Helen Hayes Award Recipients Announced!

The 27th Helen Hayes Awards were presented at the historic Warner Theatre tonight, April 25, 2011. In addition to 156 theatre artists, ensembles and productions nominated in 26 categories, three special awards were given:

• The Helen Hayes Tribute sponsored by Jaylee Mead to Tommy Tune
• The Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theatre Community to Ford's Theatre "History on Stage and "History on Foot" programs; and
• The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company to Factory 449: a theatre collective and No Rules Theatre Company

The 2011 Winners of the Helen Hayes Awards are:

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production
Diane Coburn Bruning, Improbable Frequency, Solas Nua
Ben Cunis, King Arthur, Synetic Theater
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 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 Ryurikov Simes, Othello, Synetic Theater **

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Toby Orenstein, Hairspray, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Eric Schaeffer, Chess, Signature Theatre
Molly Smith, Oklahoma!, Arena Stage
Molly Smith, The Light in the Piazza, 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, Othello, Synetic Theater **
Paata Tsikurishvili, The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater

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 Lead Actor, Resident Musical
Maurice Hines, Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage
Marc Kudisch, Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre
Geoff Packard, Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company **
Nicholas Rodriguez, Oklahoma!, Arena Stage **
Bobby Smith, Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Cody Williams, Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

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 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 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 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

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