2017 Drama League Nominations & Awards

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:17pm

Starting this thread a bit early this year, but exciting news that Bette Midler will be receiving a Special Award!

Nominations Announcement: Wednesday, April 19 at 11 a.m., announced by Patina Miller and Bebe Neuwirth.

Ceremony: Friday, May 19, hosted by Audra McDonald and Will Swenson. 

Any thoughts on who this year's Distinguished Performance will go to?

Updated On: 4/19/17 at 01:17 PM

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:17pm

Ben Platt

[little_sally]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:18pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Ben Platt

He was my first thought too.

[FutureDirector]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:21pm

Will Sunday be eligible for Drama League Awards or did it pull out of consideration for all awards? Because if not, Jake could be in the running. So could Glenn Close for sunset, as I belive she is eligible as well. Typically the drama league award is a body of work award more or less, so Ben Platt may be too young.

Updated On: 4/3/17 at 01:21 PM

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:22pm

I thought they may give it to Bette because of her status and of course great performance, but it seems she is receiving that other award in place of it. I could very well see it going to Ben and hope it does. Will he be the youngest to have won it?

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:24pm

Ben Platt was nominated for Distinguished Performance for Dear Evan Hansen last year for the Off-Broadway production. Is he eligible to be nominated again? I genuinely have no idea how the Drama League handles these types of things.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:24pm

Actually, three awards have been announced:

2017 Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater: Bette Midler

2017 Award for Unique Contribution to the Theater: Bill Berloni

2017 The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Michael Greif 

Updated On: 4/3/17 at 01:24 PM

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:25pm

AC126748 said: "Ben Platt was nominated for Distinguished Performance for Dear Evan Hansen last year for the Off-Broadway production. Is he eligible to be nominated again? I genuinely have no idea how the Drama League handles these types of things."

I believe he can be nominated again! Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs were nominated both in 2015 and 2016 for their respective performances in the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Hamilton. 

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:26pm

I was going to mention how they often to go with the body of work and forgot that Glenn may very well be eligible. If so, it's probably her award. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:30pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "AC126748 said: "Ben Platt was nominated for Distinguished Performance for Dear Evan Hansen last year for the Off-Broadway production. Is he eligible to be nominated again? I genuinely have no idea how the Drama League handles these types of things."

I believe he can be nominated again! Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs were nominated both in 2015 and 2016 for their respective performances in the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Hamilton. 

 

"

If there's only one thing I remember about last year's Drama League award, Hamilton was not eligible for it across the board, which made it quite interesting to see how other shows would fare without the elephant in the house.

Updated On: 4/3/17 at 01:30 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:32pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "AC126748 said: "Ben Platt was nominated for Distinguished Performance for Dear Evan Hansen last year for the Off-Broadway production. Is he eligible to be nominated again? I genuinely have no idea how the Drama League handles these types of things."

I believe he can be nominated again! Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs were nominated both in 2015 and 2016 for their respective performances in the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Hamilton. 

 

"

If there's only one thing I remember about last year's Drama League award, Hamilton was not eligible for it across the board, which made it quite interesting to see how other shows would fare without the elephant in the house.

 

Actually, Hamilton and LMM won last year, even though Hamilton lost to An American In Paris the year before.

Glenn Close is another great possibility.

 

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:33pm

Dancingthrulife2 said:
If there's only one thing I remember about last year's Drama League award, Hamilton was not eligible for it across the board, which made it quite interesting to see how other shows would fare without the elephant in the house.

 

"

Not sure what you're talking about since Hamilton was eligible and won last year. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:34pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "If there's only one thing I remember about last year's Drama League award, Hamilton was not eligible for it across the board, which made it quite interesting to see how other shows would fare without the elephant in the house."

I think you might be mixing up the Drama League Awards and the Drama Desk Awards?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:35pm

"So could Glenn Close for sunset, as I believe she is eligible as well."

I believe each performer is only allowed to win one Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance for the duration of their lifetime, and Glenn Close won in 1992 for Death and the Maiden, likely making her ineligible for SUNSET back in 1995 - and hence, ineligible for SUNSET now in 2017.  (Cherry Jones won the Distinguished Performance award in 1995 for THE HEIRESS)

I agree with the posters above that Ben Platt seems likely to win this year, now that Bette Midler is seemingly out of the running due to her special award.

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:37pm

You're right, Withoutatrace, didn't realize she had already won.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:47pm

Allison Janney?

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:49pm

Has Laurie Metcalf ever won it? Could be a possibility if they go with a play.

Updated On: 4/3/17 at 01:49 PM

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 2:34pm

No, she has not.

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 2:39pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "If there's only one thing I remember about last year's Drama League award, Hamilton was not eligible for it across the board, which made it quite interesting to see how other shows would fare without the elephant in the house."

I think you might be mixing up the Drama League Awards and the Drama Desk Awards?

 

"

Sorry, my mistake!

[MNC77]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 6:15pm

What about some of the people in plays? If they think Ben is too young, maybe Kevin Kline or Jefferson Mays? 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 6:17pm

Here's the full list of Distinguished Performance award winners, just in case anybody wants to scroll through...

http://dramaleague.org/events/awards/award-history#%E2%80%8BDistinguished%20Performance%20Award

[djoko84]

Posted: 4/4/17 at 6:06am

Ben Platt should have this one in the bag. They changed the rules last year so that Hamilton would be eligible. Transfers are eligible for both their off-Broadway and Broadway incarnations which means Dear Evan Hansen and Ben Platt are eligible again this year. I wish the Outer Critics and Drama Desks would do the same thing, but at least it gives Come From Away a chance to win those this year.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 4/4/17 at 11:32am

BroadwayConcierge said: "Actually, three awards have been announced:

2017 Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater: Bette Midler

2017 Award for Unique Contribution to the Theater: Bill Berloni

2017 The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Michael Greif 

 

"

People can stop guessing. It was said early on this forum that Bette is getting it

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/4/17 at 11:34am

disneybroadway, Bette has won the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award. People are predicting who might win the Distinguished Performance Award, the winner of which won't be announced until May 19.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 4/4/17 at 11:35am

Ahhhhhhhhh, I get it now. Thanks for the clarification