John Tiffany, Barbara Cook & Key Brand Entertainment/Broadway Across America to be Honored at 2014 Drama League Awards

The Drama League will honor three theatre luminaries at this year's 80th Annual Drama League Awards set for Friday afternoon, May 16, 2014 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway).

The 2014 recipients are as follows: Kennedy Center Honoree, Tony, and Grammy Award nominee, Barbara Cook will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award in recognition of her contribution to the musical theatre; Key Brand Entertainment/Broadway Across America will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award for their vital work of bringing New York productions to theaters across America; and Tony, Drama Desk and OBIE Award-winner John Tiffany will receive The Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.

These Special Recognition Honors are in addition to the five competitive categories. The 2014 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 Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Sardi's and will be streamed live online at BroadwayWorld.com.

The 80th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon includes a nominees cocktail reception, luncheon, and awards presentation and will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in the Broadway Ballroom (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 16, 2014 beginning at 11:30am. National Life Group (www.NationalLifeGroup.com) and Financier Patisserie (www.financierpastries.com) are the 2014 Sponsors of The 80th Annual Drama League Awards.

"It feels like we are receiving the honor with these special recipients, not the other way around," said Executive Director Gabriel Shanks. "Barbara Cook is a theatrical legend whose impact on our art form is indelible. From the company-created Black Watch to the musical Once to this season's revival of The Glass Menagerie, John Tiffany has proven himself to be a global talent who can tackle any style or project successfully. And of course, there is no more important task today than to export the best productions we have out to the rest of the world, so that others can experience their magic. Broadway Across America takes on that challenge every day, and excels year after year."

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.