Last night, (5/23/2010), the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards were held for excellence in New York theater.

The gala awards ceremony at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center, was hosted by Patti LuPone. Going to an award show is kinda like going to your high school reunion, only this time everyone fits in and it’s a blast. I was lucky enough, to sit next to one of the Best Supporting Actor nominee’s and he won!. He was so stunned, I had to push him out of his seat. Friends won and some lost, but there was a spirit of gratefulness, community and thankfulness, that resinated through-out the night. There were some losses and Robert R. Blume, executive producer of the Drama Desk Awards, paid tribute to actress Lynn Redgrave and Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara, who died the night before.

Memphis, won four Drama Desk Awards, while Fences, La Cage Aux Folles and Red, had three wins a piece.

Here are the list of winners:

Outstanding New Play: Red, Josh Logan

Outstanding New Musical: Memphis

Outstanding Revival of a Play: Fences and a View From a Bridge

Outstanding Revival of a Musical: La Cage Aux Folles

Outstanding Musical Revue: "Sondheim on Sondheim"

Outstanding Director of a Play: Michael Grandage, Red

Outstanding Director of a Musical: Michael Mayer, American Idiot

Outstanding Choreographer: Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away

Outstanding Actress in a Play: Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family

Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Montego Glover, Memphis and Catherine Zeta Jones, A Little Night Music

Outstanding Actor in a Play: Liev Schreiber

Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: Viola Davis

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Santino Fontana, Brighton Beach Memoirs

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Katie Finneran, revival of Promises, Promises

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Christopher Fitzgerald, the revival of Finian’s Rainbow

Outstanding Book of a Musical: Alex Timbers, Off Broadway’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson).

Outstanding Music in a Musical: David Bryan, Memphis

Outstanding Music in a Play: Branford Marsalis, Fences

Outstanding Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys

Outstanding Orchestrations: Daryl Waters and David Bryan Memphis

Outstanding Costume Design: Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles

The Outstanding Set Design: Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist for The Addams Family

Outstanding Costumes: Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles

Outstanding Lighting Design: Neil Austin, Red

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical: Acme Sound Partners (Ragtime)

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play: Fitz Patton (When The Rain Stops Falling)

Outstanding Solo Performance: Jim Brochu (Zero Mostel in Zero Hour.)

Unique Theatrical Experience: Love, Loss and What I Wore

Outstanding Ensemble Awards for Acting: The Temperamentals and The Orphan’s Home Cycle.

Special Awards went to Jerry Herman, Godlight Theatre Company  and Ma-Yi Theater Company.

Stars were in attendance and they included: Catherine Zeta Jones, Michael Douglas, Chrstopher Walken, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Angela Lansbury, Ben Vereen, Alfred Molino, Kristen Johnson, Edward Albee, Corbin Bleu, Michael Cerveris, Boyd Gaines, Ana Gasteyer, Mitzi Gaynor, Cheyenne Jackson, Leslie Jordan, Jesse L. Martin, Matthew Modine, Martha Plimpton and Brooke Shields.