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The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding Lyrics |
| Location | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Drama Desk |
| First awarded | 1969 |
| Currently held by | David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna for Dead Outlaw (2024) |
| Website | dramadesk.org (defunct) |
Stephen Sondheim holds the record for most wins and nominations for the award, with ten wins out of twelve nominations.
1960s
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | ||
| George Haimsohn & Robin Miller | Dames at Sea | |
| Fred Ebb | Zorba |
1970s
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Company | |
| Bertolt Brecht | Mahagonny | |
| 1971 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Follies | |
| 1972 | ||
| John Guare | Two Gentlemen of Verona | |
| 1973 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | A Little Night Music | |
| 1974 | ||
| Al Carmines | The Faggot | |
| 1975 | ||
| Charlie Smalls | The Wiz | |
| Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand | The Lieutenant | |
| Jerry Herman | Mack and Mabel | |
| Fred Silver | In Gay Company | |
| 1976 | ||
| Edward Kleban & Marvin Hamlisch | A Chorus Line | |
| Leonard Bernstein | 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue | |
| Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe | Tuscaloosa's Calling Me | |
| Stephen Sondheim | Pacific Overtures | |
| 1977 | ||
| Martin Charnin | Annie | |
| Alfred Uhry | The Robber Bridegroom | |
| 1978 | ||
| Carol Hall | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | |
| Elizabeth Swados | Runaways | |
| 1979 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | |
| Gretchen Cryer | I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road |
1980s
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | ||
| Tim Rice | Evita | |
| Steve Brown | Strider | |
| 1981 | — | |
| 1982 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Merrily We Roll Along | |
| Maury Yeston | Nine | |
| Tom Eyen | Dreamgirls | |
| Jim Wann | Pump Boys and Dinettes | |
| 1983 | ||
| Howard Ashman | Little Shop of Horrors | |
| Michael Colby | Charlotte Sweet | |
| T.S. Eliot | Cats | |
| Des McAnuff | Death of Von Richthofen | |
| 1984 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Sunday in the Park with George | |
| Jerry Herman | La Cage aux Folles | |
| Richard Maltby Jr. | Baby | |
| Garry Trudeau | Doonesbury | |
| 1985 | ||
| Roger Miller | Big River | |
| Jerry Colker | 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down | |
| Ellen Fitzhugh | Grind | |
| 1986, 1987 | — | |
| 1988 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Into the Woods | |
| Barry Harman | Romance/Romance | |
| 1989 | — | |
1990s
| Year | Lyricist | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| David Zippel | City of Angels | |
| Richard Maltby Jr. | Closer Than Ever | |
| Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston | Grand Hotel | |
| 1991 | ||
| William Finn | Falsettoland | |
| Marsha Norman | The Secret Garden | |
| Stephen Sondheim | Assassins | |
| 1992 | ||
| Susan Birkenhead | Jelly's Last Jam | |
| Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul Lockheart | Song of Singapore | |
| 1993 | ||
| Joel Paley | Ruthless! | |
| Douglas Bernstein & Denis Markell | A Backer's Audition | |
| Arthur Perlman | Wings | |
| David Zippel | The Goodbye Girl | |
| 1994 | ||
| Stephen Sondheim | Passion | |
| Howard Ashman & Tim Rice | Beauty and the Beast | |
| Michael John LaChiusa | Hello Again | |
| 1995 | — | |
| 1996 | ||
| Jonathan Larson | Rent | |
| 1997 | ||
| Gerard Alessandrini | Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back | |
| Brian Crawley | Violet | |
| Mark Waldrop | When Pigs Fly | |
| 1998 | ||
| Lynn Ahrens | Ragtime | |
| Stephen Trask | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | |
| Susan Birkenhead | Triumph of Love | |
| 1999 | ||
| Gerard Alessandrini | Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act | |
| Jason Robert Brown | Parade | |
| William Finn | A New Brain | |
2000s
2010s
2020s
- 10 wins
- 2 wins
|
|
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