The Broadway production of the Irish film Once has won four more awards, including one for “outstanding musical”, adding to its stash of honours and giving it added momentum ahead of Sunday’s Tony Awards.
The lesser-known Drama Desk Awards were presented by Brooke Shields at a gala ceremony held in New York last weekend.
New York Times theatre critics Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood have both predicted that the Disney show Newsies the Musical will pick up the much-coveted Best Musical prize at the Tony Awards, although both said Once should win it.
“The Tony voters tend to vote for shows that are likely to make a lot of money and tour,” said Brantley. “Once will probably go on the road, but it doesn’t have the mass appeal” of the Disney show.
Once, which is based on the 2006 film of the same name by John Carney, which starred Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglovahas, has already won several best musical prizes, including one from the New York Drama Critics Circle. Written by Irish playwright Enda Walsh, it has been nominated for 11 prestigious Tony Awards.