The Drama Desk dos and don'ts
The President shall appoint a Drama Desk Awards Nominating Chair, In consultation with the Chair, the President shall appoint an Awards Nominating Committee consisting of Active Members who regularly cover off-Broadway as well as Broadway productions as part of their professional responsibilities.
Whenever possible, the Committee shall have at least one member who is also a member of the Board of Directors.
The appointment of the Awards Chair and of the Committee for each year shall take place in September.
The Nominating Committee shall, in general, consist of not less than five and not more than seven members, who will agree to meet during the theatrical season. The Chair will provide a list of all productions to be considered, Attendance at the meetings is mandatory, Members who miss a single meeting for other than emergency reasons, or members who miss two meetings for any reason, shall automatically be dropped from that year's Committee.
At all meetings, productions will be considered on their merits, without regard as to whether they originated on or Off-Broadway.
A production must have at least 17 performances to be eligible.
The first production of a play or musical in New York is the one that shall be deemed eligible for Awards. If a production moves from a not-for-profit theater to a commercial house or from off-Broadway to Broadway it is the original production that will be considered. A show that has played in any New York venue in a previous year shall be eligible in the Revival category, although the actors/director/designers, etc. may be considered in their appropriate categories.
Actors in all categories will be considered without regard to their billing. That is, the committee may decide that a particular role is a starring role, even though the actor playing that role is not given star billing. In the same way, the Committee may consider an actor as being in the featured category despite the fact that he or she has been given top billing.
Categories will be flexible as to number of entries. If necessary, categories may be eliminated. The Committee may find only one entry worthy of nomination. Except in unusual circumstances, to be approved by unanimous vote of the Committee, categories should be limited to a maximum of six nominations. On no account may they be expanded beyond seven nominations.
The Nominating Committee may vote Special Awards at its discretion, including the creation of Ongoing Special Awards, such as the Ongoing Special Award for Outstanding Musical Direction. Ongoing Special Awards need not be awarded every year, but shall be awarded from time to time, at the discretion of the Awards Nominating Committee.
The Committee shall only discuss its deliberations with other members of the Committee. No proposed nominations shall be considered final until the conclusion of the final meeting.
Committee members may only take part in the deliberations on productions they have seen. The majority shall rule in all considerations
The Chair will make a written record of each Meetings proposed nominations, and shall see that a second, separate written record is kept. These can he helpful in avoiding errors and omissions.
Drama Desk members will be encouraged throughout the year to see as many off-Broadway productions as possible so that Drama Desk voting will not mirror other awards.
The following are possible categories. (The Awards Nominating Committee may eliminate or create new categories at its discretion):
- OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
- OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR/PLAY
- OUTSTANDING ACTOR/PLAY
- OUTSTANDING ACTRESS/PLAY
- OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR/PLAY
- OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS/PLAY
- OUTSTANDING MUSIC
- OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
- OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
- OUTSTANDING REVIVAL
- OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS
- OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
- OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
- OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EFFECTS
- UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE
- OUTSTANDING ONE PERSON SHOW
- OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/MUSIC IN A PLAY
- OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR/MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING ACTOR/MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING ACTRESS/MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR/MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS/MUSICAL
- OUTSTANDING LYRICS
The Awards Committee is not constrained to determine the "best" production or performance. It is nominating "outstanding" productions and performances.
At the end of the final Awards Committee meeting, the Chair shall see that a typed ballot reflecting the nominations put forward by the Committee shall be sent to all Active members. Nominations shall be announced to the public, and Certificates of Nomination sent to the nominees. Members shall have two weeks (ten business days) to return their signed ballots.
Winners shall be announced to the public, and the Awards shall be presented at the annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony.
In the event of a tie vote, each equal winner shall be presented with his or her own Award.
In the category of Outstanding New Play, the author shall receive the Award. In the category of Outstanding Musical, the producers shall receive the Award. Where several producers are involved, all those billed above the title shall receive Certificates of Nomination. The Drama Desk shall provide one Award, which one producer will accept. The producers may purchase additional Awards. The producers will designate which of them will accept the Award.
WELCOME TO LEGEND OF KREMLIN VODKA.. NOW OFFICIAL VODKA OF THE DRAMA DESK AWARDS!
53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards Nomination Announced; A Catered Affair leads list with 12 Nominations
New York, April 28, 2008—Nominations for the 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club (..read more)
Cast of [title of show] to host 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards on May 18 at F.H. Laguardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center
The cast of [title of show], the original musical that will open on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre in July, will host the 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards on Sunday, May 18, at 9:00 PM (..read more)
