of Penzance	The Pirate King †
	George Rose	The Pirates of Penzance	Major-General ‡
	Martin Vidnovic	Brigadoon	Tommy Albright ‡
1982–83
	N/A	N/A	N/A
1984
	George Hearn	La Cage aux Folles	Albin †
	Gene Barry	La Cage aux Folles	Georges ‡
	Mandy Patinkin	Sunday in the Park with George	George ‡
1985
	Ron Richardson	Big River	Jim
	David Carroll	La bohème	Rodolfo
	Harry Groener	Harrigan 'N Hart	Edward Harrigan
	Mark Hamill	Harrigan 'N Hart	Tony Hart
	Daniel H. Jenkins	Big River	Huckleberry Finn
	Gary Morris	La bohème	Rodolfo
1986
	George Rose	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Mayor Thomas Sapsea / William Cartwright †
	Cleavant Derricks	Big Deal	Charley ‡
	Howard McGillin	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	John Jasper / Mr. Clive Paget
1987
	Robert Lindsay	Me and My Girl	Bill Snibson †
	Ed Dixon	Shylock	Shylock
	Mandy Patinkin	The Knife	Peter
	Colm Wilkinson	Les Misérables	Jean Valjean ‡
1988
	Michael Crawford	The Phantom of the Opera	The Phantom of the Opera †
	David Carroll	Chess	Anatoly ‡
	Howard McGillin	Anything Goes	Billy Crocker ‡
	George Merritt	Lost in the Stars	Stephen Kumalo
1989
	Jason Alexander	Jerome Robbins' Broadway	Various Characters †
	Bob Gunton	Sweeney Todd	Sweeney Todd ‡
	Richard Muenz	The Pajama Game	Sid Sorokin
	Scott Wise	Jerome Robbins' Broadway	Various Characters

1990s

Year	Actor	Musical	Character
1990
	James Naughton	City of Angels	Stone †
	Mike Burstyn	The Rothschilds	Mayer
	David Carroll	Grand Hotel	Felix Von Gaigern ‡
1991
	Jonathan Pryce	Miss Saigon	The Engineer †
	Keith Carradine	The Will Rogers Follies	Will Rogers ‡
	Paul Hipp	Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story	Buddy Holly ‡
	Mandy Patinkin	The Secret Garden	Archibald Craven
1992
	Gregory Hines	Jelly's Last Jam	Jelly Roll Morton †
	Nathan Lane	Guys and Dolls	Nathan Detroit ‡
	Peter Gallagher	Guys and Dolls	Sky
	Spiro Malas	The Most Happy Fella	Tony
1993
	Brent Carver	Kiss of the Spider Woman	Luis Molina †
	Jason Graae	Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah!	Barry Brockman
	Con O'Neill	Blood Brothers	Mickey ‡
	Martin Short	The Goodbye Girl	Elliot Garfield ‡
1994
	Boyd Gaines	She Loves Me	Georg Nowack †
	Michael Hayden	Carousel	Billy Bigelow
	Terrence Mann	Beauty and the Beast	The Beast ‡
	Jere Shea	Passion	Giorgio ‡
1995
	Vernel Bagneris	Jelly Roll	Jelly Roll Morton
	Matthew Broderick	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	J. Pierrepont Finch †
	Malcolm Gets	Merrily We Roll Along	Franklin Shepard
	George Hearn	Sunset Boulevard	Max
	J. K. Simmons	Das Barbecü	Various Characters
1996
	Nathan Lane	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum	Pseudolus †
	David Garrison	I Do! I Do!	Michael
	Savion Glover	Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk	'da Beat / Lil' Dahlin' ‡
	Daniel H. Jenkins	Big: the musical	Josh Baskin
	Adam Pascal	Rent	Roger Davis ‡
	Lou Diamond Phillips	The King and I	The King of Siam ‡
1997
	Robert Cuccioli	Jekyll & Hyde	Dr. Henry Jekyll / Edward Hyde ‡
	Jim Dale	Candide	Dr. Pangloss ‡
	Jason Danieley	Candide	Candide
	Daniel McDonald	Steel Pier	Bill Kelly ‡
	James Naughton	Chicago	Billy Flynn †
1998
	Alan Cumming	Cabaret	The Master of Ceremonies †
	Peter Friedman	Ragtime	Tateh ‡
	John Cameron Mitchell	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	Hedwig
	Douglas Sills	The Scarlet Pimpernel	Percy Blakeney ‡
	Brent Spiner	1776	Adams
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Ragtime	Coalhouse Walker, Jr. ‡
1999
	Brent Carver	Parade	Leo Frank ‡
	Martin Short	Little Me	Various Characters †
	Patrick Wilson	Bright Lights, Big City	Jamie
	Tom Wopat	Annie Get Your Gun	Frank Butler ‡

2000s

Year	Actor	Musical	Character
2000
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Kiss Me, Kate	Fred Graham / Petruchio †
	Craig Bierko	The Music Man	Harold Hill ‡
	Brian d'Arcy James	The Wild Party	Burrs
	Boyd Gaines	Contact	Michael Wiley
	Mandy Patinkin	The Wild Party	Burrs ‡
2001
	Nathan Lane	The Producers	Max Bialystock †
	Matthew Broderick	The Producers	Leo Bloom ‡
	Kevin Chamberlin	Seussical	Horton the Elephant ‡
	Tom Hewitt	The Rocky Horror Show	Dr. Frank N. Furter ‡
	Deven May	Bat Boy: The Musical	Bat Boy
	Patrick Wilson	The Full Monty	Jerry Lukowski ‡
2002
	John Lithgow	Sweet Smell of Success	J.J. Hunsecker †
	Norbert Leo Butz	The Last Five Years	Jamie
	Brian d'Arcy James	Sweet Smell of Success	Sidney
	Raúl Esparza	Tick, Tick... Boom!	Jon
	Peter Gallagher	Guys and Dolls	Sky
	Patrick Wilson	Oklahoma!	Curly ‡
2003
	Antonio Banderas	Nine	Guido Contini ‡
	Harvey Fierstein	Hairspray	Edna Turnblad †
	Malcolm Gets	Amour	Dusoleil ‡
	Jason Petty	Hank Williams: Lost Highway	Hank Williams
	John Selya	Movin' Out	Eddie ‡
	Brian Stokes Mitchell	Man of La Mancha	Don Quixote / Cervantes ‡
2004
	Hugh Jackman	The Boy from Oz	Peter Allen †
	Hunter Foster	Little Shop of Horrors	Seymour ‡
	Tyrone Giordano	Big River	Huckleberry Finn
	Michael McElroy	Big River	Jim ‡
	Alfred Molina	Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye ‡
	Euan Morton	Taboo	George ‡
2005
	Norbert Leo Butz	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels	Freddy Benson †
	Hank Azaria	Monty Python's Spamalot	Various Characters ‡
	Mike Burstyn	On Second Avenue	Performer
	Matthew Morrison	The Light in the Piazza	Fabrizio Naccarelli
	David Hyde Pierce	Monty Python's Spamalot	Sir Robin
	Bill Thompson	God Hates the Irish	Johnny Kavanaugh
2006
	John Lloyd Young	Jersey Boys	Frankie Valli †
	Michael Cerveris	Sweeney Todd	Sweeney Todd ‡
	Harry Connick, Jr.	The Pajama Game	Sid Sorokin ‡
	Marc Kudisch	See What I Wanna See	Morito / Husband / CPA
	Stephen Lynch	The Wedding Singer	Robbie Hart ‡
	Bob Martin	The Drowsy Chaperone	Man in Chair ‡
2007
	Raúl Esparza	Company	Robert ‡
	Michael Cerveris	LoveMusik	Kurt Weill ‡
	John Gallagher, Jr.	Spring Awakening	Moritz
	Jonathan Groff	Spring Awakening	Melchior ‡
	David Hyde Pierce	Curtains	Lieutenant Frank Cioffi †
	Martin Short	Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me	Himself
2008
	Paulo Szot	South Pacific	Emile de Becque †
	Daniel Breaker	Passing Strange	Youth
	André De Shields	Black Nativity	Preacher / Narrator
	Daniel Evans	Sunday in the Park with George	George ‡
	Cheyenne Jackson	Xanadu	Sonny Malone
	Matthew Morrison	10 Million Miles	Duane
2009
	Brian d'Arcy James	Shrek the Musical	Shrek ‡
	James Barbour	A Tale of Two Cities	Sydney Carton
	Daniel Breaker	Shrek the Musical	Donkey
	Josh Grisetti	Enter Laughing	David Kolowitz
	Sahr Ngaujah	Fela!	Fela Kuti
	Will Swenson	Hair	Berger

2010s

Year	Actor	Musical	Character
2010
	Douglas Hodge	La Cage aux Folles	Albin †
	Brandon Victor Dixon	The Scottsboro Boys	Haywood Patterson
	Cheyenne Jackson	Finian's Rainbow	Woody
	Chad Kimball	Memphis	Huey Calhoun ‡
	Nathan Lane	The Addams Family	Gomez
	Bobby Steggert	Yank!	Stu
2011
	Norbert Leo Butz	Catch Me If You Can	Carl Hanratty †
	Colin Donnell	Anything Goes	Billy Crocker
	Daniel Radcliffe	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	J. Pierrepont Finch
	Andrew Rannells	The Book of Mormon	Elder Price ‡
	Tony Sheldon	Priscilla, Queen of the Desert	Bernadette ‡
	Christopher Sieber	The Kid	Dan
2012
	Danny Burstein	Follies	Buddy Plummer ‡
	Kevin Earley	Death Takes a Holiday	Death / Sirki
	Raúl Esparza	Leap of Faith	Jonas Nightengale
	Jeremy Jordan	Newsies	Jack Kelly ‡
	Norm Lewis	Porgy and Bess	Porgy ‡
	Ricky Martin	Evita	Che
2013
	Billy Porter	Kinky Boots	Lola †
	Eric Anderson	Soul Doctor	Shlomo Carlebach
	Brian d'Arcy James	Giant	Bick
	Jim Norton	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Mayor Thomas Sapsea / William Cartwright
	Steve Rosen	The Other Josh Cohen	Josh Cohen
	Ryan Silverman	Passion	Giorgio
	Anthony Warlow	Annie	Oliver Warbucks
2014
	Neil Patrick Harris	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	Hedwig †
	Jefferson Mays	A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder	The D'Ysquith Family ‡
	Adam Jacobs	Aladdin	Aladdin
	Andy Karl	Rocky the Musical	Rocky Balboa ‡
	Steven Pasquale	The Bridges of Madison County	Robert Kincaid
	Bryce Pinkham	A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder	Monty Navarro ‡
2015
	Robert Fairchild	An American in Paris	Jerry Mulligan ‡
	Brian d'Arcy James	Something Rotten!	Nick Bottom ‡
	Jeremy Kushnier	Atomic	Leo Szilard
	Lin-Manuel Miranda	Hamilton	Alexander Hamilton ‡
	Matthew Morrison	Finding Neverland	J. M. Barrie
	Ryan Silverman	Side Show	Terry Connor
2016
	Danny Burstein	Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye ‡
	Robert Creighton	Cagney	James Cagney
	Michael C. Hall	Lazarus	Thomas Newton
	Zachary Levi	She Loves Me	Georg Nowack ‡
	Benjamin Walker	American Psycho	Patrick Bateman
2017
	Andy Karl	Groundhog Day	Phil Connors ‡
	Nick Blaemire	Tick, Tick... Boom!	Jonathan
	Jon Jon Briones	Miss Saigon	The Engineer
	Nick Cordero	A Bronx Tale	Sonny
	Jeremy Secomb	Sweeney Todd	Sweeney Todd
2018
	Ethan Slater	SpongeBob SquarePants	SpongeBob SquarePants ‡
	Jelani Alladin	Frozen	Kristoff Bjorgman
	Harry Hadden-Paton	My Fair Lady	Henry Higgins ‡
	Joshua Henry	Carousel	Billy Bigelow ‡
	Evan Ruggiero	Bastard Jones	Performer
2019
	Santino Fontana	Tootsie	Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels †
	Brooks Ashmanskas	The Prom	Barry Glickman ‡
	Andrew R. Butler	Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future	Rags Parkland
	Damon Daunno	Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!	Curly McLain ‡
	Steven Skybell	Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye

Multiple wins

3 wins

• Nathan Lane

2 wins

• Danny Burstein
• Norbert Leo Butz
• Brent Carver

See also

• Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical
• Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical

References

• "Drama Desk Award for Actor in a Musical". Internet Broadway Database. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
• 2002 New York Times article

External links

• Drama Desk official website