Awards & Winners

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Drama Desk Award

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play 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 Featured Actor in a Play presented under Drama Desk Award since 1975 .


Reed Birney

Honored for : Casa Valentina

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Reed Birney Casa Valentina
Chuck Cooper Choir Boy
Peter Maloney Outside Mullingar
Bobby Moreno Year of the Rooster
Bill Pullman The Jacksonian
Brian J. Smith The Glass Menagerie

Richard Kind

Honored for : Big Knife

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Richard Kind Big Knife
Chuck Cooper The Piano Lesson
Peter Friedman The Great God Pan
Aaron Clifton Moten The Flick
Brían F. O'Byrne If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet
Tony Shalhoub Golden Boy

Tom Edden

Honored for : One Man, Two Guvnors

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bill Irwin King Lear
Jefferson Mays Blood and Gifts
Will Rogers Unnatural Acts
Morgan Spector Russian Transport
Tom Edden One Man, Two Guvnors
Bill Camp Death of a Salesman
Jim Dale The Road to Mecca

Brian Bedford

Honored for : The Importance of Being Earnest

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brian Bedford The Importance of Being Earnest
Boyd Gaines The Grand Manner
Christian Borle Peter and the Starcatcher
Logan Marshall-Green The Hallway Trilogy
Zachary Quinto Angels in America
Tom Riley Arcadia
Yul Vazquez The Motherfucker with the Hat

Santino Fontana

Honored for : Brighton Beach Memoirs

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Adam James The Pride
Santino Fontana Brighton Beach Memoirs
Hamish Linklater Twelfth Night
Nick Westrate The Boys in the Band
Chris Chalk Fences
Sean Dugan Next Fall

Pablo Schreiber

Honored for : Reasons to Be Pretty

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Pablo Schreiber Reasons to Be Pretty
Brian d'Arcy James Port Authority
Jeremy Davidson Back Back Back
Peter Friedman Body Awareness
Ethan Hawke The Winter's Tale
Jeremy Shamos Animals Out of Paper

Conleth Hill

Honored for : The Seafarer

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Conleth Hill The Seafarer
John Cullum The Conscientious Objector
Francis Jue Yellow Face
Arian Moayed Masked
Michael T. Weiss Scarcity
Jeff Perry August: Osage County

Boyd Gaines

Honored for : Journey's End

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Boyd Gaines Journey's End
John Ortiz Jack Goes Boating
Andrew Polk The Accomplices
Fred Weller Some Men
Anthony Chisholm Radio Golf
Billy Crudup The Coast of Utopia: Voyage","The Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

Samuel Barnett

Honored for : The History Boys

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Devon Abner The Trip to Bountiful
Jason Butler Harner The Paris Letter
David Pittu Celebration/The Room
Samuel Barnett The History Boys
Dominic Cooper The History Boys
Stephen Campbell Moore The History Boys

Michael Stuhlbarg

Honored for : The Pillowman

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeff Goldblum The Pillowman
Philip Bosco Twelve Angry Men
Michael Stuhlbarg The Pillowman
Josh Hamilton Hurlyburly
Larry Bryggman Romance
Paul Sparks Orange Flower Water

Ned Beatty

Honored for : Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ned Beatty Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Michael Berry Moby Dick
John Lithgow Mrs. Farnsworth
Corey Stoll Intimate Apparel
André DeShields Prymate
Aidan Gillen The Caretaker

Denis O'Hare

Honored for : Take Me Out

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Denis O'Hare Take Me Out
Fred Weller Take Me Out
Walter Bobbie Polish Joke
T. R. Knight Scattergood
Philip Seymour Hoffman Long Day's Journey Into Night
Simon Russell Beale Twelfth Night

Frank Langella

Honored for : Fortune's Fool

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Langella Fortune's Fool
Sam Robards The Man Who Had All the Luck
Brian Murray The Crucible
David Warner Major Barbara
Keith Nobbs Four
Will Le Bow Nocturne

Roy Dotrice

Honored for : A Moon for the Misbegotten

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Matthew Arkin Dinner with Friends
Joel Grey Give Me Your Answer, Do!
Philip Seymour Hoffman The Author's Voice
Roy Dotrice A Moon for the Misbegotten
Harris Yulin The Price
Brian Murray Uncle Vanya

Kevin Anderson

Honored for : Death of a Salesman

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kevin Anderson Death of a Salesman
Howard Witt Death of a Salesman
Peter Bartlett The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told
Ciarán Hinds Closer
James Black Not About Nightingales
Paul Giamatti The Iceman Cometh

Alfred Molina

Honored for : Art

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alfred Molina Art
Adam Alexi-Malle Goose-Pimples
Ruaidhri Conroy The Cripple of Inishmaan
Ron Leibman A Dybbuk: Between Two Worlds
Max Wright Ivanov
Harris Yulin The Diary of Anne Frank

Brian Murray

Honored for : The Little Foxes

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brian Murray The Little Foxes
Kirk Acevedo Tooth of Crime (Second Dance)
David Greenspan The Boys in the Band
Edward Herrmann Psychopathia Sexualis
Christopher Evan Welch Scapin
Billy Crudup The Three Sisters

Martin Shaw

Honored for : An Ideal Husband

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Shaw An Ideal Husband
Heavy D Riff Raff
Alfred Molina Molly Sweeney
James Gammon Buried Child
Reg Rogers Holiday
Ruben Santiago-Hudson Seven Guitars

Nathan Lane

Honored for : Love! Valour! Compassion!

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nathan Lane Love! Valour! Compassion!
Simon Coates As You Like It
Alessandro Nivola A Month in the Country
John Glover Love! Valour! Compassion!
Anthony LaPaglia The Rose Tattoo
Kevin Kilner The Glass Menagerie

Jeffrey Wright

Honored for : Angels in America: Perestroika

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeffrey Wright Angels in America: Perestroika
Ron Leibman Angels in America: Perestroika
Marcus D'Amico An Inspector Calls
Gregory Itzin The Kentucky Cycle
Christopher McCann The Lights

Joe Mantello

Honored for : Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joe Mantello Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Stephen Spinella Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
David Marshall Grant Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Eli Wallach The Price
Robert Klein The Sisters Rosensweig

Stephen Spinella

Honored for : Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joe Mantello Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Stephen Spinella Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
David Marshall Grant Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Eli Wallach The Price
Robert Klein The Sisters Rosensweig

Laurence Fishburne

Honored for : Two Trains Running

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Laurence Fishburne Two Trains Running
Giancarlo Esposito Distant Fires
Mark Rosenthal Marvin's Room
Željko Ivanek Two Shakespearean Actors

Kevin Spacey

Honored for : Lost in Yonkers

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kevin Spacey Lost in Yonkers
Leland Gantt Let Me Live
Josef Sommer Hamlet
Dylan Baker La Bête
Marcus Chong Stand-Up Tragedy

Charles Durning

Honored for : Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charles Durning Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Simon Jones Privates on Parade
Francis Guinan The Grapes of Wrath
Dustin Hoffman The Merchant of Venice
Rocky Carroll The Piano Lesson

Peter Frechette

Honored for : Eastern Standard

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Frechette Eastern Standard
Fyvush Finkel Cafe Crown
Gordon Joseph Weiss Ghetto
Eric Stoltz Our Town
Bill Irwin Waiting for Godot
Edmund Lewis Without Apologies
Matt McGrath Dalton's Back

John Randolph

Honored for : Broadway Bound

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Randolph Broadway Bound
Frankie Faison Fences
Tony Jay The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Michael Countryman The Common Pursuit
Peter Friedman The Common Pursuit
Ray Gill Driving Miss Daisy

Joseph Maher

Honored for : Loot

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donald Moffat The Iceman Cometh
Anthony Rapp Precious Sons
Joseph Maher Loot
James Gammon A Lie of the Mind

Barry Miller

Honored for : Biloxi Blues

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barry Miller Biloxi Blues
Charles S. Dutton Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Ken Kliban As Is
William Sadler Biloxi Blues
David Proval Requiem for a Heavyweight
Edward Petherbridge Strange Interlude

Charles S. Dutton

Honored for : Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barry Miller Biloxi Blues
Charles S. Dutton Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Ken Kliban As Is
William Sadler Biloxi Blues
David Proval Requiem for a Heavyweight
Edward Petherbridge Strange Interlude

John Malkovich

Honored for : Death of a Salesman

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Malkovich Death of a Salesman
Chip Zien Isn't It Romantic
Stephen Keep A Private View
David Huddleston Death of a Salesman
Calvin Levels Open Admissions

Alan Feinstein

Honored for : A View from the Bridge

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alan Feinstein A View from the Bridge
Stephen Moore All's Well That Ends Well
Nathan Lane Present Laughter
Stephen Joyce The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Michael Moriarty The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Steve Newman The Misanthrope
Frank Maraden The Workroom

Adolph Caesar

Honored for : A Soldier's Play

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Adolph Caesar A Soldier's Play
Željko Ivanek Cloud 9
Matthew Broderick Torch Song Trilogy
Bill Moor Potsdam Quartet
Mandy Patinkin Henry IV, Part 1
Larry Riley A Soldier's Play

Željko Ivanek

Honored for : Cloud 9

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Adolph Caesar A Soldier's Play
Željko Ivanek Cloud 9
Matthew Broderick Torch Song Trilogy
Bill Moor Potsdam Quartet
Mandy Patinkin Henry IV, Part 1
Larry Riley A Soldier's Play

Brian Backer

Honored for : The Floating Light Bulb

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brian Backer The Floating Light Bulb
Nicholas Kepros Amadeus
Jeff Daniels Fifth of July
Roderick Cook The Man Who Came to Dinner
Ralph Clanton The Winslow Boy
John Shea American Days

David Rounds

Honored for : Morning's at Seven

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Rounds Morning's at Seven
David Dukes Bent
Michael Gross Bent
Hansford Rowe Nuts
Fritz Weaver The Price
Doug McClure The Roast

George Rose

Honored for : The Kingfisher

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Rose The Kingfisher
Michael Gough Bedroom Farce
Nicholas Woodeson Man and Superman
I.M. Hobson The Elephant Man

Morgan Freeman

Honored for : The Mighty Gents

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Morgan Freeman The Mighty Gents
Lester Rawlins Da
Jerome Dempsey Dracula
Vasili Bogazianos P.S. Your Cat Is Dead
Jeffrey DeMunn A Prayer for My Daughter
George Dzundza A Prayer for My Daughter
Michael Higgins Molly

Bob Dishy

Honored for : Sly Fox

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bob Dishy Sly Fox
Everett McGill A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander
Ralph Roberts A Texas Trilogy: The Oldest Living Graduate
Michael Lombard Otherwise Engaged
Héctor Elizondo Sly Fox
Anthony Call The Trip Back Down

Judd Hirsch

Honored for : Knock Knock

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Edward Herrmann Mrs. Warren's Profession
Roy Poole A Memory of Two Mondays / 27 Wagons Full of Cotton
Leonardo Cimino A Memory of Two Mondays / 27 Wagons Full of Cotton
Judd Hirsch Knock Knock

Frank Langella

Honored for : Seascape

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Langella Seascape
Larry Blyden Absurd Person Singular
Dick Anthony Williams Black Picture Show
David Dukes Love for Love
Philip Locke Sherlock Holmes
Louis Beachner The National Health
David Dukes The Rules of the Game