The Drama Desk Awards have announced new details about its 2027 ceremony, including a new venue and a new set of producers. Beginning in 2027, the Drama Desk Awards will be held at the Shed. Opened in 2019, this Hudson Yards arts center has often served as an Off-Broadway theater, hosting such productions as the Drama Desk-nominated “The Brothers Size,” as well as “King Lear” and Tom Hanks’ “This World of Tomorrow.”
“The Drama Desk Awards have always been about celebrating the full spectrum of the theater community,” said Drama Desk organization co-presidents David Barbour and Charles Wright in a joint statement. “Partnering with the Shed — one of the most innovative and forward-thinking cultural institutions in the world — positions the Awards at the center of where the future of performance is being defined.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the Drama Desk Awards to the Shed,” added the venue’s chief executive officer, Meredith “Max” Hodges. “This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to honoring artistic excellence while embracing innovation in the audience experience. We look forward to hosting a next-generation awards experience that reflects the vibrancy of today’s theater-making.”
The Drama Desk Awards’ move to the Shed is led by its new production company, Drama Desk Awards Productions, which will continue to produce the awards going forward. Drama Desk Awards Productions is a joint effort by Scene Partners, founded by Matt Britten, and the Season, founded by Mike Karns and Steven Tartick. Britten was previously an executive producer for the Drama Desk Awards in 2019 and 2020 and formerly worked for John Gore Organization/Broadway Brands, parent company to Broadway News. Karns is a Tony Award-winning producer of “Hadestown,” and has contributed to social media campaigns for numerous Broadway productions. Prior to the Season’s founding, Tartick contributed to digital outreach campaigns for the 2013 Broadway revivals of “No Man’s Land” and “Waiting for Godot.” The Season is currently handling marketing for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “Proof.”
“This move represents a defining moment for the future of the Drama Desk Awards,” said Britten in a statement. “We have an opportunity to reimagine what a theater awards show can be — embracing new formats, expanding its reach and elevating the visibility of the entire theatrical ecosystem. We’re proud to help usher the Drama Desk Awards into this next era.”
The 2026 Drama Desk Awards were held at the Town Hall on May 17.
