Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress
Awarded for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Location United States New York City
Currently held by Laura Osnes for Cinderella (2013)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since. Before the 21st Drama Desk Awards, acting awards were given without making distinctions between roles in straight dramas as opposed to musicals, nor were there separate categories for actors and actresses. The Drama Desk Award is unique in that it recognizes performances from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway.

Award winners and nominations

† - indicates the performance won the Tony Award
‡ - indicates the performance was also nominated for the Tony Award

1960s

Year Actress Musical Character
1964
Imelda de Martin The Amorous Flea Agnes
1965-1968
Award Not Presented
1969
Bernadette Peters Dames at Sea Ruby
Dorothy Loudon The Fig Leaves Are Falling Lillian Stone ‡

1970s

Year Actress Musical Character
1970
Lauren Bacall Applause Margo Channing †
Ethel Merman Hello Dolly Dolly Gallagher Levi
Sandy Duncan The Boyfriend Maisie ‡
1971
Helen Gallagher No, No, Nanette Lucille Early †
Alexis Smith Follies Phyllis Rogers Stone †
1972
Jonelle Allen The Two Gentlemen of Verona Silvia ‡
1973
Glynis Johns A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt †
Michele Lee Seesaw Gittel Mosca ‡
1974
Ruby Lynn Reyner La Bohemia Trilby
1975
Angela Lansbury Gypsy Mama Rose †
Stephanie Mills The Wiz Dorothy
Bernadette Peters Mack and Mabel Mabel Normand ‡
Ann Reinking Goodtime Charley Joan of Arc ‡
Marcia McClain Where's Charley? Amy Spettigue
1976
Donna McKechnie A Chorus Line Cassie Ferguson †
Kelly Bishop A Chorus Line Sheila Bryant †
Penny Fuller Rex Anne Boleyn / Elizabeth I
Elizabeth Wilson The Threepenny Opera Celia Peachum
Patti Lupone The Robber Bridegroom Rosamund Musgrove ‡
Virginia Seidel Very Good Eddie Elsie Darling ‡
1977
Clamma Dale Porgy and Bess Bess ‡
Julia McKenzie Side by Side by Sondheim Various Characters ‡
Meryl Streep Happy End Lillian Holiday
Esther Hinds Porgy and Bess Bess
Catherine Cox Music Is Viola
Joan Copeland Pal Joey Vera Simpson
1978
Nell Carter Ain't Misbehavin Nell †
Judy Kaye On the Twentieth Century Agnes
Charlayne Woodard Ain't Misbehavin Charlayne ‡
Angela Lansbury The King and I Anna Leonowens
Carlin Glynn The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Mona Stangley †
Phyllis Newman My Mother was a Fortune Teller Phyllis
1979
Angela Lansbury Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett †
Lucie Arnaz They're Playing Our Song Sonia Walsk
Dorothy Loudon Ballroom Bea Asher ‡

1980s

Year Actress Musical Character
1980
Patti LuPone Evita Eva Perón †
Sigourney Weaver Das Lusitania Songspiel -
Sandy Duncan Peter Pan Peter Pan ‡
Ann Miller Sugar Babies Ann ‡
1981
Lena Horne Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Lena †
Chita Rivera Bring Back Birdie Rosie Alvarez ‡
1982
Jennifer Holliday Dreamgirls Effie White †
Sheryl Lee Ralph Dreamgirls Deena Jones ‡
1983
Natalia Makarova On Your Toes Vera Barnova †
Betty Buckley Cats Grizabella †
Ellen Greene Little Shop of Horrors Audrey
Twiggy My One and Only Edith Herbert ‡
Mara Beckerman Charlotte Sweet Charlotte Sweet
1984
Chita Rivera The Rink Anna †
Alyson Reed Marilyn Marilyn Monroe
Liza Minnelli The Rink Angel ‡
Bernadette Peters Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie ‡
Shirley Maclaine Shirley Maclaine on Broadway Shirley
1985
Award Not Presented
1986
Bernadette Peters Song and Dance Emma †
Debbie Allen Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine ‡
Cleo Laine The Mystery of Edwin Drood Angela Prysock / The Princess Puffer ‡
Patti Cohenour The Mystery of Edwin Drood Miss Deirdre Peregrine / Rosa Bud ‡
Ann Morrison Goblin Market Lizzie
Terri Klausner Goblin Market Laura
1987
Teresa Stratas Rags Rebecca Hershkowitz ‡
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio The Knife Jenny
Lonette McKee Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill Billie Holiday
Maryann Plunkett Me and My Girl Sally Smith †
1988
Patti Lupone Anything Goes Reno Sweeney ‡
Sarah Brightman The Phantom of the Opera Christine Daaé
Judy Kuhn Chess Florence Vassy ‡
Bernadette Peters Into the Woods The Witch
1989
Toni diBuono Forbidden Broadway Various Characters
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte Jerome Robbins' Broadway Hildy Esterhazy/Mazeppa/Rosalia/Company †
Faith Prince Jerome Robbins' Broadway Ma/Tessie/Company ‡
Beth Fowler Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett ‡
Roxie Lucas Forbidden Broadway Various Characters

1990s

Year Actress Musical Character
1990
Tyne Daly Gypsy Mama Rose †
Lynne Wintersteller Closer Than Ever Various Characters
Debby Boone The Sound of Music Maria von Trapp
1991
Lea Salonga Miss Saigon Kim †
June Angela Shogun Lady Mariko ‡
LaChanze Once on This Island Ti Moune ‡
Daisy Eagan The Secret Garden Mary Lennox †
1992
Faith Prince Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide †
Donna Murphy Song of Singapore Rose
Sophie Hayden The Most Happy Fella Rosabella ‡
1993
Chita Rivera Kiss of the Spider Woman Aurora / Spider Woman †
Laura Bell Bundy Ruthless! Tina Denmark
Donna English Ruthless! Judy Denmark / Ginger Del Marco
Helen Schneider Frida Frida Kahlo
Linda Stephens Wings Emily Stilson
1994
Donna Murphy Passion Fosca †
Susan Egan Beauty and the Beast Belle ‡
Melissa Errico My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle
Margaret Illman The Red Shoes Victoria Page
1995
Glenn Close Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond †
Lonette McKee Show Boat Julie LaVerne ‡
Julie Johnson Das Barbecü Various Characters
Elaine Stritch Show Boat Parthy Ann Hawks
Candy Buckley The Petrified Prince Queen Katarina
1996
Julie Andrews Victor/Victoria Victoria Grant ‡
Donna Murphy The King and I Anna Leonowens †
Crista Moore Big Susan Lawrence ‡
Daphne Rubin-Vega Rent Mimi Marquez ‡
Terri Klausner Bed and Sofa Ludmilla
Karen Ziemba I Do! I Do! She (Agnes)
1997
Bebe Neuwirth Chicago Velma Kelly †
Pamela Isaacs The Life Queen ‡
Lauren Ward Violet Violet Karl
Linda Eder Jekyll & Hyde Lucy Harris
Karen Ziemba Steel Pier Rita Racine ‡
1998
Natasha Richardson Cabaret Sally Bowles †
Melissa Errico High Society Tracy Samantha Lord
Marin Mazzie Ragtime Mother ‡
Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner Side Show Violet and Daisy Hilton ‡
1999
Bernadette Peters Annie Get Your Gun Annie Oakley †
Carolee Carmello Parade Lucille Frank ‡
Siân Phillips Marlene Marlene Dietrich ‡

2000s

Year Actress Musical Character
2000
Heather Headley Aida Aida †
Toni Collette The Wild Party Queenie ‡
Rebecca Luker The Music Man Marian Paroo ‡
Marin Mazzie Kiss Me Kate Lilli Vanessi / Katherine ‡
Audra McDonald Marie Christine Marie Christine L'Adrese ‡
Julia Murney The Wild Party Queenie
2001
Marla Schaffel Jane Eyre Jane Eyre ‡
Christine Ebersole 42nd Street Dorothy Brock †
Sally Mayes Pete 'n' Keely Keely
Faith Prince Bells Are Ringing Ella Peterson ‡
Kaitlin Hopkins Bat Boy Meredith Parker
LaChanze The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin Viveca
2002
Sutton Foster Thoroughly Modern Millie Millie Dillmount †
Laura Benanti Into the Woods Cinderella ‡
Louise Pitre Mamma Mia Donna Sheridan ‡
Garrett Long The Spitfire Grill Percy Talbott
Vanessa Williams Into the Woods The Witch ‡
Sherie Rene Scott The Last Five Years Cathy Hyatt
2003
Marissa Jaret Winokur Hairspray Tracy Turnblad †
Ann Duquesnay Cookin' at the Cookery Alberta Hunter / Various Characters
Wei Huang La bohème Mimi ‡
Elizabeth Parkinson Movin' Out Brenda ‡
Bernadette Peters Gypsy Mama Rose ‡
Stephanie D'Abruzzo Avenue Q Kate Monster / Lucy the Slut / Company ‡
2004
Donna Murphy Wonderful Town Ruth Sherwood ‡
Kristin Chenoweth Wicked Glinda ‡
Elaine Paige Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett
Idina Menzel Wicked Elphaba †
Tonya Pinkins Caroline or Change Caroline Thibodeaux ‡
Judy McLane Johnny Guitar Vienna
2005
Victoria Clark The Light in the Piazza Margaret Johnson †
Christina Applegate Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine ‡
LaChanze Dessa Rose Dessa Rose
Sutton Foster Little Women Josephine 'Jo' March ‡
Sherie Rene Scott Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Christine Colgate ‡
Rachel York Dessa Rose Ruth
2006
Christine Ebersole Grey Gardens 'Little Edie' Beale †
Sutton Foster The Drowsy Chaperone Janet Van De Graaff ‡
Patti LuPone Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett ‡
Kelli O'Hara The Pajama Game Catherine 'Babe' Williams ‡
Idina Menzel See What I Wanna See Kesa / Wife / Actress
Nancy Anderson Fanny Hill Fanny Hill
2007
Audra McDonald 110 in the Shade Lizzie Curry ‡
Donna Murphy Lovemusik Lotte Lenya ‡
Laura Bell Bundy Legally Blonde Elle Woods ‡
Ashley Brown Mary Poppins Mary Poppins
Lea Michele Spring Awakening Wendla
Kristin Chenoweth The Apple Tree Eve / Princess Barbara / Ella and Passionella
2008
Patti LuPone Gypsy Mama Rose †
Alice Ripley Next to Normal Diana Goodman †
Kelli O'Hara South Pacific Ensign Nellie Forbush ‡
Faith Prince A Catered Affair Agnes 'Aggie' Hurley ‡
Jenna Russell Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie ‡
Sierra Boggess The Little Mermaid Princess Ariel
2009
Allison Janney 9 to 5 Violet Newstead ‡
Stockard Channing Pal Joey Vera Simpson ‡
Stephanie J. Block 9 to 5 Judy Bernly
Sutton Foster Shrek Princess Fiona ‡
Megan Hilty 9 to 5 Doralee Rhodes
Karen Murphy My Vaudeville Man! Mud Donahue

2010s

Year Actress Musical Character
2010
Montego Glover Memphis Felicia Farrell ‡
Catherine Zeta-Jones A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt †
Kate Baldwin Finian's Rainbow Sharon McLonergan ‡
Jayne Houdyshell Coraline Coraline
Christiane Noll Ragtime Mother ‡
Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture Sherie Rene Scott ‡
2011
Sutton Foster Anything Goes Reno Sweeney †
Beth Leavel Baby It's You Florence Greenberg ‡
Patina Miller Sister Act Deloris Van Cartier ‡
Donna Murphy The People in the Picture Bubbie / Raisel ‡
Sherie Rene Scott Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pepa
2012
Audra McDonald Porgy and Bess Bess †
Jan Maxwell Follies Phyllis Rogers Stone ‡
Bernadette Peters Follies Sally Durant Plummer
Kelli O'Hara Nice Work If You Can Get It Billie Bendix ‡
Miche Braden The Devil's Music Bessie Smith
Molly Ranson Carrie Carrie White
2013
Laura Osnes Cinderella Ella ‡
Stephanie J. Block The Mystery of Edwin Drood Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting ‡
Carolee Carmello Scandalous Aimee Semple McPherson ‡
Kate Baldwin Giant Leslie Lynnton Benedict
Lindsay Mendez Dogfight Rose Fenny
Jenny Powers Donnybrook! Mary Kate Danaher
Donna Murphy Into the Woods The Witch
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Multiple Winners

3 wins
2 wins
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Multiple Nominees

8 nominations
7 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations
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References

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
1975–2000
2001–present
Play
Musical
Production
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Last modified on 23 May 2013, at 01:05