Light & Sieber to announce DL Awards nominations

Tony Award winner Judith Light and Tony nominee Christopher Sieber will announce the 80th Annual Drama League Awards nominations on Wed 23 Apr 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Sardi's.

Judith Light won Tony Awards for 'Other Desert Cities' in 2012 and 'The Assembled Parties' in 2013. She was also nominated in 2011 for 'Lombardi'. Her other Broadway credits include 'Herzl' in 1976 and 'A Doll's House' in 1975. Ms. Light is also widely known for her Television roles on programmes such as 'Ugly Betty', 'Dallas', 'Who's the Boss?' and 'One Life to Live', for which she picked up two Emmy Awards.

Christopher Sieber was nominated for Tony Awards for his performances in 'Monty Python's Spamalot' in 2005 and 'Shrek the Musical' in 2009. His other Broadway credits include 'Matilda The Musical', 'La Cage aux Folles', 'Into the Woods', 'Chicago', 'Thoroughly Modern Millie', 'Triumph of Love' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. He is also widely known for his Television role on 'Two of a Kind' playing father to the Olsen twins.

The categories which they will announce include Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and finally the Distinguished Performance Award. The cut-off date for eligibility for the Awards is the 20 Apr 2014.

The Drama League has also previously announced the three recipients of the 2014 Special Recognition Awards: Barbara Cook will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award in recognition of her contribution to musical theatre, John Tiffany will be honored with the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, and lastly, Key Brand Entertainment/Broadway Across America will be awarded the Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award for their work of bringing New York productions to theatres across America.

The 80th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony will take place on 16 May 2014 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square and will be hosted by Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson. 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 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.

- by Tom Millward