Nominated for the Distinguished Production of a Musical prize are Altar Boyz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Frogs, Ghetto Superstar, The Light in the Piazza, The Musical of Musicals, Spamalot and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Up for the Distinguished Revival of a Musical award are La Cage Aux Folles, Pacific Overtures and Shockheaded Peter.
Competing for the title Distinguished Production of a Play are The Day Emily Married, Death and the Ploughman, Doubt, A Number, Orson's Shadow, The Pillowman and Svejk.
The nominees for Distinguished Revival of a Play, meanwhile, are Glengarry Glen Ross, Hurlyburly, Reckless, Rose Rage, Twelve Angry Men and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Sweet Charity was not eligible in this Drama League year's race, since there was not adequate time for all nominators to see it prior to the deadline. The winners will be announced at a May 13 luncheon hosted by Cherry Jones.
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As previously reported, The Drama League will hand out three special awards at its 71st Annual Awards luncheon and ceremony.
Director Mike Nichols (Spamalot) will be honored with the Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing. The Billy Rose Theatre Collection at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award. And the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award.
Monty Python vet and Spamalot creator Eric Idle will present Mike Nichols with his award. Composer Maury Yeston (Nine) will present the award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre and composers Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (Avenue Q) will accept on behalf of BMI. The award for Unique Contribution to the Theatre will be accepted on behalf of The Billy Rose Theatre Collection by Jacqueline Davis, executive director of the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center, and Billy Rose Theatre Collection Curator Bob Taylor.
In other news, for the first time in the history of the awards, tickets for the ceremony will be available to the general public. Tickets are $150 each (non-table seating). The ticket price includes a one-year Drama League membership (an $85 value). For tickets to The 71st Annual Drama League Awards, please call The Drama League at (212) 244-9494, ext. 5.
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Fifty stars from the 2004-2005 theatre season will be featured at the 71st Drama League ceremony. And, the annual event will be co-chaired by six theatre regulars: Lea DeLaria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sutton Foster, John Lithgow, Frances Sternhagen and Leslie Uggams.
Proceeds from the Annual Awards Luncheon support the training programs of The Drama League Directors Project.
The Drama League is devoted to supporting and strengthening theatre in America "by broadening and stimulating the audience for quality theatre and by developing emerging talents for careers in the theatre."
