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 Year Lyricist Production Ref. 1969 George Haimsohn & Robin Miller Dames at Sea Fred Ebb Zorba
1970s Year Lyricist Production Ref. 1970 Stephen Sondheim Company |rowspan=2| |- |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Bertolt Brecht| Mahagonny 1971 Stephen Sondheim Follies | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1972 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | John Guare| Two Gentlemen of Verona | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1973 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stephen Sondheim| A Little Night Music | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1974 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Al Carmines| The Faggot 1975 Charlie Smalls The Wiz |rowspan=4| |- | Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand | The Lieutenant |- | Jerry Herman | Mack and Mabel |- | Fred Silver | In Gay Company |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1976 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Edward Kleban & Marvin Hamlisch| A Chorus Line |rowspan=4| |- | Leonard Bernstein | 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue |- | Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe | Tuscaloosa's Calling Me |- | Stephen Sondheim | Pacific Overtures |- ! rowspan="3" align="center"| 1977 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Martin Charnin| Annie |rowspan=2| |- | Alfred Uhry | The Robber Bridegroom |- ! rowspan="3" align="center"| 1978 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Carol Hall| The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Elizabeth Swados Runaways 1979 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 Year Lyricist Production Ref. 1980 Tim Rice Evita |rowspan=2| |- | Steve Brown | Strider |- ! align="center"| 1981 | colspan="3" |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1982 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stephen Sondheim| Merrily We Roll Along |rowspan=4| |- |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Maury Yeston| Nine |- | Tom Eyen | Dreamgirls |- | Jim Wann | Pump Boys and Dinettes |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1983 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Howard Ashman| Little Shop of Horrors Michael Colby Charlotte Sweet T.S. Eliot Cats Des McAnuff Death of Von Richthofen 1984 Stephen Sondheim Sunday in the Park with George Jerry Herman La Cage aux Folles Richard Maltby Jr. Baby Garry Trudeau Doonesbury 1985 Roger Miller Big River Jerry Colker 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down Ellen Fitzhugh Grind 1986, 1987 colspan="3" 1988 Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods Barry Harman Romance/Romance 1989 colspan="3"
1990s Year Lyricist Production Ref. 1990 David Zippel City of Angels |rowspan=3| |- | Richard Maltby Jr. | Closer Than Ever |- | Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston | Grand Hotel |- ! rowspan="4" align="center"| 1991 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | William Finn| Falsettoland Marsha Norman The Secret Garden Stephen Sondheim Assassins 1992 Susan Birkenhead Jelly's Last Jam |rowspan=2| |- | Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul Lockheart | Song of Singapore |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1993 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Joel Paley| Ruthless! Douglas Bernstein & Denis Markell A Backer's Audition Arthur Perlman Wings David Zippel The Goodbye Girl 1994 Stephen Sondheim Passion |rowspan=3| |- | Howard Ashman & Tim Rice | Beauty and the Beast |- | Michael John LaChiusa | Hello Again |- ! align="center"| 1995 | colspan="3" |- ! rowspan="6" align="center"| 1996 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Jonathan Larson| Rent |rowspan=5| |- | Adam Guettel | Floyd Collins |- | Laurence Klavan | Bed and Sofa |- | Mark Campbell | Splendora |- | Richard Maltby Jr. | Big |- ! rowspan="4" align="center"| 1997 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Gerard Alessandrini| Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back Brian Crawley Violet Mark Waldrop When Pigs Fly 1998 Lynn Ahrens Ragtime |rowspan=3| |- | Stephen Trask | Hedwig and the Angry Inch |- | Susan Birkenhead | Triumph of Love |- ! rowspan="4" align="center"| 1999 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Gerard Alessandrini| Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act Jason Robert Brown Parade William Finn A New Brain
2000s Year Lyricist Production Ref. 2000 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 2001 Mel Brooks The Producers |rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2002 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | 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 2003 Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Hairspray |align=center rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="6" align="center"| 2004 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stephen Schwartz| Wicked |align=center rowspan=5| |- | Joanne Bogart | The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) |- | Boy George | Taboo |- | Sean Hartley | Cupid and Psyche |- | Joel Higgins | Johnny Guitar |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2005 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Eric Idle| Spamalot |rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2006 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison| The Drowsy Chaperone |rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2007 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Steven Sater| Spring Awakening |align=center rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2008 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stew| Passing Strange |align=center rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7" align="center"| 2009 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stephen Sondheim| Road Show Neil Bartram The Story of My Life Jason Robert Brown 13 Marcy Heisler Dear Edwina David Lindsay-Abaire Shrek the Musical Dolly Parton 9 to 5
2010s Year Lyricist Production Ref. 2010 Fred Ebb & John Kander The Scottsboro Boys |rowspan=6| |- | 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! |- ! rowspan="7"| 2011 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone| The Book of Mormon |align=center rowspan=6| |- | 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 |- ! rowspan="7"| 2012 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | 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 2013 Tim Minchin Matilda the Musical Amanda Green Hands on a Hardbody Green & Lin-Manuel Miranda Bring It On: The Musical Michael John LaChiusa GiantDave Malloy Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Steve Rosen & David Rossmer The Other Josh Cohen 2014 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 2015 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 2016 Benj Pasek & Justin Paul Dear Evan Hansen Sara Bareilles Waitress Glenn Slater School of Rock Michael John LaChiusa First Daughter Suite2017 David Yazbek The Band's Visit Gerard Alessandrini Spamilton GQ & JAQ Othello: The Remix Michael Korie War PaintDavid Hein & Irene Sankoff Come from Away 2018Peter KelloggDesperate MeasuresNell BenjaminMean Girls Quiara Alegría Hudes & Erin McKeownMiss You Like HellHelen Park & Max VernonKPOP2019David YazbekTootsie Chad BeguelinThe Prom Andrew R. ButlerRags Parkland Sings the Songs of the FutureJoe IconisBe More Chill Peter MillsThe Hello Girls
2020s Year Lyricist Production Ref. 2020 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 2021 colspan="2" 2022 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 2023 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 Bedwetter2024 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 2025 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-Versed2026Jim Barne and Kit BuchanTwo Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)Dahlak BrathwaiteTry/Step/TripEthan LiptonThe Seat of Our PantsDouglas LyonsBeau the MusicalBrian Quijada and Nygel D. RobinsonMexodus
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
See also Tony Award for Best Original Score Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score
References