NEW YORK, May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New Group, one of New York's premiere Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater companies has announced its upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Billy Elliot the Musical won 10 Drama Desk Awards, including the prize for outstanding musical, in a ceremony in New York. The 54th annual Drama Desk Awards presentation took place at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Manhattan's Lincoln Center Sunday.

The Broadway musical 9 to 5 led the field with 15 nods when Drama Desk Award nominations were announced in New York Monday. The prizes will be handed out a gala ceremony at the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Manhattan's Lincoln Center. Broadway icon Harvey Fierstein is to act as master of ceremonies for the May 17 event. Shrek the Musical was nominated for 12 awards and Billy Elliot the Musical for 10.

Lincoln Center's staging of the 1949 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific won five Drama Desk awards in New York Sunday.