Theater News

Elton John, Craig Lucas, Stephen Sondheim, and More Receive GLAAD Nominations

Trent Kowalik and Stephen Hanna
in Billy Elliot
(© Carol Rosegg)
Trent Kowalik and Stephen Hanna
in Billy Elliot
(© Carol Rosegg)

The nominees for the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards, which recognize outstanding work dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender themes, have been announced. Ceremonies will be held in New York on March 28 at the Marriott Marquis, in Los Angeles on April 18 at the Nokia Theatre, and in San Francisco on May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco.

The New York theater nominations include the Lee Hall-Elton John musical Billy Elliot, Annie Baker’s Body Awareness, Craig Lucas’ Prayer for My Enemy, the John Weidman-Stephen Sondheim tuner Road Show, and Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Wig Out, competing in the Broadway/Off-Broadway category. Off-Off-Broadway nominees include Arias with a Twist, by Joey Arias and Basil Twist, The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac by Taylor Mac, Dina Martina: Off the Charts by Grady West, Lustre by Justin Bond, and the NYMF musical Play It Cool by Martin Casella and Larry Dean Harris, with a score by Phillip Swann and Mark Winkler.

Los Angeles theater nominees include As Much As You Can by Paul Oakley Stovall, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead by Bert V. Royal, He Asked for It by Erik Patterson, The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane, and Secrets of the Trade by Jonathan Tolins.

GLAAD is also giving special recognition to The Laramie Project, 10 Years Later – The Lasting Legacy of Matthew Shepard, a radio documentary produced by Sirius XM Radio that was narrated by Stockard Channing and featured interviews with playwright Moises Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Company. Special honorees will also include Tyra Banks, Suze Orman, and Lucía Méndez.

Other nominations include the films Milk, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, all of which have several stage veterans involved.

For more information, and a full list of nominees visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.