Laura Benanti Returns as Host of Drama Desk Awards

Laura Benanti and Derek Hough in the NY Spring Spectacular playing at Radio City  Music Hall. Photo: Courtesy of Madison Square Garden Entertainment

Tony Award, and two time Drama Desk winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy, "Sound of Music Live," "Nashville") will return as host of the 60th Annual Drama Desk Awards 8 pm Sunday, May 31 at Town Hall, NYC.

TheaterMania will present the awards ceremony and Joey Parnes Productions will produce and manage the show with TheaterMania's Gretchen Shugart as managing executive p.

The show will be written by Bill Rosenfield (with additional material by Benanti) and directed by Jack Cummings III (co-founder and artistic director of Transport Group).

"Third time's a charm," said Benanti. "Oh, wait... I'm hosting this for the second time? Well, I'm sure it will be fine."

Tickets to the 60th Annual Drama Desk Awards are available to the general public at www.dramadeskawards.com.

The Nominations Announcement News Conference will take place 2 pm on Thursday, April 23 at 54 Below and will be live-streamed on www.TheaterMania.com.

The Drama Desk Awards, which are presented annually, honor outstanding achievement by professional theater artists on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway. It is the only critics organization to honor achievement in the theater with competition among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions in the same categories.