Drama Desk Awards 50th Anniversary Luncheon April 15

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Drama Desk Awards this year, the Drama Desk will play host to seven past Drama Desk Award winners (each a multiple winner and/or nominee) at the Awards' 50th anniversary luncheon at Sardi's Restaurant, 234 West 44th Street, on Friday, April 15, at 12 noon. The guest honorees, all of whom are currently represented on the Broadway stage, include: Tom Aldredge (Twelve Angry Men), Cleavant Derricks (Brooklyn), Cherry Jones (Doubt), John Lithgow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), William Ivey Long (costumes, Sweet Charity, La Cage aux Folles,) David Rabe (playwright, Hurlyburly) and Frances Sternhagen (Steel Magnolias).

Focusing on their theatre experiences both before and after winning their Drama Desk Awards, the panel discussion will be moderated by Leslie (Hoban) Blake), entertainment journalist and Drama Desk Board Vice President, and Michael Bracken, a critic and Drama Desk Board member.

A limited number of guest tickets are available at $50 per person. For reservations, contact: lhobanb@rcn.com.

The Drama Desk, founded in 1949, is an organization of critics, writers and editors who regularly cover all segments of New York theatre, including Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and non-profit theatre. Awards are presented annually in multiple categories. William Wolf, critic/writer for wolfentertainmentguideonline.com, is President of the Drama Desk.

This year the 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 29, at 9:00 PM at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center with Harvey Fierstein, currently starring on Broadway as Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof, as host.