The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It honors the Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, or legitimate not-for-profit theater revival of a production previously staged in New York City.
It was not until the 22nd Annual Drama Desk Awards in 1988 that a specific category for Outstanding Revival was created. The first recipient was The Royal Family, a play by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber that originally was staged in 1937. The award was not presented again until 1982. In 1993, the category was divided to give separate awards for plays and musicals.