CeCe Black, James BarbourElton John: Photo:Joseph Marzullo 2009The Drama League celebrated 75 years of excellence with an awards luncheon hosted by Jeremy Irons and Cynthia Nixon at the Marriot Marquis in Times square, where special honors for lifetime achievements were handed out to Sir Elton John,

Arthur Laurents, Angela Lansbury, and producer Herbert Blodgett. This season’s winners of The Drama League’s coveted annual awards were the following: Production of a Play God of Carnage, Production of a Musical Billy Elliot the Musical, Revival of a Musical Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, Revival of a Play: Blithe Spirit and the Distinguished Performance Award went to Geoffrey Rush in the revival of Exit the King. Celebrity presenters at the illustrious event included Harold Prince, Stephen Daldry, Jane Fonda, Sutton Foster, John Lithgow, Carla Gugino, Tyne Daly, Patrick Wilson, and Irving Welzer.

Marcia Gay Harden

Sam WatersonJano Herbosch, Terrence McNallyRosemary HarrisSaghr NgaujahDeborah Rush, Jamie deRoyJerry Frankel, James NederlanderAngela LansburyCristina Black, James Barbour, CeCe Black