Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson to Host the 80th Annual Drama League Awards

Broadway veteran and Emmy-nominated star of ABC's Modern Family Jesse Tyler Ferguson will host the 80th annual Drama League Awards. The annual awards luncheon, to be held on Friday, May 16, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, will include a nominees cocktail reception, luncheon ceremony, and awards presentation.

The 2014 Drama League nominees for the Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Awards will be announced at 11am on Wednesday, April 23, at Sardi's restaurant. The announcements will also be live-streamed on BroadwayWorld.com.

Ferguson's most recent stage appearance was in the 2013 Shakespeare in the Park summer production of The Comedy of Errors. He made his Broadway debut in George C. Wolfe's On the Town and originated the role of Leaf Coneybear in the Tony-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

A longtime advocate for marriage equality, Ferguson cofounded Tie the Knot in 2012, selling limited-edition bow ties to benefit various organizations that fight for civil rights for gay and lesbian Americans.