The New York Drama Desk named Jonathan Larson's Rent Outstanding Musical and Terrence McNally's Master Class Best Play on May 19.
Perhaps even more significant, however, in this year of Tony controversy, the Drama Desk named Julie Andrews Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Victor/Victoria, and Rachel York as Best Featured Actress for the same show. Andrews declined her Tony Award nomination May 8 because no others in the cast -- York was mentioned by name -- were nominated.
Similarly, Frank Langella, who was not even nominated for a Tony as Best Actor in a Play, won that category in the Drama Desk Awards.
The King and I won four Drama Desks, including Best Revival of a Musical, nearly shutting out A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which won one award, Outstanding Actor in a Musical to Nathan Lane.
The awards were given May 19 at the New Victory Theatre in New York City. The event was hosted by Tony Randall. The New York Drama Desk consists of theatre critics, writers and editors from New York City area publications and broadcast stations. Here is a list of selected winners:
MUSICAL: Rent
PLAY: Master Class
REVIVAL (PLAY): A Delicate Balance
REVIVAL (MUSICAL): The King and I ACTRESS (MUSICAL): Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria
ACTOR (MUSICAL): Nathan Lane in Forum
ACTRESS (PLAY): Zoe Caldwell in Master Class
ACTOR (PLAY): Frank Langella in The Father
FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL): Rachel York in Victor/Victoria
FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL): Wilson Jermaine Heredia in Rent
FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY): Elaine Stritch in Delicate Balance
FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY): Martin Shaw in An Ideal Husband
DIRECTOR (MUSICAL): Christopher Renshaw for King and I
DIRECTOR (PLAY): Gerald Gutierrez for A Delicate Balance
CHOREOGRAPHY: Savion Glover for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk
BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Jonathan Larson for Rent
MUSIC IN A MUSICAL: Jonathan Larson for Rent
LYRICS IN A MUSICAL: Jonathan Larson for Rent
SETS (PLAY): Scott Bradley for Seven Guitars
SETS (MUSICAL): Brian Thompson for King and I
COSTUMES: Roger Kirk for King and I
LIGHTING: Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer for Noise/Funk
ORCHESTRATIONS: Steve Skinner for Rent
SOUND: Dan Moses Schreier for Floyd Collins
