The Life, The Last Night of Ballyoo, Chicago, Jason Robards, Gerard Alessandrini, Bebe Neuwirth and Charles Durning were among those honored at the 1996-97 Drama League Awards, bestowed May 9 at the Grand Ballroom of NY's Plaza Hotel.
Here are the winners (in BOLD CAPS) of the 63rd annual Drama League Awards:
Distinguished Production of a Play: THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO; Dealer's Choice, How I Learned To Drive, A Question Of Mercy, Skylight, Taking Sides and The Young Man From Atlanta.
Distinguished Production of a Musical: THE LIFE, Play On!, Steel Pier, Titanic and Violet. (All but the last are currently on Broadway).
Distinguished Production Of A Revival (Play Or Musical): CHICAGO, All My Sons, An Ideal Husband, A Doll's House, The Entertainer, The Gin Game, Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass. Distinguished Performance:
Unique Contribution To The Theatre: JASON ROBARDS for his 50 years in the American theatre, presented by Christopher Plummer (Barrymore).
Distinguished Achievement In Musical Theatre: GERARD ALESSANDRINI for his Forbidden Broadway revues, presented by Jim Dale (Candide).
More than 2,000 Drama League members are eligible to vote (1,600 actually did). This year's nominating committee included: Hansen, League artistic director Roger Danforth, Norman Forman, Mrs. Robert P. Follert (awards committee chair), Sondra Gilman Gonzalez-Falla, Harold Reed and Paul Stiga.
James Naughton (Chicago) hosted the ceremony, which was attended by Karen Ziemba (Steel Pier), Whoopi Goldberg (Forum), Pam Isaacs, Sam Harris, Nell Carter (Annie), Jean Stapleton (The Entertainer), Faith Prince (The King And I), Joel Grey (Chicago), Margaret Whiting (Dream), Gregory Harrison (Steel Pier), Julie Harris (The Gin Game), Brittny Kissinger (Annie), Shirley Knight (Young Man From Atlanta, and Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago).
For 80 years the Drama League has helped foster a Broadway audience and administer The Directors Project, a career development program for emerging directors.
