The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical was 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. The award was one of eight new acting awards first presented in 1975, when Drama Desk retired an earlier award that had made no distinction between work in plays and musicals, nor between actors and actresses, nor between lead performers and featured performers.
After the 2022 ceremony, all eight acting categories introduced in 1975 were retired. The award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, along with Outstanding Actress in a Musical, were replaced in 2023 with the gender neutral category of Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical.
Winners and nominees Key
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 Bayer A History of the American Film Jimmy 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 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 Bateman2017Andy KarlGroundhog DayPhil ConnorsNick BlaemireTick, Tick... Boom!JonathanJon Jon BrionesMiss SaigonThe EngineerNick CorderoA Bronx TaleSonnyJeremy SecombSweeney ToddSweeney Todd2018Ethan SlaterSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsJelani AlladinFrozenKristoff BjorgmanHarry Hadden-PatonMy Fair LadyHenry Higgins Joshua HenryCarouselBilly Bigelow Evan RuggieroBastard JonesPerformer2019Santino FontanaTootsieMichael Dorsey/Dorothy MichaelsBrooks AshmanskasThe PromBarry Glickman Andrew R. ButlerRags Parkland Sings the Songs of the FutureRags ParklandDamon DaunnoRodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!Curly McLain Steven SkybellFidler Afn DakhTevye
2020s Year Actor Musical Character 2020Larry OwensA Strange LoopUsherDavid Aron DamaneThe Unsinkable Molly BrownJJChris DwanEnter LaughingDavid KolowitzJoshua HenryThe Wrong ManDuranFrancis JueSoft PowerDHH 2021 colspan="3" 2022Jaquel SpiveyA Strange LoopUsherBilly CrystalMr. Saturday NightBuddy Young, Jr.Myles FrostMJMJRob McClureMrs. DoubtfireDaniel HillardChip ZienHarmony: A New MusicalElder Rabbi
Multiple wins and nominations
3 wins Nathan Lane
2 wins Danny Burstein Norbert Leo Butz Brent Carver
5 nominations Brian d'Arcy James Mandy Patinkin
4 nominations Nathan Lane
3 nominations Brian Stokes Mitchell Matthew Morrison Norbert Leo Butz Patrick Wilson Raúl Esparza
2 nominations Raúl Juliá Joel Grey Jim Dale James Naughton George Hearn Peter Gallagher Malcolm Gets Boyd Gaines Matthew Broderick David Hyde Pierce Cheyenne Jackson Danny Burstein Brent Carver Joshua Henry Andy Karl
See also Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
References
External links