Drama Desk Awards Nominations Ceremony on April 28 at the Friar's Club

Nominations for the 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced on Thursday, April 28, 2005, at 10:00 AM at a ceremony to be held at the New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street, in Manhattan. Robert Goulet, co-starring on Broadway in La Cage Aux Folles, and Lynn Redgrave, currently in rehearsal for The Roundabout Theatre Company's production of The Constant Wife, will announce the nominees along with Drama Desk President William Wolf.

Nominations will be announced in approximately 26 categories. The Drama Desk, which presented its first awards in 1955, is the only organization of professional theatre critics, writers and editors that regularly covers all sectors of New York's theatre, including Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and not-for-profit theatre.

The 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Harvey Fierstein, will be held Sunday, May 22, at 9:00 PM in the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. The awards ceremony will be webcast live on the Internet by TheaterMania.com.

A two-hour taped version of the awards ceremony will be televised on Thirteen/WNET on Sunday, May 29, at 12 Noon. In addition, the two-hour tape will be delivered via satellite to all PBS stations across the United States by the National Education Television Association (NETA) on Friday, May 27, for subsequent broadcast in local markets.

Ongoing Drama Desk Award benefactors include: David S. Stone, Esq., Boies Schiller and Flexner, LLP/NJ office; Lynn and Lewis Pell; Richard I. Kandel; and Jamie DeRoy.

This year's Drama Desk Nominating Committee includes: Barbara Siegel, TheaterMania.com and Siegel Entertainment Syndicate, chairperson; William Wolf, WolfEntertainmentGuide.com, Drama Desk president; Andy Buck, Playbill; Michael Buckley, Playbill On-Line; Christopher Byrne, Gay City News; Andrew Propst, American Theater Web; and Richard Ridge, Broadway Beat TV.

The Board of Directors of the Drama Desk is composed of: William Wolf, President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake, Vice President; Charles Wright, Treasurer and Second Vice President; Joyce Hauser, Secretary; and Members-at-Large: Michael Bracken, David Kaufman, Ellis Nassour, Sam Norkin, Barbara Siegel, and Elyse Sommer.

Robert R. Blume is Executive Producer of the 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards. Lauren Class Schneider is Producer and Jeff Kalpak is Director. Associate Producers are Corine Dana Cohen, Jackie Barlia-Florin, Jae French, Sarah Galvin, and Les Schecter, who is also Director of Publicity and Promotions. Felicia M. Lopes is the General Manager. Randie Levine-Miller is Director of Drama Desk Special Events. Roy A. Somlyo is Consulting Producer.