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Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception

By: May. 03, 2009
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Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on April 27th at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. In keeping with the Drama Desk's unique mission, the nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, off Broadway and off-off Broadway during the 2008/2009 season in the same competitive categories. Final deliberations took place at the Travel Inn, New York City.

Drama Desk nominees received their official nomination certificates at a cocktail reception on May 1st at IL Bastardo Restaurant and BroadwayWorld.com was there! To see even more Drama Desk party photos click here!

The 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be held Sunday, May 17, 2009 in the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center.

The Drama Desk was founded in 1949 to explore key issues in the theater and to bring together critics and writers in an organization to support the ongoing development of theater in New York. The organization began presenting its awards in 1955, and it is the only critics organization to honor achievement in the theater with competition between Broadway, Off- Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions in the same categories.

The organization hosts panels throughout the year, to which the public is invited, to promote understanding and appreciation of the professional theater. In addition to honoring creative artists and stage productions in multiple categories, the Drama Desk annually presents scholarships to two worthy seniors in the Drama Department of the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts who are planning careers in the theater.

The Drama Desk Awards invites personal sketches from this year's nominated performers and creative talent for its Art*Kive program, started nine years ago by Art*Kive creator Sarah Galvin. This annual program--unique to the Drama Desk Awards--invites the nominees to render a sketch that is relevant to the role or stage production that helped them achieve their nomination. The sketches will be displayed at the awards ceremony. To find out more about the organization and this year's awards show, visit www.dramadesk.com.

The Executive Board 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; Robert Cashill; Isa Goldberg, David Kaufman; Ellis Nassour; Sam Norkin; and Barbara Siegel.

Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception at IL Bastardo Restaurant

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
Brian d'Arcy James

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
Brian d'Arcy James

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Sutton Foster

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
Sutton Foster

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Sutton Foster, Brian d'Arcy James and Christopher Sieber

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
Sutton Foster, Brian d'Arcy James and Christopher Sieber

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James Barbour

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Mike Birbiglia

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Mike Birbiglia

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Reed Birney

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Reed Birney

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Walter Bobbie

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Walter Bobbie

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Daniel Breaker

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Jeremy Davidson

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Jeremy Davidson

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Joe DiPietro

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Saidah Arrika Ekulona

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Raul Esparza

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Raul Esparza

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Jane Fonda

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Jane Fonda with her sweet little Tulea

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Tulea

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Megan Hilty and Jane Fonda

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Jane Fonda and Tulea

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Richie Ridge, Jane Fonda, Tulea and Preston Ridge

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Henry Hodges, Jane Fonda and Tulea

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Hunter Foster

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Hunter Foster

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Hunter Foster and Jennifer Cody

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Hunter Foster and Jennifer Cody

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Josh Grisetti

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Josh Grisetti

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Josh Grisetti

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Haydn Gwynne

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Haydn Gwynne

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Marcia Gay Harden

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Marcia Gay Harden

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Marcia Gay Harden

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Megan Hilty

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Megan Hilty

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Henry Hodges

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Henry Hodges and Jennifer Cody

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Allison Janney

Photo Coverage: 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards Cocktail Reception  Image
Allison Janney




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