Publisher Broadway Brands Signs As Exec Producer Of Drama Desk Awards

Drama Desk

EXCLUSIVE: Broadway Brands, publisher of website Broadway News and newsletter Broadway Briefing, has signed on to present this year’s Drama Desk Awards. The 64th annual event will take place on June 2 at The Town Hall in Manhattan.

As it has since 2012, Joey Parnes Productions will produce the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, now with Broadway Brands CEO Matt Britten serving as executive producer.

The announcement was made jointly today by Broadway Brands and the Drama Desk Awards.

“At a time when platforms for theater writing are shrinking and going out of business, Broadway Brands is finding new ways to cover the industry and encourage lively, intelligent discussion of drama and theater artists,” said Drama Desk co-presidents Charles Wright and David Barbour. “We’re delighted by this new association with Broadway Brands and excited about the 64th annual presentation of the Drama Desk Awards in June.”

Said Britten, “The Drama Desk Awards are one of the great, long-standing traditions in our community, created by theater journalists to celebrate outstanding theater…When we learned that the Drama Desk Awards were in need of new support, we knew immediately that we wanted to be a part of it.”

“Broadway Brands is a perfect fit for the Drama Desks,” said Joey Parnes. “We’ve had a great time working with the Drama Desks for the past seven years and are looking forward to our continued collaboration.”

The annual Drama Desk Awards honor outstanding achievement by professional theater artists on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway. The awards are voted on and bestowed by theater critics, journalists, editors, publishers and broadcasters covering theater.

The cut-off for nominations will be April 24. Nominations will be announced April 25.

According to Britten, Broadway Brands will explore future enhancements for the event following the 2019 ceremony. Possibilities include negotiating a new television/streaming deal for the awards beginning with the 2020 ceremony.