Theater News

Chita Rivera to Host 48th Annual Drama Desk Awards; TheaterMania Will Webcast the Event

Chita Rivera(Photo: © Joseph Marzullo)
Chita Rivera
(Photo: © Joseph Marzullo)

The Drama Desk, which celebrates excellence in Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway theater through its annual awards, has announced that this year’s ceremony will be hosted by Chita Rivera, the legendary Broadway star of West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, The Rink, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, and who is currently appearing on Broadway in Nine. The event will be held on Sunday, May 18, in the concert hall of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. This year, for the first time, the ceremony will be webcast by TheaterMania.com.

“We are absolutely delighted that former Drama Desk winner Chita Rivera has agreed to host our awards ceremony this year,” David Sheward, co-president of the Drama Desk, said in a statement. “As one of the stars of this year’s exciting Broadway musical revival of Nine, and as the recipient of two previous Drama Desk Awards for Kiss of the Spider Woman and The Rink, Ms. Rivera is one of the most respected artists in the theatre today.”

The ceremony will feature famous presenters from the world of theater and musical numbers from the nominated musicals performed by their respective cast members. Also during the ceremony each year, the Drama Desk announces the recipients of scholarships presented to two worthy seniors at LaGuardia High School who are planning careers in the theater.

Nominations for the 2003 Drama Desk Awards will be announced on Thursday, May 1 at 10am at the New York Friars Club and will be listed immediately thereafter on TheaterMania.

TheaterMania will be handling all ticketing for the Drama Desk Awards, and a limited number of tickets are available to the public. To purchase tickets, click here.