Alumni and Faculty Sweep 2023 Drama Desk Award Nominations; Several Take Home Awards
The winners of the 67th annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on May 31, 2023, and several projects from Columbia artists are among the winners.
Life of Pi, produced by Theater Management and Producing alumnus Hal Luftig ’84, had multiple wins in the categories of Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play, Outstanding Projection and Video Design, and Outstanding Puppetry. A Doll’s House, for which alumnus Michael Leibring ’18 worked as company manager, took home three awards: Outstanding Adaptation, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play (Jessica Chastain), and Outstanding Sound Design of a Play.
Also among the 2023 awardees was Shucked, a compelling drama where Associate Professor of Professional Practice Michael Passaro made noteworthy contributions as a Production Stage Manager. It was awarded both Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical for Alex Newell and Outstanding Music. Parade, which featured several SOA alumni and professors, took home the award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, while Into the Woods, managed by Adjunct Assistant Professors Justin Scribner and Cody Renard Richard as Production Stage Manager and Production Supervisor, was awarded Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical.
Click here to find a complete list of all the 2023 Drama Desk Award winners.
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Original: May 18, 2023
School of the Arts alumni and faculty have made their mark on this year's Drama Desk Award nominations, with several productions featuring their talents receiving nominations. Winners will be announced the week of May 29, and the 67th annual ceremony will be on June 6, 2023 at Sardi’s Restaurant in midtown Manhattan.
Into the Woods, which enlisted the expertise of Adjunct Assistant Professors Justin Scribner and Cody Renard Richard as Production Stage Manager and Production Supervisor, received a stellar six nominations, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Sound Design of a Play. Fat Ham, a contemporary spin on Shakespeare's Hamlet directed by Saheem Ali ’07 and starring Marcel Spears ’15 in the titular role, has also made a strong impression receiving two nominations (Outstanding Play and Outstanding Sound Design of a Play).
Life of Pi, produced by Theater Management and Producing alumnus Hal Luftig ’84, received five nominations, including Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play and Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play. A Doll’s House, a play exploring the themes of gender roles, marriage and the struggle for freedom in a restrictive society, featured alumnus Michael Leibring ’18 as company manager. It received four nominations, including Outstanding Adaption and Outstanding Sound Design of a Play. Shucked, a poignant and powerfully-crafted drama, showcasing remarkable stage direction by Associate Professor of Professional Practice Michael Passaro, received 12 stellar nominations, including Outstanding Orchestrations, Outstanding music, and Outstanding book of a musical.
Death of a Salesman, produced by Professor Steven Chaikelson, is another noteworthy production that received four nominations, including Outstanding Revival of a Play and Outstanding Direction of a Play. As a modern American classic, the play continues to resonate with audiences and showcase the exceptional talent of those involved in its creation.
Parade, a musical centered around the 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, features several School of the Arts students, alumni, and professors. Second-year dramaturgy student Cami Rose Hancock works as Dramaturg and assistant to book writer Alfred Uhry, while Scribner works as Production Stage Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor Sarah Harris works as stage manager. Additionally, former Adjunct Assistant Professor Manoel Felciano stars as Tom Watson, alumnus Joel Glassman ’18 works as Company Manager, Renard Richard works on the producing team, and Adjunct Professor Rachel Sussman and David Manella '18 work as co-producers.
On That Day in Amsterdam, written by Theatre alumnus Clarence Coo ’10 and directed by alumnus Kareem Fahmy ’07, is a compelling story of two young men who fall in love during a trip to Amsterdam. The production has earned accolades for its exploration of love, identity, and the passage of time and received three nominations, including Outstanding Direction of a Play. Public Obscenities, written by Shayok Misha Chowdhury ’16, is a provocative examination of public morality and the role of the individual in society. The play received five nominations and its cast has already been awarded a special Ensemble Award.
The Bandaged Place, written by alumnus Harrison David Rivers ’09, is a powerful exploration of trauma and the healing process. It received two nominations, including Outstanding Choreography. Finally, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, conceived by Theatre Management and Production student Jonathan Hogue, is a hilarious send-up of the popular television show Stranger Things. It received three nominations, including Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical.
See a complete list of 2023 Drama Desk Award nominations here.