News & Views from the Drama Desk
April 22, 2004
For Immediate Release
HARVEY FIERSTEIN TO HOST 49 TH ANNUAL DRAMA DESK AWARDS ON SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2004
Awards Show to Be Televised by NYC TV Channel 74 in New York And Channel 36 in Los Angeles, and Webcast Live by TheaterMania.com
Click Here for Mr. Fierstein's Bio
Harvey Fierstein, the comic actor who won Drama Desk and Tony Awards last season for his starring role in Hairspray, will be the host of The 49 th Annual Drama Desk Awards on Sunday, May 16, at 9:00 PM from the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center, it was announced by Drama Desk Awards executive producer Robert R. Blume. Awards for excellence in multiple categories will be presented by the Drama Desk, an organization of critics and journalists covering all areas of New York theatre, including Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off-Broadway and non-profit theatre.
The Drama Desk Awards will air on NYC TV Channel 74, New York City’s official television network, on Wednesday, May 19, at 9:00 PM; Saturday, May 22, at 4:00 PM; and Sunday, May 23, at 8:00 PM.
The broadcast agreement was spearheaded by Roy A. Somlyo, who recently joined the Drama Desk Awards as Executive Consultant after serving the past five years as President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. Somlyo, winner of four Emmy Awards and Managing Producer for the Tony Awards. from 1987 to 1998, has also arranged for the Drama Desk Awards program to be broadcast on Channel 36 in Los Angeles, and is offering the program to PBS stations around the country.
Elizabeth Gerst, Director of Program Development for NYC TV, will be the executive producer of the broadcast; David Lazecko, NYC TV’s Director of Technical Operations, will oversee and coordinate video production.
For the second consecutive year, the awards ceremony will be webcast live by TheaterMania.com (www.theatermania.com), the leading website covering theatre in over 40 markets in the United States, plus London and Toronto. TheaterMania.com registers nearly one-million visitors a month and has over 275,000 members.
Harvey Fierstein, who departs his starring role in Hairspray on May 2, 2004, won the 2003 Tony Award and shared the 2003 Drama Desk Award with Antonio Banderas, who was then starring in the Broadway musical revival of Nine. During his illustrious career, which began in 1971 when he starred in Andy Warhol’s only play, Pork, at the La Mama Experimental Theater Club, Fierstein has appeared in more than 60 Off Off-Broadway plays, writing and performing in many of his own productions.
His Torch Song Trilogy opened Off Off-Broadway in 1980, transferred to Off Broadway in 1981, and then moved to Broadway. For that show, Fierstein won two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, an Obie Award, and a Dramatists Guild Award. He won his third Tony Award for the book of La Cage aux Folles. For his performance as Edna Turnblad in the smash hit musical Hairspray, Fierstein received the 2003 Drama Desk Award (Best Actor in a Musical), Drama League Award (Outstanding Performance of the Year), and New York Magazine Award. He also received the 2003 Tony Award (Best Actor in a Musical), making him only the second person in history to win Tonys in four different categories.
Fierstein has appeared in 30 films, including Independence Day, Mrs. Doubtfire and Woody Allen’s Bullets over Broadway. His TV appearances have included roles in Ellen, Common Ground (which he also co-wrote), and Cheers, for which he received an Emmy nomination. Fierstein also provided the voice of Homer Simpson’s executive secretary on The Simpsons, and he is a regular commentator on PBS’ In the Life. His children’s book, The Sissy Duckling (Simon & Schuster), garnered an Ace Award.
"We are delighted to have Harvey Fierstein host this year’s Drama Desk Awards," said executive producer Robert R. Blume. "A distinguished actor and veteran stage performer, his distinctive sense of humor will add a new dimension to the awards show. It promises to be a lot of fun!"
"On behalf of the members of the Drama Desk, I welcome Harvey Fierstein as the host of our awards show," said Drama Desk President William Wolf. "He is a distinguished actor and a favorite of New York theatre audiences and media. With Harvey as host, the event is sure to be lively."
Nominations for the 49 th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced at a news conference and breakfast on Thursday, April 29, at 8:30 AM at The New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street. The nominations in multiple categories will be announced by award-winning actors, Mary-Louise Parker and Tony Roberts.
The official Nominees Cocktail Reception will be held on Thursday, May 6,5:00 to 7:00 PM at St. John Boutique, 665 Fifth Avenue. Food and refreshments will be provided by Michelob Ultra and Gotham Magazine.
Following the conclusion of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May16, at 11:30 PM,Compass Restaurant & Bar will host a reception at its restaurant located at 208 West 70 th Street.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Drama Desk Awards will enlist personal sketches from this year's nominated performers and creative talent for its Art*Kive program created by Associate Producer Sarah Galvin. This annual program -- unique to the Drama Desk Awards -- invites the nominees to render a sketch that is relevant to the role or stage production that helped them achieve their nomination. The sketches will be displayed at the awards ceremony.
The Drama Desk Awards ceremony features numbers from nominated musicals performed by cast members of those shows. At the ceremony, the Drama Desk also announces the recipients of scholarships presented each year to two worthy seniors in the Drama Department of the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts who are planning careers in the theatre. This year, Drama Desk scholarships are provided by The Smart Family Foundation; TheaterMania.com;Daryl Roth Productions and Jamie deRoy & friends.
Major Sponsors of the 49 th Annual Drama Desk Awards include The New YorkTimes; TheaterMania.com; Michelob Ultra; GSD Productions, Inc.; Hit Show Club and Variety. Major benefactors include: David S. Stone, Esq. of Boies Schiller and Flexner, New Jersey office; Ronald B. Shapiro; Richard I. Kandel; Lawrence Fraiberg; the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation and Lynn & Lewis Pell.
Other sponsors include: International Barter Network; VisionMix CreativeServices and Rare Salon. Food and beverages are being provided by Link Restaurant and Cademartori’s Imports of Italy.
Robert R. Blume is Executive Producer of the 49 th Annual Drama Desk Awards. Lauren Class Schneider is Producer and Jeff Kalpak is Director. Associate Producers are Sarah Galvin, Corine Dana Cohen, Jae French and Les Schecter, who is also Director of Publicity and Promotions. Felicia M. Lopes is the General Manager. Randie Levine-Miller is Director of Drama Desk Special Events. Roy A. Somlyo is Executive Consultant.
The Board of Directors of the Drama Desk is composed of: William Wolf, President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake, Vice President; Charles Wright, Treasurer and Second Vice President; Ellis Nassour, Secretary; and Members-at-Large: Michael Bracken, David Kaufman, Sam Norkin, Barbara Siegel, and Elyse Sommer.
Press Contact: |
Les Schecter/Matthew Donohue |
| Tel: | 212/586-2600 |
| E-mail: | lester.schecter@verizon.net or matthew_p._donoghue@worldnet.att.net |
| NYC TV Contact: | Elizabeth Gerst/NYC TV |
| Tel: | 212/669-7011 |
| Email: | elizabeth.gerst@doitt.nyc.gov |
| www.nyc.gov/tv |
WELCOME TO LEGEND OF KREMLIN VODKA.. NOW OFFICIAL VODKA OF THE DRAMA DESK AWARDS!
New York, NY, May 18, 2008 – South Pacific, the Lincoln Center revival of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic 1949 musical, won five awards(..read more)
53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards Nomination Announced; A Catered Affair leads list with 12 Nominations
New York, April 28, 2008—Nominations for the 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club (..read more)
