79th Annual Drama League Awards Will Honor Bernadette Peters, Jerry Mitchell and The Rockettes in May

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) will honor three outstanding theatre luminaries at this year's 79th Annual Drama League Awards set for Friday afternoon, May 17, 2013 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway).

The 2013 recipients are as follows: 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; 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.

These Special Recognition Honors are in addition to the five competitive categories. The 2013 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Best Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award will be announced on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Sardi's and will be streamed live online at BroadwayWorld.com.

The 79th Annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon includes cocktail reception, luncheon, and awards presentation. It will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in the Broadway Ballroom (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 17, 2013.

For more information about the Drama League Awards, please call (212) 244-9494 ext 27, or e-mail events@dramaleague.org, or visit the website at www.dramaleague.org.

The Drama League Awards Eligibility Committee recently determined that productions transferring from Off-Broadway to Broadway, or vice versa, in successive years are now eligible for consideration in both seasons.

"It's a lifetime dream for those of us at The Drama League to be able to honor Ms. Peters, who stands among the greatest performers Broadway has ever seen. Her talent is exceeded only by her commitment to her charitable causes, and the same could be said of Jerry Mitchell, whose dazzling imagination has shaped both the Broadway Bares fundraising series and the Great White Way's most vibrant successes. And who doesn't love The Rockettes?" stated Gabriel Shanks, Drama League Executive Director. He went on to add, "Celebrating over 85 years in New York, we are thrilled to honor them and Madison Square Garden Entertainment for indelible contributions that have made New York City the world capital of culture."

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 Audrey 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.