Charles Wright News

Nominations for the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced at a news conference on Monday, May 2, 2011, at 9:30 AM at the New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street, in Manhattan. A continental breakfast will be available at 8:45 AM. Drama Desk and Tony winners Audra McDonald and Liev Schreiber will announce the nominations in the various categories. In addition, there will be remarks by Drama Desk President Isa Goldberg, Drama Desk Awards Executive Producer Robert R. Blume, Nominating Committee Chairperson Barbara Siegel and Randie Levine-Miller, Drama Desk Director of Special Events, who has produced this event at the Friars Club for the past 15 years.

The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards announced a series of major changes designed to enhance the visibility and outreach of the Drama Desk Awards nationwide while, at the same time, creating a large national footprint for all segments of New York theater. The changes include a television broadcast deal with Ovation; moving the awards ceremony from a concert hall to a prestigious ballroom in Midtown Manhattan; presenting the awards at a gala sit-down dinner in an elegant setting, hosted by a major Broadway star; adding musical numbers from nominated New York stage productions; changing the day of the annual Drama Desk Awards from its traditional Sunday time-slot to a Monday night when most Broadway and Off Broadway shows are dark; and adding major media partners. The changes were announced at a news conference held today (Thursday, February 24, 2011) at Inc Lounge in the Time Hotel, 224 West 49th Street, by Robert R. Blume, who has been Executive Producer of the annual Drama Desk Awards since 1999.

Best Plays Theater Yearbook editor Jeffrey Eric Jenkins has accepted the position of Director of Theatre Studies in the Department of Drama at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Isa Goldberg, theater critic and journalist, has been elected the new President of the Drama Desk by its membership voting electronically in approval of the projected Officers and Board of Directors slate for 2010-2011. She assumed the Presidency at this evening's annual membership meeting, held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Travel Inn, 515 West 42nd Street. Ms. Goldberg was introduced as the incoming President by outgoing President William Wolf, who was elected to remain on the Board as a Member-at-Large.

On Sunday, September 26, the California AIDS Walk was held in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Hosted by Wanda Sykes and Blair Underwood, special guests Megan Hilty, Eden Espinosa, Magic Johnson, Hanson, Shontelle, Cazwell, Jermaine Jackson attended the walk and performed in concert for the walkers.

Continuing a tradition that dates back to 1920, when Burns Mantle founded the annual Best Plays Theater Yearbook, the Best Plays of 2009-2010 were announced today by editor Jeffrey Eric Jenkins.

Patti LuPone, the winner of three Drama Desk Awards as Outstanding Actress in A Musical for her performances in Evita (1980), Anything Goes 1988) and Gypsy (2008), will host this year's 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 9 PM, it was announced today by Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the annual awards show, and William Wolf, President of the Drama Desk.

Boyd Gaines, Cheyenne Jackson, Martha Plimpton, Anna Gasteyer and Jesse L. Martin have joined the roster of stars who will serve as presenters at the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Other presenters, previously announced, include Mitzi Gaynor, Michael Cerveris, Matthew Modine, Brooke Shields, Rosie Perez, Leslie Jordan and Corbin Bleu.

Mitzi Gaynor, Michael Cerveris, Matthew Modine, Brooke Shields, Rosie Perez, Leslie Jordan and Corbin Bleu were announced by Executive Producer Robert R. Blume as the first group of presenters lined up for the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center.

Patti LuPone, the winner of three Drama Desk Awards as Outstanding Actress in A Musical for her performances in Evita (1980), Anything Goes 1988) and Gypsy (2008), will host this year's 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 9 PM, it was announced today by Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the annual awards show, and William Wolf, President of the Drama Desk.

Patti LuPone, the winner of three Drama Desk Awards as Outstanding Actress in A Musical for her performances in Evita (1980), Anything Goes 1988) and Gypsy (2008), will host this year's 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 9 PM, it was announced today by Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the annual awards show, and William Wolf, President of the Drama Desk.

Based on Carlyle Brown's own travels in West Africa, The Fula from America is the story of one African-American's search for an African identity.

The Drama Desk, the organization of professional writers, critics and columnists who cover all sectors of New York theater, will present its first Panel Discussion of the 2009-2010 theater season on Thursday, February 25, 2010, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM in the BMI offices at 320 West 57th Street, it was announced by William Wolf, President of the organization.

The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 9 PM at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, it was announced by Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and William Wolf, President of the Drama Desk, an organization of theater critics, writers and editors that honors excellence in all areas of New York theatre, including Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and not-for-profit theater. The nominations will be announced at a news conference on Monday, May 3, at 9:30 AM at the New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street. There will be a continental breakfast at 8:45 AM.

Based on Carlyle Brown's own travels in West Africa, The Fula from America is the story of one African-American's search for an African identity.

The Drama Desk, the organization of professional writers, critics and columnists who cover all sectors of New York theater, will present its first Panel Discussion of the 2009-2010 theater season on Thursday, February 25, 2010, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM in the BMI offices at 320 West 57th Street, it was announced by William Wolf, President of the organization.

The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards Ceremony will take place on May 23rd this year at a to-be-announced location. The awards will honor excellence in theatre for the 2009-2010 season. The nominations will be announced on May 3rd at the New York Friars Club in Manhattan. Emcees have yet to be determined.

The 89th edition of The Best Plays Theater Yearbook, released today by Limelight Editions ($49.95, 595 pages), recounts the exciting 2007-2008 theater season, which was enhanced by the prominent presence of artists of color on the 'Great White Way.'

The 89th edition of The Best Plays Theater Yearbook, released today by Limelight Editions ($49.95, 595 pages), recounts the exciting 2007-2008 theater season, which was enhanced by the prominent presence of artists of color on the 'Great White Way.'

Continuing a tradition that dates back to 1920, when Burns Mantle founded the annual Best Plays Theater Yearbook, the Best Plays of 2008-2009 were announced today by editor Jeffrey Eric Jenkins.