This week three more sets of award winners were named for work in the 2011/12 New York theater season. The first were the 78th annual Drama League Awards, handed out this weekend in a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, hosted by Stockard Channing and John Larroquette. Musical winners included Once (Distinguished Musical), Follies (Distinguished Musical Revival), and Audra McDonald (Distinguished Performance), who plays Bess in this season’s revival of Porgy and Bess.
The Drama League also honored three others with special awards. Composer Alan Menken, represented this season with two new shows on the boards (Newsies and Leap of Faith), was honored with the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award; performer Rosie O’Donnell was recognized with the league’s Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award; and director Diane Paulus, represented on Broadway this season with Porgy and Bess, received the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.
On Monday, the Village Voice presented its 57th annual Obie Awards at Webster Hall. Musical winners included special citations to choreographer Steven Hoggett, orchestrator Martin Lowe and director John Tiffany for Once and to Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra for No Place to Go. The entertainment for the evening included “Summertime” performed by Joshua Henry and Sumayya Ali from Porgy and Bess, “Raglan Road” performed by David Patrick Kelly from Once, and two numbers performed by Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra from No Place to Go.
The third prizes announced this week were the 2nd annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, which will be handed out June 19 at Sardi’s restaurant. Musical winners included Silence! (Best New Musical), Carrie (Best Musical Revival), and Stinkykids (Best Family Show). Among the handful of Legend of Off-Broadway honorees this year are Forbidden Broadway creator Gerard Alessandrini.