Gaynor, Modine, Perez Among Those Announced For 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards

Mitzi Gaynor, Michael Cerveris, Matthew Modine, Brooke Shields, Rosie Perez, Leslie Jordan and Corbin Bleu were announced by Executive Producer Robert R. Blume as the first group of presenters lined up for the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Other presenters to participate in the annual awards ceremony, to be hosted by former Drama Desk Award winner Patti LuPone, will be announced shortly. 

This year's Drama Desk Awards nominations will be announced at a morning news conference on Monday, May 3, at 9:30 AM at the NY Friars Club by former Drama Desk Award winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Cady Huffman. All nominees will be celebrated at the annual Nominees Cocktail Reception to be held Thursday, May 6, 3:30 to 5:45 PM, at Churrascaria Plataforma, the authentic New York Brazilian Steak house on West 49th Street. At this event, the honorees receive their Official Nomination Certificates and have the opportunity to create individual sketches reflecting the stage productions with which they are affiliated for the Drama Desk Art*Kives program.

The VIP post-show party after the Drama Desk Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 23, will take place at Brian and Carrie Packin's plush, new upscale 48 Lounge on the street level of the McGraw Hill Building, 1221 Avenue of Americas, entrance on 48th Street, starting at 11:15 PM. The party will feature cuisine by the legendary Blue Ribbon Caterers.

The general pre-show reception at the LaGuardia Concert Hall on Sunday, May 23, will be hosted by 'Mind The Art Entertainment,' a New York City based Collaborative Arts & Entertainment Company whose mission is to promote, enhance, workshop and produce new work and talent in the arts.

Mr. Blume is also proud to welcome back longtime major supporters of the Awards presentation, David Stone, The Smart Family Foundation, Richard I. Kandel, Ted Snowdon, Jamie deRoy & friends, as well as The New York Times and show business bible Variety.

The Drama Desk, which was organized in 1949 and presented its first awards in 1955, is the only organization of professional theater critics, writers and editors that bestows awards with Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway productions competing in the same categories.

The 2009/2010 Nominating Committee for the Drama Desk Awards includes: Barbara Siegel (Chairperson) TalkinBroadway.com, TheaterMania.com; Christopher Byrne, Gay City News; Patrick Christiano, TheaterLife.com, Dan's Papers; David Kaufman, freelance and author; Gerard Raymond, Back Stage, The Advocate; Richard Ridge, Broadway Beat TV; and PaulAnne Simmons, CurtainUp.com, NY Theatre-wire.com.

Robert R. Blume is Executive Producer of the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards, which will be co-presented by Theatermania.com, and Blume Media Group Ltd. Lauren Class Schneider is Producer and Jeff Kalpak is Director of the Awards ceremony. For the production, the Associate Producers are Joseph Callari, Corine Dana Cohen, Ellis Nassour and Les Schecter, who also serves as Director of Publicity and Promotions. Marilyn Munder is the Talent Coordinator. Randie Levine-Miller is Special Events Director for the Drama Desk.

The Board of Directors of the Drama Desk is composed of William Wolf, President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake, Vice President; Charles Wright, Treasurer and 2nd Vice President; Richard Ridge, Secretary, Randy Gener, Isa Goldberg, Susan Haskins, John Istel, David Kaufman, Ellis Nassour and Sam Norkin.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski