Hairspray, Take Me Out, Joe Egg, Fierstein Win 2003 Drama League Awards

By Robert Simonson
May 9, 2003

Hairspray, Take Me Out and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg were the big winners of The Drama League 2003 awards. The victors of the 69th Annual awards were revealed at a May 9 ceremony.

The Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award went to Harvey Fierstein, who plays Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. The prize is the nation's oldest acting honor, first presented in 1935, pre-dating the Tony Awards by 12 years.

The 2003 winners (in boldface), and their fellow nominees are as follows:

Distinguished Production of a Play
Enchanted April
Far Away
Fucking A
Golda's Balcony
Our Lady of 121st Street
Take Me Out
Talking Heads
Vincent in Brixton

Distinguished Production of a Musical
A Year With Frog and Toad
Amour
Avenue Q
Cookin' at the Cookery: The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter
Hairspray
Movin' Out
My Life With Albertine

Distinguished Production of a Revival
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Burn This
Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune
Gypsy
La Boheme
Long Day's Journey into Night
Man of La Mancha
Nine
Salome: The Reading
Tartuffe

The Distinguished Production Awards were announced at the Drama League's Annual Awards Luncheon at the Grand Hyatt.

Among the sixty stars scheduled to appear at the event were Jayne Atkinson, Antonio Banderas, Laura Benanti, Charles Busch, Marylouise Burke, J. Smith Cameron, Brent Carver, Ben Davis, Brian Dennehy, Ann Duquesnay, Charles S. Dutton, Christine Ebersole, Melissa Errico, Edie Falco, David Greenspan, Tovah Feldshuh, Harvey Fierstein, Sean Foley, Jochen ten Haaf, Victoria Hamilton, Rosemary Harris, Clare Higgins, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Eddie Izzard, Cherry Jones, Swoosie Kurtz, Dick Latessa, Mark Linn Baker, Robert Sean Leonard, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Hamish McColl, S. Epatha Merkerson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kate Mulgrew, Liam Neeson, Dael Orlandersmith, Denis O'Hare, Michelle Pawk, Bernadette Peters, Jason Petty, Parker Posey, Lynn Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Roger Rees, Chita Rivera, Marian Seldes, John Selya, Frances Sternhagen, Daniel Sunjata, Justin Theroux, Marisa Tomei, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro, Leslie Uggams, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Chloe Wright.

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."

Tickets for the event may be purchased from The Drama League by calling (212) 244-9494, ext 25.