WASHINGTON, D.C.: The 31st annual Helen Hayes Awards, presented by the service organization theatreWashington, were held last night, April 6, at the Lincoln Theatre. Theatre Alliance received the most awards out of any company, with seven trophies. The big production winner was Andrew Hinderaker’s Colossal from Olney Theatre Center, with four awards.
The ceremony recognized work produced during the 2014 season, with 57 theatre artists, companies and ensembles honored across 47 categories. This is the first awards ceremony held under a new adjudicating system in which every category is split into two tiers—“Helen” and “Hayes”—based on the ratio of actors working in the production under an Actors’ Equity contract. Consequently, a majority of the nominees in the “Helen” category were smaller theatres, while “Hayes” went to larger houses. The new system also meant that the number of awards more than doubled.
“This year’s Helen Hayes Awards continue a long tradition of promoting Washington theatre while reflecting its ever-changing landscape and breadth,” said Kurt Crowl, chairman of theatreWashington’s board of directors, in a statement. “This evolution not only inspires theatreWashington every day, but also provides the foundation for how the awards are presented.”
In addition to the competitive category, the Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership went to the National New Play Network. And Flying V won the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company.
TheatreWashington is a 31-year-old service organization dedicated to promoting, representing and supporting the Washington professional theatre community.
A complete list of winners is below.
PERFORMER, VISITING PRODUCTION
Tovah Feldshuh, Golda’s Balcony, Theater J
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY—HELEN
Maggie Erwin, Failure: A Love Story, The Hub Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY—HAYES
Erin Weaver, Mother Courage and Her Children, Arena Stage
JAMES MACARTHUR AWARD FOR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY—HELEN
Wayne Bennett, Seven Guitars, No Rules Theatre Company
JAMES MACARTHUR AWARD FOR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY—HAYES
Zachary Fine, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
David Jennings, Spamalot, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Matthew A. Anderson, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ford’s Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
Miranda Medugno, Visible Language, WSC Avant Bard
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Erin Weaver, Ordinary Days, Round House Theatre
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
Alan Naylor, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well & Living in Paris, Creative Cauldron
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Sam Ludwig, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Olney Theatre Center
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
Barbara Walsh, Carrie: The Musical, Studio Theatre
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Brynn O’Malley, Sunday in the Park With George, Signature Theatre
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY—HELEN
Nanna Ingvarsson, The Amish Project, Factory 449
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY—HAYES
Kimberly Gilbert, Marie Antoinette, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
ROBERT PROSKY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY—HELEN
Doug Wilder, One Man, Two Guvnors, 1st Stage
ROBERT PROSKY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY—HAYES
Rick Foucheux, Freud’s Last Session, Theater J
SOUND DESIGN—HELEN
Matthew M. Nielson and Christopher Baine, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Theater Alliance
SOUND DESIGN—HAYES
Christopher Baine, Colossal, Olney Theatre Center
LIGHT DESIGN—HELEN
John Burkland, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Theater Alliance
LIGHT DESIGN—HAYES
Philip S. Rosenberg, Private Lives, Shakespeare Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN—HELEN
Kendra Rai, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Synetic Theater
COSTUME DESIGN—HAYES
Paul Tazewell, Side Show, The Kennedy Center
SET DESIGN—HELEN
Dan Conway, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol, Adventure Theatre MTC
SET DESIGN—HAYES
Eric J. Van Wyk, The BFG, Imagination Stage
CHOREOGRAPHY IN A PLAY—HELEN
Irina Tsikurishvili and Ben Cunis, Twelfth Night, Synetic Theater
CHOREOGRAPHY IN A PLAY—HAYES
Ben Cunis and Christopher D’Amboise, Colossal, Olney Theatre Center
CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
Mark Minnick, Spamalot, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Susan Stroman, Little Dancer, The Kennedy Center
MUSICAL DIRECTION—HELEN
e’Marcus Harper-Short, Black Nativity, Theater Alliance
MUSICAL DIRECTION—HAYES
Jon Kalbfleisch, Sunday in the Park With George, Signature Theatre
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL—HELEN
Steven Royal, Bat Boy: The Musical, 1st Stage
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL—HAYES
Matthew Gardiner, Sunday in the Park With George, Signature Theatre
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY—HELEN
Colin Hovde and Nathaniel Mendez, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Theater Alliance
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY—HAYES
Will Davis, Colossal, Olney Theatre Center
ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL—HELEN
Black Nativity, Theater Alliance
ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL—HAYES
Side Show, The Kennedy Center
ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY—HELEN
Twelfth Night, Synetic Theater
ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY—HAYES
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre
CHARLES MACARTHUR AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL NEW PLAY OR MUSICAL
Andrew Hinderaker, Colossal, Olney Theatre Center
PLAY OR MUSICAL ADAPTATION
Patrick McDonnell, Aaron Posner, Erin Weaver and Andy Mitton, The Gift of Nothing, The Kennedy Center
VISITING PRODUCTION
Brief Encounter, Shakespeare Theatre Company
PRODUCTION, THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
The BFG, Imagination Stage
MUSICAL—HELEN
Black Nativity, Theater Alliance
MUSICAL—HAYES
Side Show, The Kennedy Center
Sunday in the Park With George, Signature Theatre
PLAY—HELEN
The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Theater Alliance
PLAY—HAYES
Cock, Studio Theatre
JOHN ANIELLO AWARD FOR EMERGING THEATRE COMPANY
Flying V
WASHINGTON POST AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP IN THEATRE COMMUNITY
National New Play Network
