Drama Desk nominations: Schreiber and McDonald to announce

Drama Desk and Tony winners Audra McDonald and Liev Schreiber will announce the nominations for the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards at a news conference on 2 May 2011 at the New York Friars Club.

Audra McDonald, who has won three Drama Desk Awards (Carousel, A Raisin in the Sun and 110 in the Shade) and four Tony Awards (Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun), is a singer and actress. Her film and television work has been well noted with an Emmy nomination for her performance in Mike Nichols' production of "Wit" on HBO.

Liev Schreiber has won two Drama Desk Awards (Glengarry Glen Ross and A View From A Bridge), two Drama Desk nominations (Betrayal and Talk Radio), a Tony Award (Glengarry Glen Ross) plus three Tony Award nominations (A View from the Bridge, Talk Radio and Betrayal). He has won equally high praise as well as Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his work in film and television.

The winners will be announced at the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony which will take place on 23 May 2011 at the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York City.

Organized in 1949, the Drama Desk presented its first awards in 1955. The Drama Desk Awards are unique in that Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows and creative personnel compete in the same categories.

The Board of Directors of the Drama Desk is composed of Isa Goldberg, President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake, Vice President; Charles Wright, Treasurer and 2nd Vice President; Richard Ridge, Secretary, Arlene Epstein, Elysa Gardner, Randy Gener, John Istel, David Kaufman, Sam Norkin. and William Wolf.

Liev SchreiberAudra McDonald