EXCLUSIVE: The New York Drama League honored Tony winner Andre DeShields, Theater District Drama Book Shop and Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet as this year’s Special Recognition Honorees.
The special awards will be presented at the annual Drama League Awards Luncheon on Friday, May 19.
The nominations for the 89th annual Drama League Awards, covering the 2022-23 Broadway and Off-Broadway seasons, will be announced on Tuesday, April 25.
DeShields, a Tony winner for Hades city last seen on Broadway in death of a sellerreceived the Dramaliga’s Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater award for “his” outstanding work on stage as part of the musical theater community.
The Drama Bookstore, a longtime Theater District bookstore, meeting place and performance venue that was saved from closure in 2020 when Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller and James L. Nederlander took over ownership, is honored with the contribution to the Theater Award, “for his unwavering commitment to advancing the American art of theater through stewardship of an important, century-long creative home in which artists can thrive.”
encores! Artistic director and founder of Public Works Lear deBessonet, whose In the forest was a hit in both of his encores! Lauf and a Broadway transfer, is being honored with the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing “for her incredible contributions to directing.”
The annual appreciation award is presented to Darin Oduyoye, CCO of JP Morgan Chase, in recognition of his leadership and dedication to the theater industry through the support of many productions and his work on the board of Beyond the Stage Door, a comprehensive educational program dedicated to is on it Guiding students from diverse backgrounds into theater management careers.
The annual luncheon ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom will be hosted by NY1 Emmy Award winner Frank DiLella On stage. The nominations for the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway seasons, to be announced Tuesday, April 25, include categories for performance, production and direction.
Source: Deadline
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