Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee which comprises New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It honors the book writers of musicals produced on Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, and for legitimate not-for-profit theaters.

It was not until the 15th Annual Drama Desk Awards in 1969 that a specific category for Outstanding Lyrics was created. The first recipient was Peter Stone for 1776. With three each, Hugh Wheeler, James Lapine, and Thomas Meehan are tied for the most wins in this category.

For two years, in addition to the award for Outstanding Book, an award was presented to the writers of the Most Promising Book. Recipients of this honor were Melvin Van Peebles for Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death in 1972 and Ron House and Diz White for El Grande de Coco-Cola in 1973.

Additional winners

1970s

1970: George Furth – Company No nominees 1971: Burt Shevelove – No, No, Nanette No nominees 1972: John Guare and Mel Shapiro – Two Gentlemen of Verona No nominees 1973: Hugh Wheeler – A Little Night Music No nominees

1974: Hugh Wheeler – Candide No nominees 1976: James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante – A Chorus Line Alfred Uhry – The Robber Bridegroom John Weidman – Pacific Overtures 1977: Thomas Meehan – Annie No nominees 1979: Hugh Wheeler – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street No nominees

1980s

1984: James Lapine – Sunday in the Park with George Harvey Fierstein – La Cage aux Folles Garry Trudeau – Doonesbury 1985: Jerry Colker – Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down No nominees 1986: Rupert Holmes – The Mystery of Edwin Drood Stanley Donen – Singin' in the Rain Marta Kauffman, Seth Friedman and David Crane – Personals Warren Leight – Mayor Peter Martins – Song and Dance

1987: L. Arthur Rose – Me and My Girl Barry Harman – Olympus on My Mind 1988: James Lapine – Into the Woods No nominees

1990s

1990: Larry Gelbart – City of Angels No nominees 1991: Marsha Norman – The Secret Garden John Weidman – Assassins 1992: George C. Wolfe – Jelly's Last Jam No nominees 1994: James Lapine – Passion Michael John LaChiusa – Hello Again

1996: Jonathan Larson – Rent Laurence Klavan – Bed and Sofa John Weidman – Big: The Musical Jim Lewis and Graciela Daniele – Chronicle of a Death Foretold 1998: Terrence McNally – Ragtime No nominees

2000s

2001: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan – The Producers Kirsten Childs – The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming – Bat Boy: The Musical Greg Kotis – Urinetown Terrence McNally – The Full Monty 2003: Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan – Hairspray Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris – Zanna, Don't! Terrence McNally – A Man of No Importance Jeremy Sams and Didier Van Cauwelaert – Amour Jeff Whitty – Avenue Q 2004: Winnie Holzman – Wicked Tony Kushner – Caroline, or Change 2005: Rachel Sheinkin – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe – Cam Jensen Kevin Del Aguila – Altar Boyz Mark Harelik – The Immigrant Eric Idle – Monty Python's Spamalot Jeffrey Lane – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 2006: Bob Martin and Don McKellar – The Drowsy Chaperone Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman – Jersey Boys Doug Wright – Grey Gardens

2007: Rupert Holmes and Peter Stone – Curtains Scott Brown and Anthony King – Gutenberg! The Musical! Julian Fellowes – Mary Poppins Heather Hach – Legally Blonde Steven Sater – Spring Awakening Alfred Uhry – LoveMusik 2008: Douglas Carter Beane – Xanadu Harvey Fierstein – A Catered Affair Ben Katchor – The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt – Adding Machine Stew – Passing Strange Eric H. Weinberger – Wanda's World 2009: Lee Hall – Billy Elliot the Musical Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis – This Beautiful City Joe DiPietro – The Toxic Avenger Brian Hill – The Story of My Life David Lindsay-Abaire – Shrek the Musical Patricia Resnick – 9 to 5

2010s

• 2010: Alex Timbers – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
  • Joe DiPietro – Memphis
  • Joe Iconis – Bloodsong of Love
  • Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott – Everyday Rapture
  • David Thompson – The Scottsboro Boys
  • David Zellnik – Yank!

• 2011: Adam Mathias – See Rock City and Other Destinations
  • Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth – In Transit
  • Iris Rainer Dart – The People in the Picture
  • Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott – Priscilla Queen of the Desert
  • Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone – The Book of Mormon
  • Michael Zam – The Kid

External links

• Official Drama Desk Award website