The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis in honor of W. H. Donaldson (1864–1925), the founder of The Billboard (now Billboard) magazine. Categories included "best new play", "best new musical", "best performance", "best debut" and "best costumes and set design". The winners were chosen by votes of the theatre community at large with no predetermined nominees and the winners were presented with a gold key and a scroll. According to an article in Billboard, "The Donaldson Awards are the stages' accolades to their own." The awards were discontinued in 1955 having been overshadowed by the Antoinette Perry Awards (Tony Awards).

List of winners

(Note: on occasion a single performance won in multiple categories, such as Nanette Fabray winning as both actress and supporting actress for High Button Shoes.)

Plays

Play

First Play

Director (play)

Actor (play)

Actress (play)

Supporting Actor (play)

Supporting Actress (play)

Male Debut (play)

Female Debut (play)

Settings (play)

Costumes (play)

Musicals

Musical

Director (musical)

Actor (musical)

Actress (musical)

Supporting Actor (musical)

Supporting Actress (musical)

Male Debut (musical)

Female Debut (musical)

Dance Direction

Male Dancer

Female Dancer

Book (musical)

Lyrics (musical)

Score (musical)

Settings (musical)

Costumes (musical)