Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie, known to millions as the devilishly delightful stars of ABC’s hit comedy, Ugly Betty, will host the 76th Annual Drama League Awards Luncheon, to be held at the Marriot Marquis Times Square on May 21, 2010.

Ms. Williams, a platinum-selling recording star and Broadway veteran (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Into the Woods), will open this spring in Sondheim on Sondheim, a Broadway retrospective of the composer’s career.  Film and stage star Urie just opened in the hit production of The Temperamentals at New World Stages.  They will reunite to preside over a luxurious afternoon luncheon featuring 60 stars of the season, and will announce this year’s winners…in categories chosen by Drama League Members!

To reserve your seats for the Awards, click here, or call (212) 244-9494 x.5

…to Drama League Directors Project alumnus Jonathan Silverstein, who received quite positive reviews yesterday for his staging of Jon Marans‘ The Temperamentals at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages.  The production, starring Thomas Jay Ryan and Michael Urie, was hailed by the New York Times as “eminently likeable” and “lovingly incarnated….Directed with a light touch and a strong hand.”  Look for Jonathan’s work next in Keen Company’s revival of I Never Sang For My Father, opening March 23rd starring Keir Dullea and Marsha Mason.  Congrats Jonathan!

…to Drama League board member Donna Murphy, who was recently cast to join Sutton Foster in the City Center Encores revival of Anyone Can Whistle, running April 8-11.  Attendees of last month’s Drama League Benefit Gala honoring Angela Lansbury may remember that Ms. Murphy first performed one of the musical’s signature songs, “Me and My Town,” during that evening’s festivities.  Now we’ll all be able to see her perform the role of the Mayoress in its entirety. Congratulations,  Donna!

…to Directors Project alum Alex Timbers, who just  announced the cast for his new musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, beginning previews at the Public Theater on March 23rd.  We’re looking forward to seeing what Alex has in store!

Members purchasing tickets to American Idiot on May 5th will have an extra bonus, a Question and Answer session with the cast.  The show is being offered in our March Newsletter.

Green Day’s platinum-selling  rock opera comes to life in New York after a sold-out run in L.A.!  Drama League alum Michael Mayer reunites with his Spring Awakening leading man, tony winner John Gallagher Jr., for the season’s most exciting new musical adventure.

American Idiot is playing at the St. James Theater located at 230 West 44th Street.

The turn out for the 2010 Directors Project Applications was wonderful.  Over 200 applications were sent out this year, our largest number yet.  The application deadline has now passed and applications are currently being reviewed by our reading panels.  All applicants will be notified within the last two weeks of March if they have moved on to the interviews.  Interviews for the Summer and Fall programs will take place in early April with decisions sent out shortly afterwards.  If you applied to our New Directors New Works program please note that these applications are rolling admission. Read More



The Drama League’s official Flickr Photostream now has over 80 dazzling pictures taken by celebrity photographer Rob Rich at last week’s Benefit Gala Honoring Angela Lansbury.  In addition to the photos, you’ll find worldwide press coverage of the event linked in our Media Center.  Enjoy!

This week, The New York Times detailed the exciting career of Directors Project Alumna Arin Arbus. This past weeked, Arbus opened her latest production at Theatre For A New Audience: a revival of “Measure For Measure,” starring Jefferson Mays and Rocco Sisto. At the same time, however, Arin has also been directing an equally arresting work upstate…at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility, as part of its Rehabilitation Through The Arts program. Read the entire article here. Arin, much luck on your continued successes.

The New York Times recently ran a feature article on Directors Project Alumna Diane Paulus examining her unique and controversial approach to revamping the programming of Boston’s American Repertory Theater, where she is spending her first full season as Artistic Director. Watch the Audio Slide Show from The New York Times here.

The accolades for the Drama League Benefit Gala honoring Angela Lansbury have started to roll in from around the world.  Check it all out in the Media Center!

For those of you who couldn’t attend last night, here’s the coverage from last night’s newscast on Fox5. Enjoy!

Thank you to the 40+ performers, 50+ volunteers and 450+ attendees who made last night’s Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring Angela Lansbury a rousing success!  What a spectacular evening: we’ll never forget Bernadette Peters’ stirring interpretation of “Not While I’m Around,” Donna Murphy’s sharp “Me and My Town,” the enormous “Mame” finale — or the big surprise of the night, a gender-bending interpretation of “Bosom Buddies” by Cheyenne Jackson and Christopher Sieber!  Thank you to everyone, on both sides of the footlights…we’ll treasure the memory of it forever.

Thanks to the funds raised last night, The Drama League’s educational initiatives will continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people…an enormous accomplishment, made all the more heartening by the strong statement of commitment from those who attended. The vital importance of strong arts education has never been clearer, and we thank everyone for their support.