Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award | |
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Description | Excellence in theatre |
Country | ![]() |
Presented by | Drama Desk |
First awarded | 1955 |
Website | http://www.dramadesk.com/ |
The Drama Desk Award, created in 1955, is an award which recognizes shows produced on Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, and for legitimate not-for-profit theaters.[1] Previously there had been only the Tony Awards, which focused solely on Broadway shows, ignoring the hundreds of other productions mounted in New York City each year.[1]
Background
Originally called the Vernon Rice Awards in honor of theater critic Vernon Rice of the New York Post, the name was changed in 1963.[2] In its earliest years, a minimal number of prizes were awarded, but there now are as many categories as there are for the Tonys. The Drama Desk is composed of theatre critics, writers and editors; chairperson of the current Nominating Committee is Barbara Siegel (TalkinBroadway.com, TheaterMania.com).
The Drama Desk Awards have proven to be the first step towards stardom for numerous theatrical luminaries, including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Edward Albee, Wendy Wasserstein, George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Sada Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman.[1] Off-Broadway productions such as Driving Miss Daisy, Other People's Money, Steel Magnolias, and The Boys in the Band were propelled to international recognition based on their wins.[1]
The Drama Desk Awards ceremony is held annually at LaGuardia Concert Hall of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Lincoln Center. The nominations for 2008-09 were announced on April 27, 2009, and the awards ceremony was held on May 17, 2009.[3]
Categories
Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Foreign Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play
Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations
Play and musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design/Music for a Play
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Special Effects
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Projection and Video Design
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival
- Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show
- Special Drama Desk Award
- Drama Desk Most Promising Awards
See also
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References
- ^ a b c d "Drama Desk Awards: History". DramaDesk.com. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "1954-1955 1st Drama Desk Awards". DramaDesk.com. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Ruined and Billy Elliot Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards",playbill.com, May 17, 2009