The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis[1] 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.
[1] According to an article in Billboard, "The Donaldson Awards are the stages' accolades to their own.
[3] [4] (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.)