The Drama League Awards may not be quite as prestigious as the Tonys, but they have a few years on them. Established in 1922 and made official in 1935 (the Tonys began in '47), the awards honor the best in theater both on and off Broadway. The League announced their nominations today, and the list includes many of the names we expect to be seeing from the Tonys when they announced their nominations next Tuesday. Raven-Symone (currently starring in "Sister Act" on Broadway), Megan Hilty and Justin Long announced the nominees for the awards' five categories -- Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical and the Distinguished Performance Award, for which more than 50 actors -- male and female -- were nominated. The winner can only receive the award once during his or her career, according to Broadway World, which hosted a livestream of the announcement.
Check out the full list of nominees below, which ranges from Kim Cattrall and Jesse Eisenberg to Ricky Martin and Philip Seymour Hoffman, all in the same super category. Also of note is fast-rising star Jeremy Jordan, who was nominated for his roles in both "Newsies" and "Bonnie and Clyde."
The 78th Annual Drama League Awards will be hosted by Stockard Channing and John Larroquette on May 18, 2012 at 12 p.m. EST.
DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A PLAY Clybourne Park The Columnist The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures The Lyons One Man, Two Guvnors Other Desert Cities Peter and The Starcatcher Tribes Seminar Septimus and ClarissaVenus in Fur
DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A PLAY
And God Created Great Whales Death of a Salesman Gore Vidal’s The Best Man How I Learned To Drive Look Back in Anger The Maids Wit
DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Ghost Leap of Faith Mission Drift Newsies Nice Work If You Can Get It Once Queen of The Mist
DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Carrie Follies Evita The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess Jesus Christ Superstar
DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD
Jane Alexander, The Lady From Dubuque Nina Arianda, Venus In Fur Annaleigh Ashford, Rent Angela Bassett, The Mountaintop Simon Russell Beale, Bluebird Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher Matthew Broderick, Nice Work If You Can Get It Kim Cattrall, Private Lives Heather Christian, Mission Drift James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors Michael Cristofer, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures Tyne Daly, Master Class Jesse Eisenberg, Asuncion Linda Emond, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures Raúl Esparza, Leap of Faith Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet Andrew Garfield, Death of a Salesman Russell Harvard, Tribes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman Samuel L. Jackson, The Mountaintop Jeremy Jordan, Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde Steve Kazee, Once Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher Christine Lahti, Dreams of Flying, Dreams of Falling Angela Lansbury, Gore Vidal's The Best Man John Larroquette, Gore Vidal's The Best Man Linda Lavin, The Lyons Norm Lewis, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Judith Light, Other Desert Cities Ricky Martin, Evita Jan Maxwell, Follies Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts Marin Mazzie, Carrie Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Ellen McLaughlin, Septimus and Clarissa Cristin Milioti, Once Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Carey Mulligan, Through A Glass Darkly Cynthia Nixon, Wit Leslie Odom, Jr., Leap of Faith Kelli O'Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It Denis O'Hare, An Iliad Lily Rabe, Seminar Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost Molly Ranson, Carrie Condola Rashad, Stick Fly Matthew Rhys, Look Back In Anger Alan Rickman, Seminar Elena Roger, Evita Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park Kevin Spacey, Richard III Stephen Spinella, An Iliad Mary Testa, Queen of the Mist Blair Underwood, A Streetcar Named Desire Mary Louise Wilson, 4,000 Miles