The gathering at the Helen Hayes gallery at the National Theatre looked like any other networking event. Wine and appetizers were served as people made introductions and small talk. However a pianist playing soft music and a lit podium revealed that this wasn’t an ordinary reception.
It was the nominations announcement for the 27th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, DC’s premiere theatre awards honoring the past year in local professional theatre.
Helen Hayes was a DC-born actress who became known as the, “First Lady of the American Theatre”. Her legacy includes being one of 12 people who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Besides having the awards named after her there is also a theatre on Broadway that also shares her name.
Leading this year’s nominees is Arena Stage with 23 nods. With a newly built space in Southwest, Arena created a great backdrop for their blockbuster production of Oklahoma! which will be returning this summer.
The Shakespeare crowd was also honored, The Shakespeare Theatre Company earned 22 nominations while The Folger Shakeaspeare Library followed up with 19. Folger’s production of Henry VIII earned 10 nominations and Shakespeare’s production of Candide got 12.
Below is the complete list, with links to our reviews of the shows.
The awards will be presented on April 25th at The Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel.
Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production
Colin K. Bills Antony and Cleopatra, Synetic Theater
Colin K. Bills The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater
Dan Covey On the Verge or The Geography of Yearning, Rep Stage
T.J. Gerckens Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Klyph Stanford Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Justin Townsend Hamlet, Folger Theatre
Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production
Tony Cisek Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Simon Higlett Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Shakespeare Theatre Company
James Kronzer Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Eugene Lee Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Derek McLane The Lisbon Traviata, The Kennedy Center
Daniel Ostling Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production
Anthony Cochrane Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Irakli Kavsadze and Konstantine Lortkipanidze Othello, Synetic Theater
Matthew M. Nielson Hamlet, Folger Theatre
Matt Otto Johnny Meister and the Stitch, Solas Nua
Tom Teasley The Ramayana, Constellation Theatre Company
Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production
Mara Blumenfeld Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Murell Horton The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company
William Ivey Long Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Reggie Ray Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Anastasia Rurikov Simes Othello, Synetic Theater
Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production
Diane Coburn Bruning Improbable Frequency, Solas Nua
Parker Esse Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Maurice Hines Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Irina Tsikurishvili King Arthur, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili Othello, Synetic Theater
Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production
George Fulginiti-Shakar Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Jon Kalbfleisch Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre
Fred Lassen Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre
Konstantine Lortkipanidze Othello, Synetic Theater
Doug Peck Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Paul Sportelli The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage
James Sugg Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
Ellen Harvey Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center
Jodi Kimura South Pacific, The Kennedy Center
Marc Kudisch Golden Age, The Kennedy Center
Josh Lamon Hair, The Kennedy Center
Hoon Lee Golden Age, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production
Carmen Cusack South Pacific, The Kennedy Center
Jaqueline Grabois Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Caroline Sheen Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center
Kacie Sheik Hair, The Kennedy Center
Caren Lyn Tackett Hair, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production
Steel Burkhardt Hair, The Kennedy Center
Brent Michael DiRoma Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Laurence Fishburne Thurgood, The Kennedy Center
Gavin Lee Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center
David Pittsinger South Pacific The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical
MaryLee Adams Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Lauren “Coco” Cohn Glimpses of the Moon, MetroStage
Jesaira Glover Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Marva Hicks Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Hollis Resnik Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jenna Sokolowski Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical
Ed Dixon Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre
James Konicek Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Jeremy Kushnier Chess, Signature Theatre
John Manzari Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Leo Manzari Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Jesse J. Perez Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Larry Yando Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical
E. Faye Butler Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Eleasha Gamble Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Carrie A. Johnson Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Lauren Molina Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jill Paice Chess, Signature Theatre
Hollis Resnik The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage
Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical
Maurice Hines Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Marc Kudisch Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre
Geoff Packard Candide, Shakepeare Theatre Company
Nicholas Rodriguez Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Bobby Smith Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Cody Williams Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play
Colleen Delany Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage
Naomi Jacobson Richard II, Shakespeare Theatre Company
MacKenzie Meehan Circle Mirror Transformation, The Studio Theatre
Phylicia Rashad every tongue confess, Arena Stage
Dawn Ursula Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play
Louis Butelli Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Adam Green The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Michael Tolaydo New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J
Ted van Griethuysen All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Paxton Whitehead All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play
Philip Fletcher Othello, Synetic Theater
John Glover The Lisbon Traviata, The Kennedy Center
Graham Michael Hamilton Hamlet, Folger Theatre
Mitchell Hébert Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Bill Largess The Foreigner, The Bay Theatre Company
Alex Mills Othello, Synetic Theater
Cody Nickell Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Ian Merrill Peakes Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Johnny Ramey Superior Donuts The Studio Theatre
Alexander Strain New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play
Lise Bruneau Mikveh, Theater J
Naomi Jacobson Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Sarah Marshall Mikveh, Theater J
Jennifer Mendenhall Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Erika Rose In Darfur, Theater J
Holly Twyford Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical
Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Adventure Theatre
Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater
Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play
American Buffalo, The Studio Theatre
Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre
Othello, Synetic Theater
Travels With My Aunt, Rep Stage
Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Toby Orenstein Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Eric Schaeffer Chess, Signature Theatre
Molly Smith The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage
Molly Smith Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Mary Zimmerman Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Director, Resident Play
Kasi Campbell Travels With My Aunt, Rep Stage
Joseph Haj Hamlet, Folger Theatre
Robert Richmond Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
Howard Shalwitz Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Paata Tsikurishvili The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater
Paata Tsikurishvili Othello, Synetic Theater
Outstanding Non-Resident Production
Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Last Cargo Cult, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center
South Pacific, The Kennedy Center
Thurgood, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences
If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Adventure Theatre
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, The Kennedy Center Family Theater
The Nutcracker, the Puppet Co.
Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage
The Red Balloon, Adventure Theatre
Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater
The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
every tongue confess, Arena Stage
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, The Kennedy Center Family Theater
The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage
Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater
Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Resident Musical
Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage
Little Shop of Horrors, Ford’s Theatre
Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Resident Play
Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Hamlet, Folger Theatre
Henry VIII, Folger Theatre
The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater
New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J
Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre
Othello, Synetic Theater
Superior Donuts, The Studio Theatre
Patrick has been blogging since before it was called blogging. At We Love DC Patrick covers local Theatre, and whatever catches his eye. Patrick’s blog stories, rants, and opinions have been featured in The Washington City Paper, Washington Post Express, CNN, Newschannel 8 Washington, and NBC Washington. See why Patrick loves DC.
You can e-mail him at ppho [at] welovedc.com
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