Drama Desk Awards nominations include many productions with Chicago links

Nominations for the 2015 annual Drama Desk Awards (which includes Broadway, Off Broadway and “Off Off Broadway” productions) were announced Thursday afternoon at New York’s 54 Below by previous Drama Desk winners Judith Light and Jessie Mueller (“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”). Beyond the presence of Evanston-bred Mueller, a number of shows with Chicago connections made the list.

They include nominations for:

+ Outstanding Play: Lisa D’Amour’s “Airline Highway”(which debuted at Steppenwolf Theatre), and Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer Prize-winner, “Between Riverside and Crazy” (which is headed to Steppenwolf next season).

+ Outstanding Musical: “An American in Paris,” whose director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, also nominated for best director and choreographer, works frequently with the Joffrey Ballet, and will create that company’s new “Nutcracker”).

+ Outstanding Revival of a Play: Director Robert Falls’ production of “The Iceman Cometh,” which began at the Goodman Theatre.

+ Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Steppenwolf ensemble member K. Todd Freeman, for his role in “Airline Highway.”

+ Outstanding Music: Sting’s musical, “The Last Ship,” which debuted in Chicago.±Outstanding Choreography: Steven Hoggett, who created the movement for “The Last Ship.”

+ Outstanding Solo Performance: Mona Golabek in “The Pianist of Willesden Lane,” which had a long run at Chicago’s Royal George Theatre before heading to New York.

For a complete list of the nominations visit: http://www.DramaDeskAwards.com