Also speaking at the event will be 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 the nominations ceremony at the Friars Club. As previously announced, Kristin Chenoweth, the musical comedy star who just finished a Broadway run in The Apple Tree, will host the 52nd Annual awards, which will be held at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center May 20 at 9 PM.

The Drama Desk, which presented its first awards in 1955, is an organization of theatre critics, writers and editors that honors all areas of New York theatre, including Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. The awards ceremony will be taped for subsequent broadcast on PBS stations nationwide.

Naughton won Drama Desk Awards for City of Angels, for which he also won a Tony, and Long Day’s Journey Into Night. His other Tony Award was for Chicago. He directed the recent Broadway production of Our Town starring Paul Newman and had leading roles in the Broadway productions of Prymate and Democracy. He also starred in the recent film "The Devil Wears Prada."

Leavel received the 2006 Drama Desk Award and the 2006 Tony Award for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone, in which she still stars. She has also had roles on Broadway in 42nd Street, Crazy for You, The Civil War and Hal Prince's Show Boat. Leavel has appeared Off-Broadway in Lone Star Love, The Jazz Singer and An Unfinished Song.

The New York Friars Club is located at 57 East 55th Street in Manhattan. For more information visit www.dramadesk.com.