Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chita Rivera, HAMILTON and BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY among the 2015 Drama League Award Nominees

The Drama League announced the 2015 Drama League Awards nominees this morning at an event hosted by Cherry Jones and Denis O'Hare at world famous Broadway boîte Sardi's. The nominations, which include Broadway and off-Broadway productions, kick off a month of celebrations leading up to the 81st annual Drama League Awards ceremony, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on Friday, May 15, 2015.

Lin-Manuel Miranda.

First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, the Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theatrical awards chosen by the ENTIRE theatre community– specifically, by the thousands of Drama League members nationwide who attend Broadway and off-Broadway productions. They recognize work in five competitive categories, including Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance.

Stephen Adly Guirgis' Pulitzer Prize-winning play Between Riverside and Crazy (which starred HOLA member and Lucille Lortel Award nominee Liza Colón-Zayas) is up for an award in the category of Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play. The musicals Fun Home (by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, based on the work by Alison Bechdel and co-starring HOLA member Joel Pérez) and Hamilton (by and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda), both presented by the Public Theater and Broadway-bound (Fun Home just opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, Hamilton will be there this summer at the Richard Rodgers Theatre) received nominations in the category of Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical.

Chita Rivera.

Miranda and Chita Rivera (the latter for the Terrence McNally-John Kander-Fred Ebb musical The Visit, based on the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt and with choreography by Graciela Daniele) are among the 47 nominees for the Distinguished Performance Award. Only one winner is selected from this category. The recipient can receive this award only once during his or her career.

For more information on the Drama League Awards, click here.