Awards & Winners

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Drama Desk Award

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, with acting awards being given without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, or actors and actresses. The new award categories were later created in the 1975 ceremony. † - indicates the performance won the Tony Award ‡ - indicates the performance was also nominated for the Tony Award

Check all the winners of Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical presented under Drama Desk Award since 1975 .


Jessie Mueller

Honored for : Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sutton Foster Violet
Idina Menzel If/Then
Jessie Mueller Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Kelli O'Hara The Bridges of Madison County
Margo Seibert Tamar of the River
Barrett Wilbert Weed Heathers: The Musical

Laura Osnes

Honored for : Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kate Baldwin Giant
Lindsay Mendez Dogfight
Donna Murphy Into the Woods
Jenny Powers Donnybrook!
Laura Osnes Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella
Carolee Carmello Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson
Stephanie J. Block The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Audra McDonald

Honored for : Porgy and Bess

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Miche Braden The Devil's Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith
Molly Ranson Carrie
Audra McDonald Porgy and Bess
Jan Maxwell Follies
Bernadette Peters Follies
Kelli O'Hara Nice Work If You Can Get It

Sutton Foster

Honored for : Anything Goes

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sutton Foster Anything Goes
Beth Leavel Baby It's You!
Patina Miller Sister Act the Musical
Donna Murphy The People in the Picture
Sherie Rene Scott Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Honored for : A Little Night Music

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Catherine Zeta-Jones A Little Night Music
Montego Glover Memphis
Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture
Kate Baldwin Finian's Rainbow
Christiane Noll Ragtime
Jayne Houdyshell Coraline

Montego Glover

Honored for : Memphis

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Catherine Zeta-Jones A Little Night Music
Montego Glover Memphis
Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture
Kate Baldwin Finian's Rainbow
Christiane Noll Ragtime
Jayne Houdyshell Coraline

Allison Janney

Honored for : 9 to 5

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Allison Janney 9 to 5
Stephanie J. Block 9 to 5
Megan Hilty 9 to 5
Karen Murphy My Vaudeville Man!
Stockard Channing Pal Joey
Sutton Foster Shrek the Musical

Patti LuPone

Honored for : Gypsy: A Musical Fable

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Patti LuPone Gypsy: A Musical Fable
Alice Ripley Next to Normal
Faith Prince A Catered Affair
Kelli O'Hara South Pacific
Jenna Russell Sunday in the Park with George
Sierra Boggess The Little Mermaid

Audra McDonald

Honored for : 110 in the Shade

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Audra McDonald 110 in the Shade
Donna Murphy LoveMusik
Laura Bell Bundy Legally Blonde: The Musical
Ashley Brown Mary Poppins
Lea Michele Spring Awakening
Kristin Chenoweth The Apple Tree

Donna Murphy

Honored for : LoveMusik

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Audra McDonald 110 in the Shade
Donna Murphy LoveMusik
Laura Bell Bundy Legally Blonde: The Musical
Ashley Brown Mary Poppins
Lea Michele Spring Awakening
Kristin Chenoweth The Apple Tree

Christine Ebersole

Honored for : Grey Gardens

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Christine Ebersole Grey Gardens
Nancy Anderson Fanny Hill
Idina Menzel See What I Wanna See
Patti LuPone Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sutton Foster The Drowsy Chaperone
Kelli O'Hara The Pajama Game

Victoria Clark

Honored for : The Light in the Piazza

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
LaChanze Dessa Rose
Rachel York Dessa Rose
Victoria Clark The Light in the Piazza
Sherie Rene Scott Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Sutton Foster Little Women
Christina Applegate Sweet Charity

Donna Murphy

Honored for : Wonderful Town

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judy McLane Johnny Guitar
Donna Murphy Wonderful Town
Kristin Chenoweth Wicked
Elaine Paige Sweeney Todd
Idina Menzel Wicked
Tonya Pinkins Caroline, or Change

Marissa Jaret Winokur

Honored for : Hairspray

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marissa Jaret Winokur Hairspray
Ann Duquesnay Cookin' at the Cookery
Stephanie D'Abruzzo Avenue Q
Bernadette Peters Gypsy: A Musical Fable
Wei Huang La Bohème
Elizabeth Parkinson Movin' Out

Sutton Foster

Honored for : Thoroughly Modern Millie

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sutton Foster Thoroughly Modern Millie
Louise Pitre Mamma Mia!
for the production at the Winter Garden Theatre
Vanessa L. Williams Into the Woods
Laura Benanti Into the Woods
Sherie Rene Scott The Last 5 Years
Garrett Long The Spitfire Grill

Marla Schaffel

Honored for : Jane Eyre

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kaitlin Hopkins Bat Boy: The Musical
LaChanze The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Sally Mayes Pete 'n' Keely
Marla Schaffel Jane Eyre
Christine Ebersole 42nd Street
Faith Prince Bells Are Ringing

Heather Headley

Honored for : Aida

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julia Murney The Wild Party
Heather Headley Aida
Marin Mazzie Kiss Me, Kate
Audra McDonald Marie Christine
Rebecca Luker The Music Man
Toni Collette The Wild Party

Bernadette Peters

Honored for : Annie Get Your Gun

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bernadette Peters Annie Get Your Gun
Carolee Carmello Parade
Siân Phillips Marlene

Natasha Richardson

Honored for : Cabaret

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Natasha Richardson Cabaret
Melissa Errico High Society
Marin Mazzie Ragtime
Alice Ripley Side Show

Bebe Neuwirth

Honored for : Chicago

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bebe Neuwirth Chicago
Linda Eder Jekyll & Hyde
Karen Ziemba Steel Pier
Pamela Isaacs The Life
Lauren Ward Violet

Julie Andrews

Honored for : Victor / Victoria

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Andrews Victor / Victoria
Terry Klausner Bed and Sofa
Karen Ziemba I Do! I Do!
Crista Moore Big: the musical
Daphne Rubin-Vega Rent
Donna Murphy The King and I

Glenn Close

Honored for : Sunset Boulevard

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Glenn Close Sunset Boulevard
Candy Buckley The Petrified Prince
Julie Johnson Das Barbecu
Lonette McKee Show Boat
Elaine Stritch Show Boat

Donna Murphy

Honored for : Passion

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donna Murphy Passion
Susan Egan Beauty and the Beast
Melissa Errico My Fair Lady
Margaret Illmann The Red Shoes

Chita Rivera

Honored for : Kiss of the Spider Woman

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Chita Rivera Kiss of the Spider Woman
Laura Bell Bundy Ruthless!
Donna English Ruthless!
Helen Schneider Frida
Linda Stephens Wings

Faith Prince

Honored for : Guys and Dolls

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Faith Prince Guys and Dolls
Sophie Hayden The Most Happy Fella
Donna Murphy Song of Singapore

Lea Salonga

Honored for : Miss Saigon

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lea Salonga Miss Saigon
LaChanze Once On This Island
June Angela Shogun: The Musical
Daisy Eagan The Secret Garden

Tyne Daly

Honored for : Gypsy

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tyne Daly Gypsy
Lynne Wintersteller Closer Than Ever
Debby Boone The Sound of Music

Toni Di Buono

Honored for : Forbidden Broadway

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Toni Di Buono Forbidden Broadway
Roxie Lucas Forbidden Broadway
Faith Prince Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Beth Fowler Sweeney Todd

Patti LuPone

Honored for : Anything Goes

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Patti LuPone Anything Goes
Judy Kuhn Chess
Bernadette Peters Into the Woods
Sarah Brightman The Phantom of the Opera

Teresa Stratas

Honored for : Rags

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Teresa Stratas Rags
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio The Knife
Lonette McKee Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
Maryann Plunkett Me and My Girl

Bernadette Peters

Honored for : Song and Dance

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Terry Klausner Goblin Market
Ann Morrison Goblin Market
Bernadette Peters Song and Dance
Debbie Allen Sweet Charity
Patti Cohenour The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Cleo Laine The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Chita Rivera

Honored for : The Rink

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Chita Rivera The Rink
Alyson Reed Marilyn
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine on Broadway
Bernadette Peters Sunday in the Park with George
Liza Minnelli The Rink

Natalia Makarova

Honored for : On Your Toes

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Natalia Makarova On Your Toes
Betty Buckley Cats
Twiggy My One and Only
Ellen Greene Little Shop of Horrors
Mara Beckerman Charlotte Sweet

Jennifer Holliday

Honored for : Dreamgirls

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jennifer Holliday Dreamgirls
Sheryl Lee Ralph Dreamgirls

Lena Horne

Honored for : Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lena Horne Lena Horne: \"The Lady and Her Music\"
Chita Rivera Bring Back Birdie

Patti LuPone

Honored for : Evita

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Patti LuPone Evita
Sandy Duncan Peter Pan
Ann Miller Sugar Babies
Sigourney Weaver Das Lusitania Spongspiel

Angela Lansbury

Honored for : Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Angela Lansbury Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Dorothy Loudon Ballroom
Lucie Arnaz They're Playing Our Song

Nell Carter

Honored for : Ain't Misbehavin'

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nell Carter Ain't Misbehavin'
Phyllis Newman My Mother Was a Fortune-Teller
Charlayne Woodard Ain't Misbehavin'
Judy Kaye On the Twentieth Century
Carlin Glynn The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Angela Lansbury The King And I

Clamma Dale

Honored for : Porgy and Bess

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Clamma Dale Porgy and Bess
Meryl Streep Happy End
Catherine Cox Music Is
Joan Copeland Pal Joey
Esther Hinds Porgy and Bess
Julia McKenzie Side by Side by Sondheim

Kelly Bishop, Donna McKechnie

Honored for : A Chorus Line

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kelly Bishop A Chorus Line
Donna McKechnie A Chorus Line
Penny Fuller Rex
Patti LuPone The Robber Bridegroom
Elizabeth Wilson The Threepenny Opera
Virginia Seidel Very Good Eddie

Angela Lansbury

Honored for : Gypsy (1973)

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Angela Lansbury Gypsy
Ann Reinking Goodtime Charley
Bernadette Peters Mack & Mabel
Stephanie Mills The Wiz
Marcia McClain Where's Charley?

Angela Lansbury

Honored for : Gypsy

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Angela Lansbury Gypsy
Ann Reinking Goodtime Charley
Bernadette Peters Mack & Mabel
Stephanie Mills The Wiz
Marcia McClain Where's Charley?