Nathan Lane & André Bishop to be Honored at the 68th Annual Drama Desk Awards

Stage and screen star Nathan Lane will receive the Harold S. Prince Award for Lifetime Achievement and Lincoln Center Theater’s André Bishop will receive the inaugural William Wolf Award at the 68 Annual Drama Desk Awards, being held on Monday, June 10 beginning at 6:15PM at NYU Skirball Center.

Staci Levine and Jessica R. Jenen will Executive Produce the Awards and David Barbour and Charles Wright are The Drama Desk co-presidents.

Beginning with the 2020 ceremony, the Drama Desk Awards has honored the memory of legendary director and producer Harold Prince with the presentation of the Harold S. Prince Award, recognizing an individual for a lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the theatre. The director-producer posthumously received the inaugural, namesake honor.

The new William Wolf Award commemorates the career of the late entertainment journalist, theater and film critic, and inspiring teacher, who was a longtime president of the Drama Desk. This award has been founded to recognize achievement, high standards, and innovation, including generosity and “giving back” to the entertainment community.

“We’re delighted to honor Nathan Lane and André Bishop,” said Drama Desk co-presidents David Barbour and Charles Wright. “Nathan is one of the most versatile actors on the English-speaking stage, with range from musical theater to works of Eugene O'Neill and Tony Kushner. André, at the helm of two distinguished theater companies, has nurtured and championed a myriad of important artists—especially playwrights. It’s a privilege to celebrate their achievements.” 

The Drama Desk Awards are the only major New York City theater awards for which productions on Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off Off Broadway compete against each other in the same categories.

As was the case last year, all performance categories are gender-free. The updated gender-free categories are: Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, and Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical. 

What sets the Drama Desk Awards apart is that they are voted on and bestowed by theater critics, journalists, editors, and publishers covering theater. The Drama Desk Awards honor all aspects of New York’s professional theater.

The Drama Desk Awards will be producing a Tribute Journal for those who would like to celebrate and honor their colleagues. The Drama Desk Awards Tribute Journal will be available online via a QR code provided to all participants at the event, as well as on multiple screens, including on the full stage projection screen prior to the start of the event. Interested parties can click on this LINK.