‘Stereophonic’ and ‘Water for Elephants’ Lead 2024 Drama Desk Awards

The Drama Desk Awards have announced this year's winners-and Stereophonic and Water for Elephants are in the lead.

Stereophonic-David Adjmi's play about a rock band at the brink of fame-won in seven categories: Outstanding Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play (Daniel Aukin), Outstanding Music in a Play (Will Butler), Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play (David Zinn), Outstanding Costume Design of a Play (Enver Chakartash), Outstanding Sound Design of a Play (Ryan Rumery), and an Ensemble Award for "[executing] David Adjmi's hypernaturalistic text with extraordinary care and precision, while also performing Will Butler's music with the freshness and life that makes us believe we are witnessing, first-hand, the creation of a new American classic." Besides these, it was also nominated for Outstanding Orchestrations, and Outstanding Wig and Hair. Stereophonic's string of victories comes in the wake of thirteen Tony nominations-making it the most Tony-nominated play of all time-and a 20-week Broadway extension.

Water for Elephants, a musical about a young man who becomes a veterinarian at a circus and falls in love with the ringmaster's wife, won in four: Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone), Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Walter Trarbach), Outstanding Fight Choreography (Cha Ramos) and Outstanding Puppetry (Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman and Camille Labarre).

Hosting the ceremony were Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveitt.

A full list of this year's nominees can be found on the Drama Desk Awards website