Nicole Scherzinger received the Distinguished Performance Award at the 2025 Drama League Awards for her acclaimed turn as Norma Desmond in the current revival of “Sunset Boulevard.” The prestigious accolade, one of Broadway’s highest honors, can only be won once in an actor’s lifetime. Scherzinger earned the award for her Broadway debut, a rare occurrence.
The announcement was made during a ceremony held Friday at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan. Hosted by Emmy-winning NY1 journalist Frank DiLella, the event brought together theater’s brightest talents to celebrate this season’s outstanding achievements.
Scherzinger was presented the award by past recipient Audra McDonald. In her acceptance speech, Scherzinger began by expressing her shock: “I would have never imagined that I would have won this or been up here. I’m really not prepared. I guess it’s moments like this that do make it real.”
“It’s not about me,” Scherzinger continued. “Like I said before, it’s about this community and all of us to be able to share the stage. I really, really love at the end of ‘Sunset Boulevard’ — my favorite lines are ‘This is my life. It always will be. There is nothing else.’ And I mean it every night when I say it.”
“Sunset Boulevard” also earned the award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, while “Maybe Happy Ending“ was named Outstanding Production of a Musical. “Oh, Mary!” won Outstanding Production of a Play.
In a rare outcome, the Drama League named a tie for Outstanding Revival of a Play — the first in 25 years — with Jonathan Spector’s “Eureka Day” and Simon Stephens’ solo adaptation of “Vanya” sharing the honor.
In directing categories, Sam Pinkleton took home Outstanding Direction of a Play for “Oh, Mary!” and Michael Arden won Outstanding Direction of a Musical for “Maybe Happy Ending.”
The competitive awards were presented by a roster of previous Distinguished Performance Award winners including Annaleigh Ashford, Norbert Leo Butz, Danny Burstein, McDonald and Sutton Foster. Schele Williams, a past recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, presented both directing honors.
Tony Award winner and “Old Friends” star Bernadette Peters presented two special recognitions: the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award to her co-star Lea Salonga, and the Gratitude Award to producers Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron, represented this season on Broadway with “Smash.”
Other special honors included the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, presented by Sam Gold to Whitney White (“The Last Five Years,” Off-Broadway’s “Liberation”), and the Contribution to the Theater Award, presented by Michael Cruz Kayne, to Kate Navin and Audible Theater.
The event was organized by a steering committee co-chaired by Bonnie Comley and Darin Oduyoye. The Awards Honorary Committee included Ashford, Burstein, Foster, McDonald, Lance Roberts and Will Swenson.
First presented in 1922 and formalized in 1935, the Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in the United States. They remain the only major theater awards voted on by a diverse membership of industry professionals, producers, artists, critics and theatergoers from across the country.
Click here to see the full list of the 2025 Drama League Awards nominees.
