The 63rd Annual Drama Desk Nominees Are.....

Titus Burguss and Jane Krakowski announcing the 63rd Annual Drama Desk Award Nominees at Feinstein's 54 Below

The 2018 Drama Desk Award Nominations were announced this morning at Feinstein's 54 Below with the help of Tony/Olivier Award Winning and Emmy Nominated actress, Jane Krakowski, and  3x Emmy Award Nominee, Titus Burguss.   The pair had fun mangling a few of the names, and at the same time brought joy and excitement to a definite handful of creatively fabulous people.  The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York City theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway compete against each other in the same category.  Catch the 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards at 8:00pm on June 3, 2018 at New York’s Town Hall, where Michael Urie returns as host.

And the NOMINEES are...... 

2018 Drama Desk Award Nominations

Outstanding Play

Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater

Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop

Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons

People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical

Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective

Mean Girls

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Revival of a Play

Angels in America

Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company

In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company

Three Tall Women

Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

Carousel

My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Once on This Island

Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play

Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

James McArdle, Angels in America

Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Play

Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop

Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women

Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women

Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Jelani Alladin, Frozen

Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady

Joshua Henry, Carousel

Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell

Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

LaChanze, Summer

Jessie Mueller, Carousel

Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater

Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage

Nathan Lane, Angels in America

David Morse, The Iceman Cometh

Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground

Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club

Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova

Alexander Gemignani, Carousel

Grey Henson, Mean Girls

Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants

Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Lindsay Mendez, Carousel

Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island

Ashley Park, Mean Girls

Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady

Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls

Outstanding Director of a Play

Marianne Elliott, Angels in America

Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women

Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons

Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Jack O'Brien, Carousel

Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants

Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady

The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography

Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island

Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants

Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls

Justin Peck, Carousel

Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company

Outstanding Music

The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space      

Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Lyrics

Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls

Quiara Alegría Hudes/Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Tina Fey, Mean Girls

Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company

Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59

Outstanding Orchestrations

Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants

Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island

Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater

Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Jonathan Tunick, Carousel

Outstanding Music in a Play

Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Justin Hicks, Mlima's Tale, Public Theatre

Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company

Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Public Theater

Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women

Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann's Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island

Santo Loquasto, Carousel

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play

Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King

Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ann Roth, Three Tall Women

Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls

Clint Ramos, Once on This Island

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play

Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Natasha Chivers, 1984

Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women

Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59

Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones

Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island

Brian MacDevitt, Carousel

Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design

David Bengali, Van Gogh's Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century

Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants

Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls

Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59

Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Tom Gibbons, 1984

Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical

Kai Harada, The Band's Visit

Scott Lehrer, Carousel

Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective

Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Wig and Hair

Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King

Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants

Josh Marquette, Mean Girls

Outstanding Solo Performance

Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre

David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group

Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Lesli Margherita, Who's Holiday!

Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59

The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience

Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company

Master, Foundry Theatre

Say Something Bunny!

Outstanding Fight Choreography

J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep

Steve Rankin, Carousel

Unkle Dave's Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project

Outstanding Puppet Design

Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America

Michael Curry, Frozen

Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

SPECIAL AWARDS

To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the A Train ­­whose last-minute entrances into the Signature production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending

Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, whose characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.

Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El Rey, A Parallelogram, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate great things to come for this talented performer.

Totals:

Carousel -- 12

SpongeBob SquarePants -- 11

Mean Girls -- 10

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child -- 8

Angels in America -- 7

KPOP -- 7

Once on This Island -- 7

People, Places & Things -- 7

Three Tall Women -- 7

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story -- 6

Miss You Like Hell -- 5

My Fair Lady -- 5

Desperate Measures - 4

Yerma -- 4

Farinelli and the King -- 3

In the Blood -- 3

The Lucky Ones - 3

Pacific Overtures -- 3

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play -- 3

1984 -- 2

Admissions -- 2

Frozen -- 2

A Hunger Artist -- 2

Kill Move Paradise -- 2

Mary Jane -- 2

Miles for Mary - 2

Prince of Broadway -- 2

Broadway's Darius De Haas Is Giving Leonard Bernstein's Music A New Shade

 Darius De Haas and Me at Feinstein's 54 Below

I love when artists get chances to flex their creative and vocal muscles to explore some of the legendary composers with different musical flavors and seasonings.  In honor of the centennial of Leonard Bernstein's birth, many people have planned tributes to this musical legend.  Darius De Haas, described by The New York Times as “electrically thrilling,” by Variety as “a performer who can reveal the sorrows, pains and joys of the composer’s richly layered repertoire with an intensity and honesty that easily envelops and mesmerizes the listener,” and by the Jazz Times as “blessed with a gorgeous voice and a keen theatrical sophistication,” brings his brand new concert and vocal magic to Feinstein’s/54 Below, April 26th and 27th. 

He sits with me and chats about not only his upcoming show, A Leonard Bernstein Thing  but he also indulges me in a conversation about a revival show that is a lost gem, like its original, SHUFFLE ALONG.  Take a minute and enjoy my conversation with and fun performance by Daris De Haas by clicking HERE or on the pic above.  Click HERE For tickets and information about his upcoming performance at Feinstein's 54 Below.

Here's a taste of what he is serving, courtesy of BFV Marketing and Keith Sherman & Assoc.    

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Stephanie Courtney aka Sayonne is a Wonderful New Discovery To Me

I am so fortunate that I live, work, and cover theater in a town like New York.  It never fails to surprise me at how much talent is brimming over in New York.  When I meet young actresses like Stephanie Courtney aka Sayonne, I am very excited to talk to them, because they are really embarking on a wonderful journey that has some great highs and great lows.  Many times, I feel like the proud and fun fairy godfather to so many of these performers. 

It turns out that Ms. Sayonne and I are both First Generation Americans, and even with our age difference, there are a many similarities in our upbringing.  I loved that her father and brother travel with her and protect her as best they can, and because of that foundation, she has managed to work as an actress and maintain a relatively unscathed path towards achieving her dreams and goals.  She also has a great manager that is truly helping to groom this talented young lady. 

She is also using her passion and energy as a musical artist to explore her more popular sensibilities.  As much as I LOVE talking to the many famous and established artists, it does my heart good to know that this young woman working in theater has a grasp of who these great artists like, Chita Rivera, Lillias White, Betty Buckley, Heather Headley, Montego Glover, and Rema Webb are, and holds their legendary work in high regards.  How could you not be a proud, theater loving, fairy godfather?  Please click HERE enjoy my conversation with this wonderful young woman.

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Playwright Phillip Dawkins' THE GENTLEMAN CALLER makes NYC Debut AFTER and During the Run of Its World Premiere in Chicago.

Philip Dawkins

Any actor worth their salt will tell you that every great play begins with the words on the page.  Because of the worlds that playwrights (and Librettists) create, many people, even more than actors,  have jobs inside and outside of the theater.  So any chance to talk to a young playwright as delightful and talented as Chicago-based playwright, Philip Dawkins, I will take.  His current opus, The Gentleman Caller is currently in rehearsals to make its New York debut at Cherry Lane Theater, as it coincides with its simultaneous World Premiere production, still running at Chicago's The Raven Theater, through May 27, 2018.

I had never met a playwright who has a single property that will be running simultaneously in 2 major theater cities.  It might be a first.  I will have to check, but on the great white way, only Neil Simon in 1966 is the only living playwright that had four shows playing in Broadway theaters at the same time: Sweet Charity, The Star-Spangled Girl, The Odd Couple and Barefoot in the Park.

The Gentleman Caller also takes a non traditional casting route to tell the story of 2 famous playwrights, Tennessee Williams and William Inge, at a very different time in their careers.  In the Chicago production:  Rudy Galvan as Tennessee Williams

and Curtis Edward Jackson as William Inge, and for the NY production, Daniel K. Isaac and Juan Francisco Villa in the same roles respectively.  This is a great time to be Philip Dawkins.  Please click HERE and enjoy my conversation with him.  

For tickets and more information about The Gentleman Caller:

CHICAGO: https://www.raventheatre.com/stage/the-gentleman-caller/

NYC: http://abingdontheatre.org/gentleman-caller/

Chicago: Rudy Galvan and Curtis Edward Jackson

Daniel K. Isaacs and Juan Francisco Villa

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EXTREME THEATER, BABY!!!!

If you happen to follow my Instagram page, you will notice that from time to time, I get the privilege of getting to see shows and the opportunity to share my thoughts and recommendations.  I have considered myself primarily an Ambassador to Theater.  I want people to see as much live performance as they can, and quite frankly in as many disciplines of performance as they can.

I know that as an Ambassador to Theater, and with such a wide gap between content, presentation, and tone, I would never dare tell anyone what they "should" see.  In any case, when I am asked about a recommendation of what to see, I think about how much it costs to see a show.  I ask about what someone's interests are: comedy vs. drama, or musical vs. play.   I love to give everything a fair shot, mostly because I get to see more than the average theater goer.  I recognize that most people are not that fortunate, therefore they must make more informed choices with their theater dollars. 

Last week, I had the chance to see 2 wildly different shows.  The impact of one show left me exhilarated and exhausted as it took me on the epic and emotional, theatrical roller coaster ride that is the The National Theatre's revival of Tony Kushner's masterpiece, Angels in America, starring Nathan Lane, Andrew Garfield, Lee Pace,  Susan Brown, Denise Gough, James McArdle, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Amanda Lawrence. 

Although the show has gone on to become a multiple Emmy Award Winning HBO miniseries, there is still something special that being in the theater when all of that art, intensity of story,  and stage magic combine and create something so unique.  Now this is not the type of presentation that is for everyone, but for the patient, brilliant acting, serious subject matter fans, you better hurry to the Neil Simon Theater for what is probably one of the most epic things that I have witnessed in a few seasons.  You have 2 ways to witness both parts (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), either on 2 different nights, or in an epic Matinee + Evening Show Combination.  That was the combination that I chose.  It is the height of audience and artist sharing and being there for each other.  I know this will sound ridiculous, but it was like I clocked in at 1pm with those actors and literally spent the day at work with them until we ALL clocked at almost 11pm.  It was like "take your theater geek to work" Day, and for the record,  those folks WERKED!!!!  So if this speaks to you on any level, then go to https://angelsbroadway.com/ for more information about the cast and how to get tickets for this limited run event. 

The impact of the other show left me in the mood not only for a fruity cocktail and a beach vacation, but a strong sense of needing to relax and just get over myself.  Escape to Margaritaville is that show.

It features some of Broadway's phenomenal talent: Paul Anthony Nolan (BRIGHT STAR, ONCE)  , Lisa Howard (25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, IT SHOULD'VE BEEN YOU) , Rema Webb (THE COLOR PURPLE, THE LION KING, BOOK OF MORMON, A NEW BRAIN),  Alison Luff (LES MISERABLES, SCANDALOUS, MAMA MIA) Eric Petersen ( SCHOOL OF ROCK, PETER AND THE STAR CATCHER).  This cast takes the music and lyrics of Jimmy Buffet, the book written by Mike O'Malley and Greg Garcia, Kelly Devine's choreography and Tony Award Winning Christopher Ashley's direction ( COME FROM AWAY), and just have fun.  That's it.

I have to admit that when I heard that this show was coming to Broadway, I said the thing that EVERY person who has a little theater snobbery within them said, "Jimmy Buffet on Broadway? Really?" But as I sat in the Marriott Marquis Theater,  I learned something.  This show is the perfect antidote to what has been an insane real world.  Yes, the story may not be the most daring ever told.  The music may cause your neighbor to sing along before the cast says it's okay to sing along with them.  To be honest, any musical that gives me a tap number, no matter how odd the placement, still gives me a little tingle, if not insane bursts of joy, because when I think of Jimmy Buffet music, tap dancing does not quickly come to mind.   However, I had the realization that this show serves an audience that does not need to have their core beliefs challenged.  They just want to be entertained.    Anyone who says otherwise without seeing the show first, is working too hard to be a contrarian.  Go out and see a show.

Go to http://escapetomargaritavillemusical.com/ for more information and tickets.

SUBSCRIBE FREE to KEITH PRICE'S CURTAIN CALL on Itunes and Google Play Music,  YOU TUBE and leave a review.  Click the image below to Support Keith Price's Curtain Call Podcast.  Also visit me on Broadway World's Featured Podcast Page.