The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding 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.
Stephen Sondheim is the artist with the most wins and nominations in the category, winning four of his eight nominations. Following closely behind are Thomas Meehan, Cy Coleman and James Lapine with three wins each. For nominations, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alan Menken, Terrence McNally and Jeanine Tesori follow Sondheim with seven nominations each.
Winners and nominees Key
1970s Year Musical Book Music Lyrics Ref. 1975 The Wiz William F. Brown Charlie Smalls Goodtime Charley Sidney Michaels Larry Grossman Hal Hackady In Gay Company Fred Silver The Lieutenant Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman and Chuck Strand 1976 A Chorus Line James Kirkwood Marvin Hamlisch Edward Kleban Pacific Overtures John Weidman Stephen Sondheim The Robber Bridegroom Alfred Uhry Robert Waldman Alfred Uhry 1977 Annie Thomas Meehan Charles Strouse Martin Charnin Happy End Elisabeth Hauptmann Kurt Weill Bertolt Brecht I Love My Wife Michael Stewart Cy Coleman Michael Stewart The King and I Oscar Hammerstein II Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II Porgy and Bess DuBose Heyward George Gershwin DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin The Robber Bridegroom Alfred Uhry Robert Waldman Alfred Uhry 1978 Ain't Misbehavin' N/A Thomas "Fats" Waller Various The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Larry L. King and Peter Masterson Carol Hall Dancin' Various Runaways Elizabeth Swados Working Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso Various 1979 Sweeney Todd Hugh Wheeler Stephen Sondheim Eubie! Eubie Blake Various They're Playing Our Song Neil Simon Marvin Hamlisch Carole Bayer Sager The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Jacques Demy Michel Legrand Sheldon Harnick
1980s Year Musical Book Music Lyrics Ref. 1980 Evita | Tim Rice| Andrew Lloyd Webber| Tim Rice|rowspan=5| |- | The 1940's Radio Hour | Walton Jones | colspan="2"| Various |- | Barnum | Mark Bramble | Cy Coleman | Michael Stewart |- | Sidewalkin| colspan="3"| Jake Holmes |- | Tintypes | Mel Marvin and Gary Pearle | colspan="2"| Various |- ! rowspan="4"| 1981 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | The Pirates of Penzance | W. S. Gilbert| Arthur Sullivan| W. S. Gilbert|rowspan=3| |- | 42nd Street | Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble | Harry Warren | Al Dubin |- | Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music | | colspan="2"| Various |- ! rowspan="5"| 1982 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Nine | Arthur Kopit| colspan="2"| Maury Yeston|rowspan=4| |- | Dreamgirls | Tom Eyen | Henry Krieger | Tom Eyen |- | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Tim Rice | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Tim Rice |- | Pump Boys and Dinettes | colspan="3"| Pump Boys and Dinettes |- ! rowspan="3"| 1983 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Little Shop of Horrors| Howard Ashman| Alan Menken| Howard Ashman|rowspan=2| |- | My One and Only | Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer | George Gershwin | Ira Gershwin |- ! rowspan="5"| 1984 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Sunday in the Park with George | James Lapine| colspan="2"| Stephen Sondheim|rowspan=4| |- | Baby | Sybille Pearson | David Shire | Richard Maltby, Jr. |- | The Rink | Terrence McNally | John Kander | Fred Ebb |- | Taking My Turn | Robert H. Livingston | Gary William Friedman | Will Holt |- ! rowspan="2"| 1985 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | colspan="4" |- ! rowspan="5"| 1986 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | The Mystery of Edwin Drood | colspan="3"| Rupert Holmes|rowspan=4| |- | Big Deal | Bob Fosse | Various |- | Goblin Market | Polly Pen and Peggy Harmon | Polly Pen | Polly Pen and Peggy Harmon |- | Personals | Alan Merken | Stephen Schwartz | Alan Merken |- ! rowspan="5"| 1987 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Les Misérables | Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil| Claude-Michel Schönberg| Herbert Kretzmer|rowspan=4| |- | Me and My Girl | L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber | Noel Gay | L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber |- | Olympus on My Mind | Barry Harman | Grant Sturiale | Barry Harman |- | Starlight Express | | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Richard Stilgoe |- ! rowspan="3"| 1988 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Into the Woods | James Lapine| colspan="2"| Stephen Sondheim|rowspan=3|
| The Phantom of the Opera | Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Charles Hart |- ! rowspan="3"| 1989 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Jerome Robbins' Broadway | N/A| colspan="2"| Various''' |rowspan=2| |- | Black and Blue'' Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orezzoli Various
1990s Year Musical Book Music Lyrics Ref. 1990 City of Angels | Larry Gelbart| Cy Coleman| David Zippel|rowspan=2| |- | Aspects of Love | colspan="2"| Andrew Lloyd Webber | Don Black and Charles Hart |- ! rowspan="4"| 1991 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | The Will Rogers Follies Peter Stone Cy Coleman Betty Comden and Adolph Green Assassins John Weidman Stephen Sondheim The Secret Garden Marsha Norman Lucy Simon Marsha Norman 1992 Crazy for You | Ken Ludwig| George Gershwin| Ira Gershwin|rowspan=2| |- | Jelly's Last Jam | George C. Wolfe | Jelly Roll Morton | Susan Birkenhead |- ! rowspan="5"| 1993 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Kiss of the Spider Woman | Terrence McNally| John Kander| Fred Ebb|rowspan=4| |- | Ruthless! | Joel Paley | Marvin Laird | Joel Paley |- | The Who's Tommy | Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff | colspan="2"| Pete Townshend |- | Wings | Arthur Perlman | Jeffrey Lunden | Arthur Perlman |- ! rowspan="4"| 1994 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Passion | James Lapine| colspan="2"| Stephen Sondheim|rowspan=3| |- | Beauty and the Beast | Linda Woolverton | Alan Menken | Howard Ashman and Tim Rice |- | Hello Again | colspan="3"| Michael John LaChiusa |- ! rowspan="6"| 1995 |- style="background:#DCEEFF | Show Boat Oscar Hammerstein II Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II and P.G. Wodehouse A Christmas Carol Alan Menken Lynn Ahrens How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert Frank Loesser Merrily We Roll Along George Furth Stephen Sondheim Sunset Boulevard Christopher Hampton and Don Black Andrew Lloyd Webber Don Black 1996 Rent Jonathan Larson Bed and Sofa Laurence Klavan Polly Pen Laurence Klavan Big: the musical John Weidman David Shire Richard Maltby, Jr. Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk Reg E. Gaines Daryl Waters, Zane Mark and Ann Duquesnay Reg E. Gaines, George C. Wolfe and Ann Duquesnay Chronicle of a Death Foretold Graciela Daniele and Jim Lewis Bob Telson Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa Floyd Collins Tina Landau Adam Guettel 1997 The Life Cy Coleman, David Newman and Ira Gasman Cy Coleman Ira Gasman Steel Pier David Thompson John Kander Fred Ebb Violet Brian Crawley Jeanine Tesori Brian Crawley 1998 Ragtime Terrence McNally Stephen Flaherty Lynn Ahrens Forever Tango Various Hedwig and the Angry Inch John Cameron Mitchell Stephen Trask High Society Arthur Kopit Cole Porter Cole Porter and Susan Birkenhead The Lion King Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi Elton John Tim Rice 1999 Parade Alfred Uhry Jason Robert Brown A New Brain William Finn and James Lapine William Finn The Civil War Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn Frank Wildhorn Jack Murphy
2000s Year Musical Book Music Lyrics Ref. 2000 Contact John Weidman Various James Joyce's The Dead Richard Nelson Shaun Davey Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey Saturday Night Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein Stephen Sondheim Swing! Paul Kelley Various The Wild Party Andrew Lippa 2001 The Producers Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan Mel Brooks Bat Boy: The Musical Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming Laurence O'Keefe Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin Kristen Childs The Full Monty Terrence McNally David Yazbek Urinetown Greg Kotis Mark Hollman Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman 2002 Thoroughly Modern Millie Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan Jeanine Tesori Dick Scanlan The Last Five Years Jason Robert Brown Sweet Smell of Success John Guare Marvin Hamlisch Craig Carnelia Tick, Tick... BOOM! Jonathan Larson and David Auburn Jonathan Larson 2003 Hairspray Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan Marc Shaiman Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman A Man of No Importance Terrence McNally Stephen Flaherty Lynn Ahrens Amour Didier Van Cauwelaert and Jeremy Sams Michel Legrand Jeremy Sams Avenue Q Jeff Whitty Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx Movin' Out Twyla Tharp Billy Joel Zanna, Don't! Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris Tim Acito Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris 2004 Wicked Winnie Holzman Stephen Schwartz Caroline, or Change Tony Kushner Jeanine Tesori Tony Kushner Johnny Guitar Nicholas van Hoogstraten Martin Silvestri and Joel Higgins Joel Higgins The Musical of Musicals Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell Eric Rockwell Joanne Bogart 2005 Monty Python's Spamalot Eric Idle John Du Prez and Eric Idle Eric Idle The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Rachel Sheinkin William Finn Altar Boyz Kevin Del Aguila Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Jeffrey Lane David Yazbek The Light in the Piazza Craig Lucas Adam Guettel 2006 The Drowsy Chaperone Bob Martin and Don McKellar Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison Grey Gardens Doug Wright Scott Frankel Michael Korie Jersey Boys Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe See What I Wanna See Michael John LaChiusa Thrill Me Stephen Dolginoff The Wedding Singer Tim Herlihy and Chad Beguelin Matthew Sklar Chad Beguelin 2007 Spring Awakening Steven Sater Duncan Sheik Steven Sater Curtains Rupert Holmes John Kander Fred Ebb In the Heights Quiara Alegría Hudes Lin-Manuel Miranda Legally Blonde Heather HachNell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe LoveMusik Alfred Uhry Kurt Weill Various Mary Poppins Julian Fellowes Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe 2008 Passing Strange Stew Stew and Heidi Rodewald Stew A Catered Affair Harvey Fierstein John Bucchino Adding Machine Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt Joshua Schmidt Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt The Glorious Ones Lynn Ahrens Stephen Flaherty Lynn Ahrens The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island Ben Katchor Mark Mulcahy Ben Katchor Xanadu Douglas Carter Beane Jeff Lynne and John Farrar 2009 Billy Elliot the Musical Lee Hall Elton John Lee Hall 9 to 5 Patricia Resnick Dolly Parton Fela! Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis Fela Kuti Liza's at the Palace... Ron Lewis Various Shrek the Musical David Lindsay-Abaire Jeanine Tesori David Lindsay-Abaire The Story of My Life Brian Hill Neil Bartram
2010s