Drama League Awards: David Hyde Pierce to host
The Drama League has announced that Tony and Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce will host The 79th Annual Drama League Awards. The Awards Luncheon will be held 17 May 2013 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square at noon.
Pop icon Cyndi Lauper and Emmy Award winner Mary Tyler Moore will present special awards to Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters, respectively. 2013 Awards Honorary Co-Chairs include Bobby Cannavale, Alan Cumming, Edie Falco, Judith Ivey, Nathan Lane, Judith Light, Patina Miller, Donna Murphy, Fiona Shaw, Holland Taylor, Cicely Tyson and Michael Urie.
The 2013 Drama League Nominations for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Best Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award will be announced on 23 Apr 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Sardi's restaurant.
Drama League Executive Director Gabriel Shanks said,
We are thrilled to have our dear friend David Hyde Pierce hosting the best party on Broadway. We can't wait to celebrate the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway from this marvelous theater season.David Hyde Pierce is currently appearing in the Lincoln Center Theater production of 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' at Broadway's John Golden Theater. Previous Broadway credits include 'Curtains' (Tony Award), 'Beyond Therapy,' 'La Bête,' 'Accent on Youth,' 'Spamalot' and 'The Heidi Chronicles.' He has appeared in the films "The Perfect Host," "Down With Love," "Full Frontal," "Wet Hot American Summer," "A Bug's Life," "Treasure Planet," "Wolf Nixon," "Sleepless in Seattle," "Little Man Tate" and "Crossing Delancey." He is known to millions for his acclaimed performance as "Niles Crane" on the television comedy "Frasier" (Emmy and SAG awards), and recently directed 'The Importance of Being Earnest' for Williamstown Theatre Festival and 'It Shoulda Been You' for George Street Playhouse.
In addition to the competitive categories, Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award in recognition of her contribution to the musical theatre, presented by Emmy Award winner Mary Tyler Moore. Madison Square Garden Entertainment & the Rockettes will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award for the continuing efforts in promoting live theatre, and Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell will receive The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, presented by pop icon Cyndi Lauper.
The 79th Annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon includes a pre-awards cocktail reception, luncheon, and awards presentation. It will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in the Broadway Ballroom on 17 Mat 2013.
First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theatergoer awards chosen by audience members — specifically, by the thousands of Drama League members nationwide who attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.
The Drama League Awards honor distinguished productions, performances, and exemplary career achievements in musical theatre and directing. The first Drama League Award was presented to Katharine Cornell in 1935. Since then, the Distinguished Performance Award has been accorded to a roster of theatre legends such as Audra McDonald, Liam Neeson, Hugh Jackman, Patti LuPone, Glenn Close, Liev Schreiber, Sir John Gielgud, Harvey Fierstein, Cherry Jones, Alec Guinness, James Earl Jones, Julie Harris, Helen Hayes, Jeremy Irons, Mary-Louise Parker, Sir Ian McKellen, Bernadette Peters, and Christopher Plummer.
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