Leavel and Naughton to Announce Drama Desk Nods, 4/26

Beth Leavel, who received the 2006 Drama Desk Award for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone and actor James Naughton, winner of Drama Desk Awards for City of Angels (1991)and Long Day's Journey Into Night (1971), will announce the nominations in the various categories. In addition, there will be remarks by Drama Desk President William Wolf, Drama Desk Awards Executive Producer Robert R. Blume, and Randie Levine-Miller, Drama Desk Director of Special Events, who annually produces this event at the Friars Club.

Leavel, who received the 2006 Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards, in addition to her Drama Desk Award, for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone, has numerous New York stage credits, including major roles on Broadway in 42^nd Street (revival), the original companies of Crazy For You and The Civil War, and Hal Prince's Show Boat. She has also appeared Off Broadway in Lone Star Love, The Jazz Singer and An Unfinished Song.

In addition to his two Drama Desk Awards, actor/singerJames Naughton, a graduate of the Yale Drama School, won Tony Awards for the musicals City of Angels (1990) and Chicago (1996), and a Theatre World Award for Long Day's Journey Into Night (1971). He directed Our Town and also had leading roles in the Broadway productions of Prymate and Democracy. Most recently, he was featured in the film The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep.

The Drama Desk, which presented its first awards in 1955, is the only organization of professional theater critics, writers and editors that regularly covers all sectors of New York's theater, including Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway.

The 52nd Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth, who recently starred in the Broadway revival of The Apple Tree, will be held Sunday, May 20, at 9:00 PM in the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. A two-hour edited version of the awards ceremony will be televised nationally by PBS stations. In New York the special will air on Thirteen/WNET on Sunday, May 27 (12:30 – 2:30 PM) and on NYC TV 25 on Thursday and Saturday nights, May 24 and May 26.  The national air dates are: Thursday, May 24, at 8:00 PM and Saturday, May 26, at 10:00 PM.  On Thirteen/WNET, the broadcast date and time are Sunday, May 27, 12:30 PM -2:30 PM.

Members of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee for the 2006/2007 season include: Barbara Siegel, Chairperson (TalkinBroadway.com, TheaterMania.com); Gregory Bossler (The Dramatist Magazine); Bernard Carragher (Catholic Transcript); Glenda Frank (Plays International, nytheatre-wire.com); Tony Phillips (New York Press); and Richard Ridge (Broadway Beat TV).

The Drama Desk Board of Directors is composed of: William Wolf (wolfentertainmentguide.com), President; Leslie (Hoban) Blake (WFUV FM), Vice President; Charles Wright (A&E TV Networks, Best Plays International Yearbook), Treasurer and Second Vice President; Joyce Hauser, Secretary; and Members-at-Large: Michael Bracken (WFUV FM); David Kaufman (Freelance); Ellis Nassour (BroadwayStars.com, Playbill); Sam Norkin (Freelance theater artist, Past Drama Desk President); Barbara Siegel (TalkinBroadway.com, TheaterMania.com); and Elyse Sommer (Chief critic and editor, CurtainUp.com).

Robert R. Blume is Executive Producer of the 52ndAnnual Drama Desk Awards.  Lauren Class Schneider is Producer and Jeff Kalpak is Director. The show is being written by Terry Berliner. Associate Producers are Jacki Barlia Florin, Corine Dana Cohen, Margot Astrachan and Les Schecter who is also Director of Publicity and Promotions. Elias El-Hage is the General Manager. Randie Levine-Miller is Special Events Director for the Drama Desk. For television, Terry Rohnke is Production Consultant and Roy A. Somlyo is Consulting Producer.

Visit www.dramadesk.org for more information.

Photo of Beth Leavel by Craig Brockman