Billy Elliot Wins 10 Drama Desk Awards; Ruined Named Best Play

Billy Elliot took home 10 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, at the 2009 Drama Desk Awards. Lynn Nottage’s Ruined was named Outstanding Play at the awards ceremony, held on May 17 at LaGuaurdia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center, hosted by Harvey Fierstein.

Top acting honors went to Janet McTeer Mary Stuart and Geoffrey Rush Exit the King for plays and Allison Janney 9 to 5 and Brian d’Arcy James Shrek the Musical for musicals. A complete list of winners follows:

Outstanding Play: Ruined by Lynn Nottage

Outstanding Musical: Billy Elliot

Outstanding Revival of a Play: The Norman Conquests

Outstanding Revival of a Musical: Hair

Outstanding Actor in a Play: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

Outstanding Actress in a Play: Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart

Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek the Musical

Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Allison Janney, 9 to 5

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Pablo Schreiber, Reasons to be Pretty

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Solo Performance: Lorenzo Pisoni, Humor Abuse

Outstanding Director of a Play: Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

Outstanding Director of a Musical: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Choreography: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Music: Elton John, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, Road Show

Outstanding Book of a Musical: Lee Hall, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Orchestrations: Martin Koch, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Music in a Play: Dominic Kanza, Ruined

Outstanding Set Design of a Play: David Korins, Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them

Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical

Outstanding Costume Design: Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play: David Hersey, Equus

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot

Outstanding Sound Design: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot

Unique Theatrical Experience: Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words

In addition, non-competitive awards were presented to the casts of The Norman Conquests and The Cripple of Inishmaan for Outstanding Ensemble Performance, along with awards to Liza Minnelli, Forbidden Broadway, the Atlantic Theater Company and TADA! Youth Theater.