News & Views from the Drama Desk
For Release: May 22 at 11:30 PM
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DOUBT ANDTHE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA HEAD LIST OF
2004/2005 DRAMA DESK AWARDS WINNERS WITH FIVE AWARDS EACH, FOLLOWED BY MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT AND THE 25 TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE WITH THREE AWARDS APIECE
DOUBT AND MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT VOTED OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY AND MUSICAL; LA CAGE AUX FOLLES AND TWELVE ANGRY MEN HONORED AS OUTSTANDING REVIVALS
BRIAN F. O’BYRNE AND CHERRY JONES, CO-STARS IN DOUBT, NAMED OUTSTANDING ACTOR AND ACTRESS IN A PLAY
NORBERT LEO BUTZ (DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS), & VICTORIA CLARK (THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA) NAMED OUTSTANDING ACTOR AND ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
New York, NY, May 22, 2005 – Doubt, John Patrick Shanley’s acclaimed drama about a strong-minded nun in a Bronx Catholic school who suspects a priest of being a possible child molester, and The Light in the Piazza, a musical about a mother and daughter traveling together in Italy in the summer of 1953, each won five awards at the 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards tonight. The next big winners of the evening, with three Drama Desk Awards each, were two new musicals: Monty Python’s Spamalot, based on the 1975 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, with book, music and lyrics by Eric Idle, directed by Mike Nichols, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a delightful new musical, staged by James Lapine, about six young people on the edge of puberty who strive to become adults by competing in an annual spelling bee.
Doubt and Monty Python’s Spamalot were voted Outstanding New Play and Outstanding New Musical, respectively. Billy Crystal won the Outstanding Solo Performance Drama Desk Award for his one-man show,700 Sundays; Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit was voted a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revue; Slava’s Snowshow won the Unique Theatrical Experience Award; and Outstanding Ensemble Drama Desk Awards were presented to the casts of Glengarry Glen Ross and The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
The awardsceremony, honoring outstanding achievements in New York theatre for the 2004/2005 theatre season ,was held in the Concert Hall at F.H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts with Harvey Fierstein as host.
Productions that won two awards each were the revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by Joe Mantello, a new production of David Mamet’s 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play; La Cage aux Folles, a revival of the 1983 musical starring Robert Goulet and Gary Beach; and The Pillowman, The National Theatre of Great Britain’s new production of Martin McDonagh’s play about a fiction writer in a totalitarian state who is interrogated about the plot similarities of his short stories to a number of bizarre incidents in his community.
Brian F. O’Byrne and Cherry Jones were voted Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Play for their co-starring roles in Doubt. Norbert Leo Butz was voted Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his co-starring role in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Victoria Clark was presented the Outstanding Actress in a Musical Award for her starring performance in The Light in the Piazza.
Drama Desk Awards as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play were given to Michael Stuhlbarg (The Pillowman) and Adriane Lenox (Doubt), respectively. Denis O’Hare (Sweet Charity) was voted Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and Jan Maxwell (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) won the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
Doug Hughes (Doubt) and James Lapine (The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) won as Outstanding Directors of a Play and Musical, respectively. Jerry Mitchell (La Cage aux Folles) danced off with the Outstanding Choreography award.
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music was presented to Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza); the Outstanding Lyrics Award was voted to Eric Idle (Monty Python’s Spamalot); and the Outstanding Book of a Musical Award was won by Rachel Sheinkin (The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations went to Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel and Bruce Coughlin (The Light in the Piazza),
Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Set Designs of a Play and Musical were presented to Santo Loquasto (Glengarry Glen Ross) and Michael Yeargan (The Light in the Piazza), respectively. Tim Hatley (Monty Python’s Spamalot) won the award for Outstanding Costume Design; Christopher Akerlind (The Light in the Piazza) won for Outstanding Lighting Design; and Paul Arditti (The Pillowman) won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design.
The Drama Desk also presented five special awards: In addition to the casts of Glengarry Glen Ross and The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, who were given Outstanding Ensemble Awards, a Career Achievement Award went to Julie Harris for her commitment to excellence in the theater; a Special Award was given to Keen Company for moving and enlightening audiences with plays that build upon our theatrical heritage; and in celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the Drama Desk Awards, a Special Award was presented to The Public Theater for its 50 years of exceptional contributions to the theatre.
Drama Desk 2005 Scholarship Awards , co-sponsored by The Smart Family Foundation, Jamie deRoy & friends, TheaterMania.com and Daryl Roth Productions, were given to Devin Adams and Elizabeth DeForest, drama majors at F.H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. The annual Stewart F. Lane Scholarship for Excellence in Theatre Studios was awarded to LaGuardia High School theatre major Carla Jablonski.
Presenters at tonight’s Drama Desk Awards show included Alan Alda, Christina Applegate, Hank Azaria, Delta Burke, Sutton Foster , Joanna Gleason, Jeff Goldblum , Robert Goulet, Ethan Hawke, Patti Lupone, Rue McClanahan, Maureen McGovern,Gerald McRaney, David Hyde Pierce, Parker Posey, Lynn Redgrave, Liev Schreiber, Tommy Tune,Kathleen Turner and the cast of The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
In addition, there were performances from current nominated musicals: the cast of Altar Boyz sang We Are The Altar Boyz; Maureen McGovern performed Days of Plenty from Little Wom en ; Janine LaManna and Kyra DaCosta sang Baby, Dream Your Dream from Sweet Charity; Sherie Renee Scott, accompanied by Bill Charlap, performed Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels); and Victoria Clark sang Fable from The Light in the Piazza. Billy Stritch provided piano music during the evening. The announcer was Patrick Quinn.
The Awards Ceremony was videotaped and a two-hour version will be aired on NYC TV Channel 25 on Wednesday, May 25, and Friday, May 27, at 8 PM each night, as well as on Thirteen/WNET on Sunday, May 29, at 12 Noon.
The two-hour taped special will be fed via satellite by the National Educational Television Association (NETA) to all PBS stations in the U.S. for later broadcast. To date, the following have confirmed broadcast dates/times: WEAO TV (Akron, OH), Friday, May 27, at 10 PM; WNEO TV Alliance (OH), Friday, May 27, at 10 PM; WQED TV Pittsburgh (PA), Sunday, May 29, at 3 PM; WHYY TV Philadelphia (PA), Thursday, June 2, at 10 PM; KTCI TV St. Paul (MN), Thursday, June 2, at 8 PM; WEDU TV, Tampa (FL), Thursday, June 2, at 9:30 PM; WKNO TV Memphis (TN), Sunday, June 12, at 10 PM; KQED TV San Francisco (CA), Sunday, June 12, at 6 PM; and WPBT TV Miami (FL), Sunday, June 26, at 4 PM .
The Drama Desk Awards were webcast with live streaming video from 9:00 PM to its conclusion by TheaterMania.com with David Finkle and Michael Portantiere as commentators and Jim Caruso and Rex Reed as hosts.
Robert R. Blume is Executive Producer of the 50 th Annual Drama Desk Awards. TheaterMania.com is Associate Presenter. Lauren Class Schneider is producer and Jeff Kalpak, the director. Tom Gualtieri is the writer. Associate Producers are Jackie Barlia- Florin, Corine Dana Cohen, Jae French, Sarah Galvin, and Les Schecter. Felicia M. Lopes is General Manager. Randie Levine-Miller is Special Events Director for the Drama Desk. Stuart F. Margulies (SFM Management Ltd.) Is the Drama Desk Awards accountant. Roy A. Somlyo is Consulting Producer.
For NYC TV New York Channel 25, Trevor Scotland and Arick Wierson are Executive Producers; Cat Greenleaf and Amy Palmer, Producers. Michael McKenna, Production Manager; and Steve Vigilante, Technical Director.
The Drama Desk Awards has enlisted personal sketches from this year’s nominated performers and creative talent for its Art*Kive program created five years ago 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 were displayed at the awards ceremony.
The Drama Desk, which presented its first awards in 1955, is the only theater organization whose award nominations honor Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway and not-for-profit theater productions equally in multiple categories. The Drama Desk membership includes over 140 voting theater critics, reporters and editors.
Major funding for the 50 th Annual Drama Desk Awards was provided by Jack and Susan Rudin. Additional benefactors include TheaterMania.com, The Smart Family Foundation, David S. Stone, Esq. /Boies, Schiller and Flexner LLP, NJ office, Lynn & Lewis Pell, Richard I. Kandel, Ted Snowdon, Jackie Barlia-Florin and The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation,
The 50 th Annual Drama Desk Awards are sponsored by: The New York Times,GSD Productions, Inc., Michelob Ultra, Varietyand Hit Show Club. Additional Sponsors include: Arte Café, Typhoon Restaurant, Compass Restaurant & Bar, NY Friars Club, International Barter Network, VisionMix Creative Services, Back Stage andManhattan Bride Magazine. Transportation was provided by: Excalibur Extravaganza Limousine Company and Gray Line NY Sightseeing.
The 2004–2005 Drama Desk Nominating Committee consists of Barbara Siegel, TheaterMania.com and Siegel Entertainment Syndicate, chairperson; William Wolf, WolfEntertainmentGuide.com, Drama Desk President; Andy Buck, Playbill; Michael Buckley, Playbill On-Line; Christopher Byrne, Gay City News; Andrew Propst, American Theater Web; and Richard Ridge, Broadway Beat TV.
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; Joyce Hauser, Secretary; and Michael Bracken, David Kaufman, Ellis Nassour, Sam Norkin, Barbara Siegel and Elyse Sommer.
Press Contacts: Les Schecter/Matthew P. Donoghue (L.S. Public Relations)
Tel: 212/586-2600
email: lester.schecter@verizon.net
2004/2005 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNERS
Outstanding New Play: Doubt by John Patrick Shanley
Outstanding New Musical: Monty Python’s Spamalot
Outstanding Revival of a Play: Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose
Outstanding Revival of a Musical: La Cage aux Folles
Outstanding Revue: Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit
Outstanding Actor in a Play: Brian F. O’Byrne (Doubt)
Outstanding Actress in a Play: Cherry Jones (Doubt)
Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Norbert Leo Butz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza)
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Michael Stuhlbarg (The Pillowman)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: Adriane Lenox (Doubt)
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical : Denis O’Hare (Sweet Charity)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Jan Maxwell (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)
Outstanding Director of a Play: Doug Hughes (Doubt)
Outstanding Director of a Musical: James Lapine (The 25sup>th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee)
Outstanding Choreography: Jerry Mitchell (La Cage aux Folles)
Outstanding Book of a Musical: Rachel Sheinkin (The 25 th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
Outstanding Music: Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza)
Outstanding Lyrics: Eric Idle (Monty Python’s Spamalot)
Outstanding Orchestrations: Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, Bruce
Coughlin (The Light in the Piazza)
Outstanding Set Design of a Play: Santo Loquasto (Glengarry Glen Ross)
Outstanding Set Design of a Musical Michael Yeargan (The Light in the Piazza)
Outstanding Costume Design: Tim Hatley (Monty Python’s Spamalot)
Outstanding Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind (The Light in the Piazza)
Outstanding Sound Design: Paul Arditti (The Pillowman)
Outstanding Solo Performance: Billy Crystal (700 Sundays)
Unique Theatrical Experience: Slava’s Snowshow
In addition, the following non-competitive awards were presented:
Outstanding Ensemble Performances: The cast of Glengarry Glen Ross
The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
A Career Achievement Award to Julie Harris for her commitment to excellence in the theatre.
To Keen Company, a Special Award for moving and enlightening audiences with plays that build upon our theatrical heritage.
In celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the Drama Desk Awards, a special award to The Public Theater for its 50 years of exceptional contributions to the theatre.
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