Despite hype, Drama Desk Awards are strongly biased toward Broadway shows
The Drama Desk makes much of its canvassing of the entire New York theater scene, citing the 450-plus shows attended by the members of the nominating committee. However, Broadway shows get a disproportionate share of the nominations and almost completely dominate the winners' lists. Indeed, over the last four years, off-Broadway shows have won only four of the 101 Drama Desk awards bestowed.
This year 84 of the 158 nominations (53%) went to just 18 Broadway shows. So when predicting the winners, you can eliminate almost all of the off-Broadway contenders.
Last year, Broadway shows accounted for 98 of the 158 nominations (62%), but 25 of the 26 winners. The sole exception: Andy Blankenbuehler, choreographer of the off-Broadway run of "In the Heights." Just how bad is this bias in favor of Broadway? Consider the best actress in a play race: Eve Best was the sole nominee appearing in a Broadway production, "A Moon for the Misbegotten," and she won.
For the 2005-06 season, Broadway shows only accounted for 67 of the 144 nominations (47%), but they won 23 of the 25 awards. For 2004-05, Broadway pulled off a clean sweep, winning all 25 awards, with 80 of the 148 nominations (54%). And in Barbara Siegel's first season as chairwoman of the nominating committee, 2003-04, Broadway shows received 80 of the 137 nominations (58%) and won 24 of the 25 awards.
(Photo: Richard Rodgers Theatre)
You list statistics, but you do not state which shows or performers were better than the ones who won the Drama Desk awards. Unless you do that, you are not proving that the Drama Desk Awards are slighting off and off-off Broadway productions.
To prove my point, statistics prove that Jews have won a higher percentage of Nobel Prizes than their population size would warrant. Do you think because of this, the Nobel Committee likes Jews better, or did these folks who did the best work that deserved to be honored just happen to be Jewish?
I hope that makes sense. Anyway, can you please supply some substance to back up your empty Drama Desk allegations?
And, by the way, check out the origin of most of these Broadway shows? Regional theater. Off-Broadway. Britain.
Additionally, great actors and tested musicals, and dramas acclaimed elsewhere are the ones that often wind up on Broadway, with the exception of the crap.
For example, name an off-Broadway or off-off-Broadway actress who gave a better performance than Patti Lupone in Gypsy this year? If Lapone wins, or Kelli O'Hara wins, who is being slighted?
The problem might be is that maybe all these shows should not be competing against each other.
Posted by: Charles III | May 18, 2008 at 09:28 PM