Drama League Awards: Debra Messing and David Hyde Pierce to host

The Drama League has announced Emmy Award winner Debra Messing ("Will & Grace") will join Tony and Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce ("Frasier," 'Curtains') as co-host of the 79th Annual Drama League Awards. The Awards Ceremony and Luncheon will be held 17 May 2013 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.

Messing and Pierce lead a team of Broadway stars as Honorary Co-Chairs for the 79th Annual Drama League Awards, including 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 Honorary Co-Chairs serve as ambassadors for The Drama League Awards and welcome the attendees of the Awards Luncheon at a cocktail reception before the event.

2013 Drama League Awards Nominations for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie on 23 Apr 2013 held at Sardi's Restaurant.

In addition to the competitive categories:

Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy 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 presented by Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune

Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell will receive The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, presented by pop icon Cyndi Lauper.

For the first time in its history, The Drama League will welcome stage directors to its dais of performers as awards presenters for the major categories. The 2013 Award Presenters, all of whom are alumni of The Drama League Directors Project, include Rachel Chavkin, Pam MacKinnon, Diane Paulus and Alex Timbers.

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.

Debra MessingDavid Hyde Pierce