The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play 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.
The award was established in 1969, with the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design being presented each year to any play or musical production. Starting in 1996, the singular award was replaced by separate play and musical categories, but then merged again from 2010 to 2015; the separate play and musical categories have again co-existed since 2016.
David Gallo, Bob Crowley, Tim Hatley, Scott Pask, John Lee Beatty and Miriam Buether currently hold the record for most wins in the category, with two each. Derek McLane holds the record for most nominations without a win, with ten, followed by Beatty with seven (though he won two).
Winners and nominees Key
1990s Year Designer Production Ref. 1996 Scott Bradley Seven Guitars Derek McLane and Mark McKenna The Monogamist Neil Patel Quills Narelle Sissons Entertaining Mr. Sloane Julie Taymor and Christine Jones The Green Bird Tony Walton A Fair Country 1997 David Gallo and Jan Hartley Bunny Bunny Robert Brill The Rehearsal Marina Draghici The Skriker Derek McLane Present Laughter James Noone The Gin Game 1998 The Quay Brothers The Chairs ''' |rowspan=6| |- | Loy Arcenas | Ballad of Yachiyo|- | Chris Barreca | Three Days of Rain|- | John Lee Beatty | Ivanov|- | Santo Loquasto | Milansky/Zilisnky or 'Schmucks |- | Derek McLane | Misalliance|- ! rowspan="7"| 1999 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Richard Hoover | 'Not About Nightingales '|align=center rowspan=6| |- | John Lee Beatty | The Mystery of Irma Vep|- | Maria Björnson | Britannicus and Phèdre|- | Bob Crowley | Twelfth Night |- | Allen Moyer | That Championship Season|- | James Noone | Night Must Fall''
2000s Year Designer Production Ref. 2000 David Gallo Jitney Derek McLane East is East James Noone The Time of the Cuckoo Rob Odorisio An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf Neil Patel Dinner with Friends Tony Walton Uncle Vanya 2001 Bob Crowley The Invention of Love |rowspan=6| |- | John Lee Beatty | Comic Potential |- | Jeff Cowie | The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant |- | David Gallo | King Hedley II |- | Thomas Lynch | Old Money |- | Dean Taucher | Tabletop |- ! rowspan="7"| 2002 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Tim Hatley| Private Lives |rowspan=6| |- | John Lee Beatty | Morning's at Seven |- | Michael Brown | World of Mirth |- | David Gallo | Wonder of the World |- | Derek McLane | The Women |- | Douglas Stein and Rupert Bohle | 36 Views |- ! rowspan="7"| 2003 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | John Lee Beatty| Dinner at Eight |align=center rowspan=6| |- | John Lee Beatty | My Old Lady |- | Troy Hourie | Temporary Help |- | Scott Pask | Take Me Out |- | Neil Patel | Endpapers |- | B.T. Whitehill | Shanghai Moon |- ! rowspan="7"| 2004 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | John Lee Beatty| Twentieth Century Scott Bradley The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci Ralph Funicello Henry IV David Korins Blackbird Andrew Lieberman Wintertime Derek McLane I Am My Own Wife 2005 Santo Loquasto Glengarry Glen Ross |rowspan=6| |- | Robert Brill | A Streetcar Named Desire |- | Marisa Frantz | Frankenstein |- | Nathan Heverin | Outward Bound |- | Richard Hoover | After the Fall |- | David Korins | Orange Flower Water |- ! rowspan="7"| 2006 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Michael Yeargan| Awake and Sing! |rowspan=6| |- | Roger Hanna | Walking Down Broadway |- | Eugene Lee | The Ruby Sunrise |- | Derek McLane | Abigail's Party |- | Robert Wilson | Peer Gynt |- | Michael Yeargan | Seascape |- ! rowspan="7"| 2007 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Bob Crowley and Scott Pask| The Coast of Utopia |align=center rowspan=6| |- | David Gallo | Radio Golf |- | rowspan="2"| David Korins | Essential Self-Defense |- | Jack Goes Boating |- | Garin Marschall | Hell House |- | Scott Pask | Blackbird |- ! rowspan="7"| 2008 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Scott Pask| Les Liaisons Dangereuses |align=center rowspan=6| |- | Beowulf Boritt | Spain |- | Scott Bradley | Eurydice |- | David Korins | Hunting and Gathering |- | Santo Loquasto | Trumpery |- | Clint Ramos | The Return of the Prodigal |- ! rowspan="7"| 2009 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | David Korins| Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them Dale Ferguson Exit the King Rob Howell The Norman Conquests Neil Patel Fifty Words Derek McLane 33 Variations Walt Spangler Desire Under the Elms
2010s Year Designer Production Ref.2010-2015N/A 2016 Christopher Oram Hughie |rowspan=5| |- | Riccardo Hernandez | Red Speedo |- | Mimi Lien | John |- | G. W. Mercier | Head of Passes |- | Derek McLane | Fully Committed |- ! rowspan="6" |2017 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" |Nigel Hook|The Play That Goes Wrong |rowspan=5| |- |David Gallo |Jitney |- |Laura Jellinek |A Life |- |Stewart Laing |The Hairy Ape |- |Douglas W. Schmidt |The Front Page |- ! rowspan="6" |2018 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" |Miriam Buether|Three Tall WomenBunny ChristiePeople, Places and ThingsLizzie ClachanYermaMaruti EvansKill Move ParadiseLouisa ThompsonIn the Blood2019Matt Saunders"Daddy"Miriam BuetherThe JungleEs DevlinGirls & BoysMaruti EvansThe Peculiar PatriotMimi LienFairview
2020s Year Designer Production Ref.2020 Clint Ramos Grand Horizons Catherine Cornell Mac Beth Adam Rigg Fefu and Her Friends Paul Steinberg Judgment Day B.T. Whitehill The Confession of Lily Dare 2021 colspan="2" 2022 Takeshi Kata Clyde's Beowulf Boritt Merry Wives Wilson Chin Pass Over Marsha Ginsberg English Junghyun Georgia Lee Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord2023 Tim HatleyLife of PiJason Ardizzone-WestWedding BandBeowulf BorittOhio State MurdersdotsPublic ObscenitiesNatasha JenkinsLoveJohn McDermottChains2024 David ZinnStereophonicdotsAppropriateEs DevlinThe HuntDerek McLanePurlie Victorious: A Non-ConfederateRomp through the Cotton PatchScott PaskGrey House2025 Miriam Buether, Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher Stranger Things: The First Shadow Miriam Buether Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. Rob Howell The Hills of California Johan Kølkjær Dark Noon Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher Life and Trust Matt Saunders Walden2026Chloe LamfordDeath of a SalesmanHarry FeinerCeremonies in Dark Old MenSoutra GilmourWaiting for GodotTatiana KahvegianMeet the CartoziansDerek McLaneThe Adding MachineThe Balusters
Multiple wins 2 wins David Gallo Bob Crowley Tim Hatley Scott Pask John Lee Beatty Miriam Buether
Multiple nominations 10 nominations Derek McLane
7 nominations John Lee Beatty
6 nominations David Gallo David Korins
5 nominations Scott Pask
4 nominations Scott Bradley Neil Patel Miriam Buether
3 nominations James Noone Santo Loquasto Bob Crowley
2 nominations Tony Walton Robert Brill Richard Hoover B.T. Whitehill Tim Hatley Michael Yeargan Clint Ramos Mimi Lien Maruti Evans Matt Saunders Es Devlin dots Rob Howell
See also Laurence Olivier Award for Best Set Design Tony Award for Best Scenic Design
References
External links