DEAR EVAN HANSEN, WEST SIDE STORY and More Among 2016 Helen Hayes Award Nominees; Full List!
By: BWW News Desk Feb. 01, 2016
Tonight, before a gathering of theatre artists and patrons, theatreWashington announced the nominees for the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards, drawn from 202 eligible productions presented in the 2015 calendar year. Scroll down for the full list of nominees!
Named for actor Helen Hayes - a Washington native and legendary First Lady of the American Theatre - the Helen Hayes Awards celebrates excellence in professional theatre throughout the Washington region and has become a hallmark recognized by theatre makers and theatre lovers far beyond the Beltway.
The announcement of nominees in 47 categories was held in the National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery, where invited guests learned that 53 theatres produced 202 eligible productions, including 59 world premieres. Included were 56 musicals and 146 plays, along with 15 Theatre for Young Audiences Productions, 15 Visiting Productions. theatreWashington President and CEO Amy Austin commented, "Reading through the list of nominations gives you a tangible, immediate experience of the breadth and depth of this theatre community. It's an amazing range of work from an amazing range of theatres. I couldn't be more proud than I am supporting theatre artists and the audiences they serve."2016 Helen Hayes Award Nominations:
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical-HAYES Production
Parker Esse, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Michele Lynch, Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Tommy Rapley, Carousel, Olney Theatre Center
Tara Jeanne Vallee, The Producers, Olney Theatre Center
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical-HELEN Production
Rachel Leigh Dolan, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Rachel Leigh Dolan, Oliver!, Adventure Theatre MTC
Jessica Beth Redish, Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Choreography in a Play-HAYES Production
Robert Barry Fleming, Destiny of Desire, Arena Stage
Melanie George, Women Laughing Alone With Salad, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Thomas W. Jones II, Uprising, MetroStage
Andrea Moon, When She Had Wings, Imagination Stage
Ami Shulman, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Choreography in a Play-HELEN Production
Dane Figueroa Edidi, Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, Theater Alliance
Casey Kaleba, Matthew R. Wilson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Constellation Theatre Company
Kelly Maxner, Mollye Maxner, Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Jonathan Ezra Rubin, Flying V Fights: Heroes & Monsters, Flying V
Irina Tsikurishvili (Choreography) & Ben Cunis (Fight Choreography), Much Ado About Nothing, Synetic Theater
Outstanding Musical Direction-HAYES Production
Ben Cohn, Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
George Fulginiti-Shakar, Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jon Kalbfleisch, Cabaret, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, Simply Sondheim, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Musical Direction-HELEN Production
George Fulginiti-Shakar, Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of Buenos Aires, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Karen Hansen, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Walter "Bobby" McCoy, Old Wicked Songs, 1st Stage
Jake Null, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Michael Winch, Doctor Caligari, Pointless Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design-HAYES Production
Jess Goldstein, Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Arena Stage
Susan Hilferty, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Collin Ranney, Flowers Stink, The Kennedy Center
Alejo Vietti, Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Julie Weiss, Destiny of Desire, Arena Stage
Outstanding Costume Design-HELEN Production
Robert Croghan, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Scena Theatre
Sabrina Mandell, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Kendra Rai, Alice in Wonderland, Synetic Theater
Erik Reagan Teague, Last of the Whyos, Spooky Action Theater
Kara Waala, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Outstanding Lighting Design-HAYES Production
Colin K. Bills, The Originalist, Arena Stage
Michael Gilliam, The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Donald Holder, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Thom Weaver, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Folger Theatre
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Outstanding Lighting Design-HELEN Production
Christopher Annas-Lee, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Dan Covey (Lighting Design) & Michael Redman (Projections Design), Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, Theater Alliance
A.J. Guban, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Robbie Hayes, The Good Counselor, 1st Stage
Robbie Hayes, Very Still & Hard to See, Rorschach Theatre
Outstanding Set Design-HAYES Production
Michael Carnahan, The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Andrew Cohen, Brian MacDevitt, Murder Ballad, Studio Theatre
Susan Hilferty, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
David Kornis (Set Design) & Peter Nigrini (Projection Design), Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Allen Moyer, Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Set Design-HELEN Production
Vicki R. Davis, Last of the Whyos, Spooky Action Theater
Silvia de Marta, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Brian Gillick, Very Still & Hard to See, Rorschach Theatre
Patti Kalil, Doctor Caligari, Pointless Theatre
Glorgos Tsappas, Jarry Inside Out, Spooky Action Theater
Outstanding Sound Design-HAYES Production
Christopher Baine, When She Had Wings, Imagination Stage
Mark Bennett, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
David Budries, Nathan A. Roberts, The Widow Lincoln, Ford's Theatre
Frank DiSalvo Jr., It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Washington Stage Guild
Timothy M. Thompson (Sound Design), Toshi Reagon (Composer) The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Outstanding Sound Design-HELEN Production
Frank DiSalvo Jr., Very Still & Hard to See, Rorschach Theatre
Mariano Marin, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Kenny Neal, Old Wicked Songs, 1st Stage
Matthew M. Nielson, Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, Theater Alliance
Tom Teasley, The Fire and The Rain, Constellation Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Musical-HAYES Production
Kathryn Chase Bryer, Wiley and the Hairy Man, Imagination Stage
Matthew Gardiner, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Colin Hovde, A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Alan Paul, Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Musical-HELEN Production
Mariano Caligaris, Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of Buenos Aires, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Matt Conner & Stephen Gregory Smith, The Turn of the Screw, Creative Cauldron
Toby Orenstein & Lawrence B. Munsey, Ragtime, The Musical, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Alan Paul, Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
Allison Arkell Stockman, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Play-HAYES Production
Jeremy B. Cohen, Bad Dog, Olney Theatre Center
Yaël Farber, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Eleanor Holdridge, Queens Girl in the World, Theater J
Aaron Posner, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Folger Theatre
Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Animal, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Director of a Play-HELEN Production
José Luis Arellano García, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Randy Baker, Very Still & Hard to See, Rorschach Theatre
Timothy Douglas, Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, Theater Alliance
Mollye Maxner, Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Joshua Morgan, In Love and Warcraft, No Rules Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical-HAYES Production
A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Cabaret, Signature Theatre
Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical-HELEN Production
Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Oliver!, Adventure Theatre MTC
Ragtime, The Musical, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
The Turn of the Screw, Creative Cauldron
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play-HAYES Production
Bad Dog, Olney Theatre Center
The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Jumpers for Goalposts, Studio Theatre
Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Arena Stage
Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play-HELEN Production
Flying V Fights: Heroes & Monsters, Flying V
IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
In Love and Warcraft, No Rules Theatre Company
Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Outstanding Performer, Visiting Production
Victoria Clark, Gigi, The Kennedy Center
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star, The Kennedy Center
Dani de Waal, Once, The Kennedy Center
Darrell D'Silva, Dunsinane, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit, The National Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical-HAYES Production
Clyde Alves, Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Max Clayton, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Jeffry Denman, Kid Victory, Signature Theatre
Sean Ewing, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Ryan Fitzgerald, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical-HELEN Production
Mikey Cafarelli, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
David James, The Addams Family, a New Musical Comedy, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Shawn Kettering, The Addams Family, a New Musical Comedy, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Vaughn Ryan Midder, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Ethan Miller, The Turn of the Screw, Creative Cauldron
Tom Story, Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
John Sygar, Garfield, The Musical With Cattitude, Adventure Theatre MTC
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical-HAYES Production
Natascia Diaz, West Side Story,Signature Theatre
Laura Dreyfuss, Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Robyn Hurder, Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Anastacia McCleskey, Murder Ballad, Studio Theatre
Dorea Schmidt, Carousel, Olney Theatre Center
Jennifer Laura Thompson, Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical-HELEN Production
Jenna Berk Avenue QConstellation Theatre Company
Ana Fontán, Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of Buenos Aires, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Jade Jones, Once on This Island, Creative Cauldron
Justine "Icy" Moral, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Emily Zickler, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play-HAYES Production
Stanley Bahorek, Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Arena Stage
Liam Forde, Jumpers for Goalposts, Studio Theatre
Ian Merrill Peakes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Folger Theatre
Craig Wallace, The Guard, Ford's Theatre
Michael Willis, Sons of the Prophet, Theater J
The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play-HELEN Production
Iker Lastra, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Jon Hudson Odom, Passion Play, Forum Theatre
Thomas Rowell, Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Vato Tsikurishvili, Much Ado About Nothing, Synetic Theater
Nathan Jan Yaffe, Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play-HAYES Production
Maggie Erwin, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Round House Theatre
Kimberly Gilbert, Uncle Vanya, Round House Theatre
Naomi Jacobson, Bad Dog, Olney Theatre Center
Jane Pfitsch, Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Arena Stage
Dawn Ursula, Zombie: The American, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play-HELEN Production
Danielle Bourgeois, Once in the Chamber, Forum Theatre
Nanna Ingvarsson, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Scena Theatre
Lolita Marie, Doubt, a Parable, 1st Stage
Luz Nicolás, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Kerri Rambow, Night Falls on the Blue Planet, Theater Alliance
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical-HAYES Production
Michael Di Liberto, The Producers, Olney Theatre Center
Tally Sessions, Carousel, Olney Theatre Center
Douglas Sills, Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Bobby Smith, Simply Sondheim, Signature Theatre
Anthony Warlow, Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical-HELEN Production
Franco Cabanas, Oliver!, Adventure Theatre MTC
Matt Dewberry, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Rick Hammerly, Oliver!, Adventure Theatre MTC
Kevin McAllister, Ragtime, The Musical, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Martin Ruiz, Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of Buenos Aires, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Tally Sessions, Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical-HAYES Production
Jessica Lauren Ball, Guys and Dolls, Olney Theatre Center
MaryJoanna Grisso, West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Amber Iman, Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Barrett Wilbert Weed, Cabaret, Signature Theatre
Lauren Weinberg, Guys and Dolls, Olney Theatre Center
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical-HELEN Production
Katy Carkuff, Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Felicia Curry, Oliver!, Adventure Theatre MTC
Elizabeth Rayca, Ragtime, The Musical, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Isabelle Smelkinson, Dogfight, The Keegan Theatre
Karen Vincent, Kiss Me, Kate, NextStop Theatre Company
The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play-HAYES Production
Adam Wesley Brown, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Folger Theatre
Ramzi Choukair, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Edward Gero, The Originalist, Arena Stage
Mitchell Hébert, Uncle Vanya, Round House Theatre
Michael Russotto, The Whale, Rep Stage
The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play-HELEN Production
Michael Kevin Darnall, Last of the Whyos, Spooky Action Theater
Philip Hosford, Old Wicked Songs, 1st Stage
Mark Jaster, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Matthew Pauli, Our Town, Faction of Fools Theatre Company
Alex Vernon, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play-HAYES Production
Janet Ulrich Brooks, Women Laughing Alone With Salad, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Caroline Clay, The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Alexandra Henrikson, Ironbound, Round House Theatre
Holly Twyford, Bad Dog, Olney Theatre Center
Dawn Ursula, Queens Girl in the World, Theater J
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play-HELEN Production
Mabel Del Pozo, Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Gwen Grastorf, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Sabrina Mandell, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Sarah Olmsted Thomas, IMPOSSIBLE! A Happenstance Circus, Happenstance Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili, Much Ado About Nothing, Synetic Theater
Anu Yadav, In Love and Warcraft, No Rules Theatre Company
Outstanding Original Play or Musical Adaptation
Sheri Wilner (Book), Julia Jordan (Book & Lyrics), Adam Gwon (Lyrics & Music), Cake Off, Signature Theatre
Caleen Sinnette Jennings, Darius & Twig, The Kennedy Center
Marc Schubring (Book), David S. Craig (Lyrics), Niko Gaik (Music), Double Trouble, Imagination Stage
David Ives, The Metromaniacs, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Julie Jensen, Mockingbird, The Kennedy Center
Yaël Farber, Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding Original New Play or Musical
Clare Lizzimore, Animal, Studio Theatre
Katori Hall, The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Steven Levenson (Book), Benj Pasek (Lyrics & Music), Justin Paul (Lyrics & Music), Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Martyna Majok, Ironbound, Round House Theatre
Caleen Sinnette Jennings, Queens Girl in the World, Theater J
Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences
A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Flowers Stink, The Kennedy Center
Mockingbird, The Kennedy Center
When She Had Wings, Imagination Stage
Wiley and the Hairy Man, Imagination Stage
Outstanding Visiting Production
Blithe Spirit, The National Theatre
Dunsinane, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Once, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Musical-HAYES Production
Cabaret, Signature Theatre
Dear Evan Hansen, Arena Stage
Kiss Me, Kate, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Man of La Mancha, Shakespeare Theatre Company
West Side Story, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Musical-HELEN Production
Avenue Q, Constellation Theatre Company
Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of Buenos Aires, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Once on This Island, Creative Cauldron
Ragtime, The Musical, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Silence! The Musical, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Play-HAYES Production
Bad Dog, Olney Theatre Center
The Blood Quilt, Arena Stage
Queens Girl in the World, Theater J
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Folger Theatre
Salomé, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Play-HELEN Production
Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, Theater Alliance
Occupied Territories, Theater Alliance
Old Wicked Songs, 1st Stage
Very Still & Hard to See, Rorscharch Theatre
Yerma, GALA Hispanic Theatre
The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company
Arts on the Horizon
Pallas Theatre Collective
The Welders
The administration and celebration of the Helen Hayes Awards is just one element of theatreWashington's mission, which is to strengthen, represent, and support all segments of Washington's professional theatre community, including theatre companies, artists, staff, and diverse audiences of all ages. Over more than three decades of support and advocacy, theatreWashington has played a vital role in the transformation of the city's cultural identity, with the resulting revitalization of the community as a whole.
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