June 2, 2025
The 2025 Drama Desk Awards recognized outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including award-wins for John Proctor Is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower (M.F.A. 2017), Maybe Happy Ending with projection animation by Heekyung Kim (M.F.A. 2024), Stranger Things: The First Shadow featuring cast member Nya Garner (B.F.A. 2022) and GYPSY and SUNSET BLVD. co-produced by Hunter Regian (B.A. 2017) with Allen Porterie (M.F.A. 2024) serving as assistant company manager (GYPSY).
John Proctor is the Villain, Belflower's Broadway debut, won two Drama Desk Awards - Outstanding Direction of a Play for Danya Taymor and Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play for Amalia Yoo—who also appeared this spring in Grief Camp by recent playwriting graduate Eliya Smith (M.F.A. 2025). John Proctor is the Villain also received the following nominations:
- Outstanding Play (Kimberly Belflower) - nominee
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play (Amalia Yoo) - winner
- Outstanding Direction of a Play (Danya Taymor) - winner
- Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play (Natasha Katz) - nominee
Maybe Happy Ending, featuring animation by Heekyung Kim (M.F.A. 2024) as part of the projection design team, emerged as the most-awarded production of the evening, winning Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical (including video design), as well as Outstanding Musical, Direction, Music, Lyrics and Book. The production also earned six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Maybe Happy Ending received the following Drama Desk Award nominations:
- Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical (Dan Laffrey and George Reeve) - winner
- Outstanding Musical - winner
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Darren Criss) - nominee
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Michael Arden) - winner
- Outstanding Music (Will Aronson and Hue Park) - winner
- Outstanding Lyrics (Will Aronson and Hue Park) - winner
- Outstanding Book of a Musical (Will Aronson and Hue Park) - winner
- Outstanding Orchestrations - nominee
GYPSY and SUNSET BLVD., co-produced by Regian’s company Regian Entertainment, also earned top honors. GYPSY, whose company management assistant is alum Allen Porterie (M.F.A. 2024), won Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Audra McDonald), while SUNSET BLVD. took home Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical. At the Tony Awards the following week, SUNSET BLVD. won Best Revival of a Musical and its lead Nicole Scherzinger won Best Actress in a Musical.
GYPSY received the following Drama Desk Award nominations:
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical - winner
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Audra McDonald) - winner
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical (Lesli Margherita) - nominee
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical (George C. Wolfe) - nominee
- Outstanding Choreography (Camille A. Brown) - nominee
- Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical (Toni-Leslie James) - nominee
- Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Scott Lehrer) - nominee
SUNSET BLVD. received the following Drama Desk Award nominations:
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical - nominee
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Tom Francis, Nicole Scherzinger) - nominee
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Jamie Lloyd) - nominee
- Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical (Jack Knowles) - winner
- Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Adam Fisher) - nominee
- Outstanding Projection and Video Design (Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom)- nominee
Additionally, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, featuring cast member Nya Garner (B.F.A. 2022) swept design categories for this year's Drama Desk Awards, winning Outstanding Lighting, Scenic and Sound Design of a Play. Stranger Things: The First Shadow received the following Drama Desk Award nominations:
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play (Louis McCartney) - nominee
- Outstanding Direction of a Play (Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin) - nominee
- Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play (Mirian Buether and Jamie Harison and Chris Fisher) - winner
- Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play (Jon Clark) - winner
- Outstanding Sound Design of a Play (Paul Arditti) - winner
This Broadway season has been an exceptional one, and to be honored among such a remarkable slate of productions is a testament to the talent and dedication of The University of Texas at Austin's Theatre and Dance alumni.
See the full list of 2025 Drama Desk Award Winners.
See the full list of 2025 Tony Award Winners