From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Awards announce nominees as well.[6] In 1974, the Drama Desk
became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization.
The Drama Desk is composed of theatre critics, re-
porters and editors, more than 140 of whom vote on the
awards.[7] The Drama Desk chairperson of the Nominat-
ing Committee is Barbara Siegel, and its president is Isa
Goldberg.[8] The awards’ executive producer is Robert R.
Blume.[9]
In keeping with its original mission, the organization
sponsors guest panel luncheons with theater profession-
als. Panels address topics of current interest: covering
the season on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-
Broadway, with the aim of prompting informative and
stimulating discussion.
All of the Drama Desk officers and Nominating Com-
mittee members perform their various services for the
organization on a voluntary basis. The Nominating Com-
mittee generally meets twice a month to discuss the
many eligible shows members are responsible for seeing.
Awarded for Excellence in theatre
They then nominate the productions on which the entire
Presented by Drama Desk membership will vote. What sets the organization apart
is that the awards are voted on "by media people only
Country United States
without any vested interests in the results," according to
First awarded 1955 the organization.
Previous winners include Bernadette Peters, Dustin
Official website http://www.dramadesk.com/
Hoffman, Al Pacino, Catherine Zeta-Jones, among many
The Drama Desk Awards which are given annually in
Awards, others. Over the last 36 years, the Drama Desk Awards
a number of categories, are the only major New York have contributed to the ongoing success of major stars,
theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off- playwrights and designers, while also identifying new-
Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other comers. The Drama Desk was the first New York theater
in the same category.[1] Presented since 1955, they are organization to give awards to talents such as Edward Al-
considered one of the important American theater bee, Wendy Wasserstein and George C. Scott. Plays like
awards.[2] Driving Miss Daisy, Other People’s Money, Steel Magnolias and
The Boys in the Band built momentum with the help of Dra-
ma Desk wins.[10]
History
The Drama Desk organization was formed in 1949 by a Current ceremony
group of New York theater critics, editors, reporters and
publishers, born out of the desire to educate the commu- The Drama Desk Awards ceremony is held annually, usu-
nity on vital issues concerning the theater. In 1955, the ally at LaGuardia Concert Hall of the Fiorello H.
organization began presenting the Vernon Rice Awards LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing
in honor of theater critic Vernon Rice of the New York Arts in Lincoln Center. The 2010 nominations were an-
Post, who had pioneered Off-Broadway coverage in the nounced on May 3, 2010, and the ceremony was held on
New York press. The name was changed as of the May 23, 2010 at LaGuardia Concert Hall, hosted by Patti
1963–1964 awards season.[3][4] In the first fifteen years of LuPone.[11][12]
the award, Broadway shows were not eligible for these The nominations for the 2010–2011 season were an-
awards, but as of the 1968–1969 season, Broadway pro- nounced on April 29, 2011 by Audra McDonald and Liev
ductions were included.[5] Only winners were announced Schreiber. The musicals The Book of Mormon and the revi-
in the early years, but in 1975, the Drama Desk began to val of Anything Goes, received 12 and 10 nominations, the
most of any shows.[13]The awards ceremony was held on
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Drama Desk Award
May 23, 2011 at the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Man-
hattan Center, New York City and was hosted by Harvey
Categories
Fierstein. The awards ceremony will be televised on the
Ovation network.[14] Play
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play
Recent winners and nomina- • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play
tions • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor
For the 2010–2011 season, Special Awards were given to: in a Play
"A.R. Gurney for his enduring, keenly observed portraits • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress
of American life over a prolific four-decade-long career"; in a Play
"Reed Birney for his versatile and finely nuanced per- • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play
formances over the past thirty-five years, and for his • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play
exceptional work this season in Tigers Be Still, A Small
Fire and The Dream of the Burning Boy"; "The New Group Musical
and Artistic Director Scott Elliott for presenting contem-
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
porary new voices, and for uncompromisingly raw and
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a
powerful productions"; "The Pearl Theatre Company for
Musical
notable productions of classic plays and nurturing a stal-
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a
wart resident company of actors"; and "the creative team
Musical
of War Horse for thrilling stagecraft."[13] Major winners
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a
were: The Book of Mormon and Anything Goes, Outstanding
Musical
Musical and Musical Revival; War Horse and The Normal
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor
Heart, Outstanding Play and Play Revival; Bobby Can-
in a Musical
navale, Outstanding Actor in a Play; Frances McDormand,
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress
Outstanding Actress in a Play; Norbert Leo Butz, Out-
in a Musical
standing Actor in a Musical; Sutton Foster, Outstanding
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a
Actress in a Musical; Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, Out-
Musical
standing Director of a Play; and Casey Nicholaw and Trey
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music
Parker, Outstanding Director of a Musical.[14] The Off
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
Broadway musical "In Transit" won for Outstanding
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical
Ensemble Performance with Steve French, Celisse Hen-
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations
derson, Hannah Laird, Chesney Snow, Graham Stevens,
Denise Summerford, and Tommar Wilson winning the
special honors.
Play and musical
For the 2009–2010 season, nine nominations were re- • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director
ceived by the Off-Broadway musical The Scottsboro • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography
Boys.[11] The revival of Ragtime originally received nine • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design
nominations but two, for Costumes and Orchestrations, • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design
were withdrawn.[15] • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
The winners were: Red, Outstanding Play, Memphis, • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design
Outstanding Musical, Fences and A View from the Bridge, • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival
Outstanding Revival of a Play (tie), and La Cage aux Folles, • Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Special Awards were • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person
given for the cast, creative team and producers of The Or- Show
phans’ Home Cycle by Horton Foote; Jerry Herman; God- • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revue
light Theatre Company; and Ma-Yi Theater Company.[12] • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Projection and
For the 2008–2009 season, Ruined by Lynn Nottage Video Design[17]
and Billy Elliot The Musical by Elton John and Lee Hall • Drama Desk Special Award
won as Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical. Hair
and The Norman Conquests won Outstanding Revival (Play,
Musical). Billy Elliot won ten awards, the most of any
See also
show.[16] • Tony Award • Theatre World Award
A complete list of award winners is at the Official site, • Laurence • Broadway theatre
Winners. Olivier Award • Off Broadway
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Drama Desk Award
• Lucille Lortel • Off-off-Broadway [9] Lefkowitz, David. "Honor Role(s)", Theatre News
Awards Online. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
• Obie Awards [10] "Drama Desk Awards: History". DramaDesk.com.
• New York http://www.dramadesk.com/history.html.
Drama Critics’ Retrieved 2008-10-19.
Circle [11] ^ Gans, Andrew."Drama Desk Award Nominations
Announced; Ragtime and Scottsboro Top List"
playbill.com, May 3, 2010
References [12] ^ Gans, Andrew."Red, Memphis, Bridge, Fences and
[1] McKinley, Jesse. "Modern Millie Leads Drama Desk La Cage Win Drama Desk Awards" playbill.com,
Awards", The New York Times, May 20, 2002. May 23, 2010
Retrieved June 8, 2009. [13] ^ Gans, Andrew."56th Annual Drama Desk
[2] "Baylor’s Traveling Lady Production Receives Drama Nominations Announced; Book of Mormon Scores
Desk Nomination", Baylor University, April 28, 12 Nominations" playbill.com, April 29, 2011
2006. Retrieved June 8, 2009. [14] ^ Jones, Kenneth."Drama Desk Awards Go to ’Book
[3] "1954–1955 1st Drama Desk Awards". of Mormon’, ’Normal Heart’, ’War Horse’, Sutton
DramaDesk.com. http://www.dramadesk.com/ Foster, Norbert Leo Butz" playbill.com, May 23,
1954_1955dd.html. Retrieved 2008-10-19. 2011
[4] Zolotow, Sam. "Critics Hail Off Broadway Work: [15] Jones, Kenneth.Drama Desk Withdraws
Elmer [sic] Rice Awards Are Presented by Drama Nominations of Ragtime’s Orchestration and
Desk", The New York Times, May 19, 1964, p.42 Costume Design" playbill.com, May 14, 2010
[5] Calta, Louis. "Jones Is Named For Top Award BY [16] Gans, Andrew."Ruined and Billy Elliot Win Top
Drama Desk", The New York Times, July 2, 1969, p.34 Honors at Drama Desk Awards" playbill.com, May
[6] Riedel, Michael. "Backstage brouhaha at the Drama 17, 2009
Desk Awards", Los Angeles Times, April 18, 2009 [17] Gans, Andrew.August and Passing Strange Win Top
[7] "Utopia sweeps Drama Desk Awards", Variety, May Honors at Drama Desk Awards playbill.com, May
20, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2009. 18, 2008
[8] Gans, Andrew."Isa Goldberg Succeeds William Wolf
As Drama Desk President; Awards Set for May
2011" playbill.com, November 22, 2010
External links
• Official website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drama_Desk_Award&oldid=471986372"
Categories:
• Drama Desk Awards
• Culture of New York City
• Off-Broadway
• Off-Off Broadway
• American theater awards
• Theatre in New York City
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