Am 1. Mai 2009 werden die diesjährigen Drama Desk Awards vergeben, ein Preis, der seit 1955 von Schriftstellern, Kritikern und Redakteuren für Theater in New York verliehen wird.

Was die diesjährigen Nominierungen betrifft, so sollte man in die Beurteilung mit einbeziehen, dass sich die Verantwortlichen entschieden haben, eine der herausragendsten aktuellen Broadway-Shows, “Next to Normal”, nicht bei ihren Überlegungen, wer einen Preis bekommen könnte, mit einzubeziehen. “Next to Normal” lief im Vorjahr als Off-Broadway-Show, und für die Broadway-Produktion forderten die Produzenten eine Einstufung als “völlig neue Show”, was die Jury vorerst ablehnte. Die Folge des Disputs zwischen Jury und Produzenten: Man verpasste Fristen, die Show fiel komplett aus dem Rennen um Drama Desk und Outer Critics Circle Awards heraus. Bei den Tony Awards jedoch ist “Next to Normal” in allen Kategorien teilnahmeberechtigt. Insofern sind weder Drama Desk noch Outer Critics Circle Awards in diesem Jahr so etwas wie Trendbarometer für die Tony Awards.

Ansonsten heißt es bei den Drama Desk Awards: Dolly Parton Superstar. Gleich 15 Nominierungen heimste die Country-Sängerin mit ihrer Show “9 to 5″ ein, dicht gefolgt von “Shrek” (12 Awards) und “Billy Elliot” (10 Awards). Möge also ein Wunder geschehen, und möge “Next to Normal” DER Abräumer bei den Tonys 2009 werden.

Die Nominierungen der Musical-Kategorien im Detail:

9 to 5 (15 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Stephanie J. Block
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Megan Hilty
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Allison Janney
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Marc Kudish
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: Joe Mantello
- Outstanding Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler
- Outstanding Music: Dolly Parton
- Outstanding Lyrics: Dolly Parton
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: Patricia Resnick
- Outstanding Orchestrations: Bruce Coughlin
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Scott Pask
- Outstanding Costume Design: William Ivey Long
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Jules Fisher, Kenneth Posner
- Outstanding Sound Design: John H. Shivers

Shrek The Musical (12 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Daniel Breaker
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Brian d’Arcy James
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Sutton Foster
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Christopher Sieber
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: James Moore
- Outstanding Music: Jeanine Tesori
- Outstanding Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: David Lindsay-Abaire
- Outstanding Orchestrations: Danny Troob
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Tim Hatley
- Outstanding Costume Design: Tim Hatley

Billy Elliot (10 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Gregory Jbara
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Haydn Gwynne
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: Stephen Daldry
- Outstanding Choreography: Peter Darling
- Outstanding Music: Elton John
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: Lee Hall
- Outstanding Orchestrations: Martin Koch
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Rick Fisher
- Outstanding Sound Design: Paul Arditti

Hair (8 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Will Swenson
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Bryce Ryness
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: Diane Paulus
- Outstanding Choreography: Karole Armitage
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Scott Pask
- Outstanding Costume Design: Michael McDonald
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Kevin Adams

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (6 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: Walter Bobbie
- Outstanding Choreography: Randy Skinner
- Outstanding Orchestrations: Larry Blank
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Anna Louizos
- Outstanding Costume Design: Carrie Robbins
- Outstanding Sound Design: Acme Sound Partners

Fela! (4 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Sahr Ngaujah
- Outstanding Choreography: Bill T. Jones
- Outstanding Orchestrations: Aaron Johnson, Antibalas

The Story of My Life (4 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Musical
- Outstanding Music: Neil Bartram
- Outstanding Lyrics: Neil Bartram
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: Brian Hill

Enter Laughing The Musical (3 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Josh Grisetti
- Outstanding Director of a Musical: Stuart Ross

Pal Joey (3 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Stockard Channing
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Martha Plimpton

The Toxic Avenger (3 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Demond Green
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Nancy Opel
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: Joe DiPietro

Road Show (2 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Music: Stephen Sondheim
- Outstanding Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

West Side Story (2 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Karen Olivo

Dear Edwina (2 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Music: Zina Goldrich
- Outstanding Lyrics: Marcy Heisler

A Tale of Two Cities (2 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical: James Barbour
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Richard Pilbrow

My Vaudeville Man! (2 Nominierungen)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Karen Murphy
- Outstanding Choreography: Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Shonn Wiley

Liza’s at the Palace….
- Outstanding Musical

13
- Outstanding Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown

Happiness
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Hunter Foster

The Marvelous Wonderettes
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Farah Alvin

Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Christina Bianco

This Beautiful City
- Outstanding Book of a Musical: Steven Cosson, Jim Lewis

Happiness
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Thomas Lynch

Arias With a Twist
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Basil Twist

Clay
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Jason Lyons

Improbable Frequency
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Sinà©ad McKenna