Drama Queens and Kings

Jane Fonda, Sutton Foster, Haydn Gwynne, Marcia Gay Harden, Allison Janney, Dolly Parton, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Sieber, Will Swenson and more stars attend the Drama Desk Awards annual Nominees Party.

By Joseph Marzullo,Brian Scott Lipton • May 4, 2009 • New York City

On Friday, May 1, the Drama Desk Awards held their annual Nominees Party at the Chelsea restaurant Il Bastardo. The star-studded crowd included good pals Dolly Parton, a nominee for her score to the musical 9 to 5, and Jane Fonda, nominated as Outstanding Actress in a Play for her stunning work in 33 Variations.

9 to 5 led all shows with a total of 15 nominations, including one for Allison Janney for her portrayal of no-nonsense secretary Violet Newstead.

Marc Kudisch, who is nominated for his role as 9 to 5's dastardly boss Franklin Hart, Jr. caught up with fellow nominee Hunter Foster, who was recognized for his work in Lincoln Center Theater's new musical Happiness.

Hunter's sister, the super-talented Sutton Foster, is nominated for her role as Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical.

Christopher Sieber, who plays Fiona's fiancé Lord Farquaad in the show, was nominated for his work as well.

Daniel Breaker, who plays the smart-assed Donkey, also earned one of Shrek's 12 nominations.

Gregory Jbara and Haydn Gwynne were both recognized for their superb work in Billy Elliot: The Musical, which received a total of 10 nominations.

Will Swenson and Bryce Ryness are both nominated for their exciting work in Hair, which received eight nominations, the most of any of this season's musical revivals.

Co-author Joe DiPietro and actors Nancy Opel and Demond Green all received nominations for their work on the Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger.

Sahr Ngaujah was recognized for his portrayal of the title role in the musical Fela!

Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush is an Outstanding Actor in a Play nominee for his extraordinary work in the revival of Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King.

Janet McTeer earned a much-deserved nomination as Outstanding Actress in a Play for her work in the title role of Mary Stuart.

Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden is another Outstanding Actress nominee for her work as a frazzled parent in Yazmina Reza's comedy God of Carnage.

Terry Kinney is nominated as Outstanding Director of a Play for his work on Neil LaBute's reasons to be pretty.

Finally, here's former Drama Desk nominee Mary Stuart Masterson with her husband, Jeremy Davidson, who was recognized this year for his portrayal of a steroid-using baseball player in Itamar Moses' Back Back Back.