Titanique's Marla Mindelle to Host 2026 Drama Desk Awards

This is major, divas! Marla Mindelle is set to host the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards, which recognizes New York theater of the 2025–2026 season. Mindelle co-created and stars in Titanique on Broadway, where she plays French Canadian songbird Céline Dion. Beyond the S.S. Titanic, Mindelle has performed in the original Broadway casts of Sister Act and Cinderella. On screen, she plays Olivia in the Netflix series Special and appears in the forthcoming Sylvester Stallone biopic I Play Rocky.

The creative team for the Drama Desk Awards has also been announced, with Asmeret Ghebremichael, who serves as associate director and choreographer for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), helming the ceremony. Kevin Zak (Ginger Twinsies, A Kidman Carol) has been tapped to write the material. Nicholas Pollock & Steel Blue Designs are responsible for the production design, lighting design and scenic design. Sound design is by Ellen Fitton.

The ceremony is on May 17 at The Town Hall in New York City, marking the first time the Drama Desk Awards will be hosted at this particular venue since the 2020 theater shutdown. Tom Schumacher, former President of Disney Theatrical Productions, will be honored with the Harold S. Prince Award for lifetime achievement. Raúl Esparza and Helen J. Shen announce the nominations live on Broadway.com’s YouTube channel on April 29 at 10:00 a.m. ET. 

“I’m so honored, as a proud 70-year-old woman, to be hosting the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards,” said Marla Mindelle in a statement. “At the Drama Desk Awards, scrappy basement musicals can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest shows on Broadway. That’s the room I always want to be in, girlfriend. I promise to behave—mostly.”