Paddy Considine as Quinn Carney (center, standing) and the company of The Ferryman

Andre De Shields commands the stage in Hadestown from the get-go. The show begins in complete silence as the rest of the cast watches Hermes, in his elegant, grey silk suit, slide across the stage, pause, and open a button to show a loud and splendid vest, before trombone player Briane Drye lets out a blast from jazz heaven and De Shields launches into the get-down “Road to Hell.” It’s the quietest, and most mesmerizing, opening of any show on Broadway.

Bryan Cranston won the distinguished performance award at the 85th annual Drama League Awards for his performance in Network, while Hadestown won best musical, and The Ferryman best play.

Distinguished performance award: Bryan Cranston

Outstanding production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway musical: Hadestown

Outstanding revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway musical: Kiss Me Kate

Outstanding production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway play: The Ferryman

Outstanding revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway play: The Waverly Gallery

2019 Drama League Award nominations

Check out my 2019 New York Theater Award Guide and Calendar

Kelli O’Hara in Kiss Me Kate

Director Alex Timbers

Taylor Mac

Non-competitive Awards
Kelli O’Hara, star of Kiss Me Kate
Alex Timbers, director of Beetlejuice
Taylor Mac, playwright of Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

Grace Van Patten (Joan Arc) and Glenn Close (Isabelle Arc) in Mother of the Maid

The Lifespan of a Fact 1 Pictured L to R, Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby Cannavale, Photograph by Peter Cunningham

Nathan Lane

John Lithgow, Hillary and Clinton

As the Distinguished Performance Award can only be awarded to an individual once in an artist’s lifetime, the League gave special recognition to six former recipients who appeared in productions this year but were deemed ineligible: Stockard Channing (Apologia), Glenn Close (Mother of the Maid), Glenda Jackson (King Lear), Cherry Jones (The Lifespan of a Fact), Nathan Lane (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus), John Lithgow (Hillary and Clinton), Stephen Rea (Cyprus Avenue).