Drama League Prizes Awarded to ‘Kinky Boots\' and ‘Vanya and Sonia\'

“Kinky Boots” was named best musical and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” was awarded best play at the Drama League's annual awards ceremony on Friday.

The league also named “Pippin” best revival of a musical and “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” best revival of a play. Nathan Lane won the distinguished performance award for “The Nance.” Special awards were given to Bernadette Peters for excellence in musical theater, Jerry Mitchell for excellence in directing, and to Madison Square Garden Entertainment and the Rockettes for “unique contribution to the theater.”

The awards are voted on by theatergoers nationwide who belong to the league and attend shows on and off Broadway. The prize for “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Christopher Durang's rueful comedy, continues a winning streak in the derby leading up to the Tony Awards. So far the Outer Critics Circle and the New York Drama Critics' Circle have both singled out the play as the season's finest.