Phillipa Soo, Steven Pasquale, Ali Ewoldt And More Nominated for Helen Hayes Awards

Tonight, at a celebration honoring theatre excellence on stages across the Washington area, theatre artists, administrators, patrons, and special guests gathered in The National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery for Theatre Washington's announcement of nominees for the 37th Helen Hayes Awards, which will be presented on Monday, May 22 at an event at the Anthem.

This will be the first in-person Helen Hayes Awards ceremony since 2019. The Awards for productions in the calendar year 2019 were presented virtually in 2020 and productions were not adjudicated during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 or 2021.

Theatre Washington President and CEO Amy Austin was joined by 2020 Helen Hayes Award recipients or those representing recipient productions, including Jose Carrasquillo, Kelly Colburn, Ashleigh King, Billie Krishawn, Alberto Segarra, and Greg Watkins, to welcome the audience and announce the nominations. Austin commented, "It's no secret that the theatre industry has been through an unprecedented few years. I am enormously proud of the work that has emerged despite these challenges. The Helen Hayes Awards are one way to recognize and express gratitude to Washington, DC-area theatre-makers who provide meaning for our community. To be back in person this year, to reflect on and celebrate the extraordinary work created on our stages, is moving."

Recognizing work from 131 eligible productions presented in the 2022 calendar year, nominations were made in 41 categories and grouped in "Helen" or "Hayes" cohorts, depending on the number of Equity members involved in the production. Nominations are the result of 40 carefully vetted judges considering 2,146 individual pieces of work, such as design, direction, choreography, performances, and more. Productions under consideration in 2022 included 39 musicals, 97 plays, and 38 world premieres.

Signature Theatre and GALA Hispanic Theatre saw the most number of nominations for a theatre, with 30 and 20 respectively. The most nominated productions include: ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡EN ESPAÑOL! at GALA Hispanic Theatre (with 15), The Color Purple at Signature Theatre (with 13), John Proctor is the Villain at Studio Theatre (with 11), and tick, tick...BOOM! at Monumental Theatre Co (with 11).

The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company is recognized each year by the Emerging Theatre Committee of Theatre Washington. This year's recipients are Ex-Pats Theatre and Prologue Theatre. Qualifying theatres must produce at least one show per year, with a minimum of nine performances each, for two consecutive years.

Bonnie Nelson Schwartz will receive the 2023 Helen Hayes Tribute Award. Nelson Schwartz is the founder and original producer of the Helen Hayes Awards and is a Broadway and television producer with more than 100 plays, films, television programs and concerts in Washington, DC, New York and London to her credit. Her project Traveling While Black was nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program. Schwartz recently produced the Global Climate Uprising Festival for the Glasgow Climate Summit in Scotland.

Named for actor Helen Hayes - a Washington native and legendary First Lady of the American Theatre - the Helen Hayes Awards has honored excellence in professional theatre throughout the Washington region for more than three decades.

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2023 Helen Hayes Awards Nominations

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical - Hayes

Kelly Crandall d'Amboise, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Dane Figueroa Edidi, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Parker Esse, Catch Me If You Can- Arena Stage

Katie Spellman, A.D. 16- Olney Theatre Center

Lorna Ventura, American Prophet- Arena Stage

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical - Helen

Justin Calhoun, Rocky- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Maurice Johnson, Once on This Island- Constellation Theatre Company

Mark Minnick, Monty Python's Spamalot-Toby's Dinner Theatre

Luis Salgado, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

David Singleton, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

David Singleton, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Outstanding Choreography in a Play - Hayes

Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi and Tracy Walsh, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Sandi Holloway, The Till Trilogy: The Ballad of Emmett Till- Mosaic Theater Company

Ashleigh King, Which Way to the Stage- Signature Theatre

Jesse Korvasky, Much Ado About Nothing- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Pilobolus, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Outstanding Choreography in a Play - Helen

Maryam Najafzada, The Servant of Two Masters- Synetic Theater

Douglas Dubois and Ryan Sellers, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Emily Sucher To Fall in Love Nu Sass Productions

Irina Tsikurishvili, Dracula- Synetic Theater

Irina Tsikurishvili, Host & Guest- Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction - Hayes

Liz Filios, Shaina Taub, and Manny Arciniega, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Joseph Joubert and Paul Byssainthe, Jr., American Prophet- Arena Stage

Mark G. Meadows, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Rickey Payton, Sr., The Till Trilogy: The Ballad of Emmett Till- Mosaic Theater Company

Christopher Youstra, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Musical Direction - Helen

Marika Countouris, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Walter "Bobby" McCoy, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Ross Scott Rawlings, Monty Python's Spamalot-Toby's Dinner Theatre

Ross Scott Rawlings, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Elisa Rosman, Once on This Island- Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design - Hayes

Kara Harmon, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Brandee Mathies, Nollywood Dreams- Round House Theatre

Yvonne Miranda, Ain't No Mo'- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

David I. Reynoso, Into the Woods- Signature Theatre

Alejo Vietti, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design - Helen

Flo Arnold and Janine Sunday, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Jeannette Christensen, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Elizabeth Morton, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Kendra Rai, Dracula- Synetic Theater

Erik Teague and Alison Samantha Johnson, Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee- 1st Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design - Hayes

Jesse Belsky, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Colin K. Bills, Hi, Are You Single?- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Peter Maradudin, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Nicole Pearce, Catch Me If You Can- Arena Stage

Alberto Segarra, The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center

Thom Weaver, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design - Helen

Christopher Annas-Lee, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Ian Claar, Dracula- Synetic Theater

Venus Gulbranson, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

David A. Hopkins, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Paata Tsikurishvili, Host & Guest- Synetic Theater

Outstanding Set Design - Hayes

Scott Bradley, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Daniel Conway, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Lee Savage, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Lee Savage, Into the Woods- Signature Theatre

Luciana Stecconi, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Outstanding Set Design - Helen

Nadir Bey, The Rainmaker- 1st Stage

Clifton Chadick, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Matthew Keenan, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Shane Lowry, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Michael Windsor and Yaritza Pacheco, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Outstanding Sound Design - Hayes

Nick Hernandez, Dear Mapel- Mosaic Theater Company

Nick Hernandez, Nollywood Dreams- Round House Theatre

Ryan Hickey, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Andre Pluess and Adam W. Johnson, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Kathy Ruvuna, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design - Helen

Draper Carter, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Irakli Kavsadze, Host & Guest- Synetic Theatre

navi, Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee- 1st Stage

Yaritza Pacheco, The Servant of Two Masters-Synetic Theatre

Matthew Rowe, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Media/Projections Design - Hayes

Bradley S. Bergeron, FIRES IN THE MIRROR****-Theater J

Kelly Colburn, Dear Mapel- Mosaic Theater Company

Mona Kasra, The Till Trilogy: Benevolence- Mosaic Theater Company

Jared Mezzocchi, We declare you a terrorist....- Round House Theatre

Aaron Rhyne, Much Ado About Nothing- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Media/Projections Design - Helen

Jeremy Bennet, Elegies: A Song Cycle- The Keegan Theatre

Jeremy Bennett, Yoga Play- The Keegan Theatre

Kelly Colburn, La Casa De La Laguna***- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Patrick Lord, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor, The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful (And Her Dog!)- The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Performer - Visiting Production

Bridgette Amofah, A Monster Calls- The Kennedy Center

Kevin Chamberlain, Guys and Dolls- The Kennedy Center

Alex Edelman, Just for Us- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Steven Lee Johnson, To Kill a Mockingbird- The Kennedy Center

Melanie Moore, To Kill a Mockingbird- The Kennedy Center

Steven Pasquale, Guys and Dolls- The Kennedy Center

Anita Reynolds, A Monster Calls- The Kennedy Center

Phillipa Soo, Guys and Dolls- The Kennedy Center

Richard Thomas, To Kill a Mockingbird- The Kennedy Center

Jacqueline Williams, To Kill a Mockingbird- The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical - Hayes

Frenchie Davis, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Kaiyla Gross, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Andrew Morrill, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Katie Mariko Murray, Into the Woods- Signature Theatre

Tracy Lynn Olivera, Disney's Beauty and the Beast- Olney Theatre Center

Solomon Parker III, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Maria Rizzo, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Nicki Runge, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Bobby Smith, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Danielle J. Summons, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical - Helen

Alex Alburqueque, REVOLTOSA (The Troublemaker)**- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Alex De Bard, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Tyler Dobies, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Joey Ellinghaus, Monty Python's Spamalot-Toby's Dinner Theatre

Joey Ellinghaus, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Caroline Graham, Little Women- NextStop Theatre Company

Ashley Johnson, GHOST, The Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Madelin Marchant, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Kamila Rodríguez, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Fran Tapia, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play - Hayes

Michael Kevin Darnall, The Hot Wing King- Studio Theatre

Nate Dendy, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Billie Krishawn, The Till Trilogy: The Ballad of Emmett Till- Mosaic Theater Company

Hassiem Muhammad and Ryan Sellers, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Kate Eastwood Norris, Our Town- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Brandi Porter, Ain't No Mo'- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Deidre Staples, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Dani Stoller, My Body No Choice- Arena Stage

Craig Wallace, Our Town- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play - Helen

Ian Armstrong, The Playboy of the Western World- Solas Nua

Fabiolla Da Silva, The Revolutionists- Prologue Theatre

Crystal Henry Arful-Addoh, From the Mississippi Delta- The Essential Theatre

Tom Howley, Twigs & Bone- Nu Sass Productions

Michael Innocenti, The Outsider- The Keegan Theatre

Karen Kelleher, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Marissa Liotta, Do You Feel Anger?- Theater Alliance

Arika Thames, The Revolutionists- Prologue Theatre

Jon Townson, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Evelyn Rosario Vega, La Casa De La Laguna***- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical - Hayes

James Caverly, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Ali Ewoldt, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Nehal Joshi, Catch Me If You Can- Arena Stage

Kristolyn Lloyd, American Prophet- Arena Stage

Adelina Mitchell, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Nova Y. Payton, Grace- Ford's Theatre

Nova Y. Payton, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Hayley Podschun, Catch Me If You Can- Arena Stage

Bobby Smith, No Place to Go- Signature Theatre

Vishal Vaidya, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical - Helen

Gaby Albo, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Jessica Barraclough, Xanadu- Workhouse Arts Center

Kyle Dalsimer, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Samuel Garnica, ON YOUR FEET!- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Sally Imbriano, Lucky Stiff- NextStop Theatre Company

Katie McManus, Little Women- NextStop Theatre Company

Christian Montgomery, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Graciela Rey, Make Way for Ducklings- Adventure Theatre MTC

Harrison Smith, Elegies: A Song Cycle- The Keegan Theatre

Laura Virella, REVOLTOSA (The Troublemaker)**- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play - Hayes

Ryan J. Haddad, Hi, Are You Single?- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

January LaVoy, FIRES IN THE MIRROR****-Theater J

Lillian Oben, Nine Night- Round House Theatre

Jon Hudson Odom, Ain't No Mo'- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Nancy Robinette, The Trip to Bountiful- Ford's Theatre

Juliana Sass, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Jordan Slattery, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

John Douglas Thompson, Merchant of Venice- Shakespeare Theatre Company & Theatre for a New Audience

Justin Weaks, There's Always the Hudson- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Antonio

Michael Woodard, The Till Trilogy:The Ballad of Emmett Till- Mosaic Theater Company

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play - Helen

Zach Brewster-Geisz, The Outsider- The Keegan Theatre

Michael Burgos, Fade- Unexpected Stage Company

Tamieka Chavis, The Rainmaker- 1st Stage

Terrance Fleming, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Jamil Joseph, The Playboy of the Western World- Solas Nua

Jaucqir LaFond, Blue Door- Perisphere Theater

Ashley D. Nguyen, Shakespeare in Love- The Keegan Theatre

Susan Marie Rhea, The Outsider- The Keegan Theatre

Nutsa Tediashvili, The Servant of Two Masters-Synetic Theatre

Vato Tsikurishvili, The Servant of Two Masters-Synetic Theatre

Outstanding Direction in a Musical - Hayes

Kathryn Chase Bryer Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed*****- Imagination Stage

Timothy Douglas, The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Sandra Mae Frank and Michael Baron, Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Matthew Gardiner, No Place to Go- Signature Theatre

Matthew Gardiner, She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

Outstanding Direction in a Musical - Helen

Angelisa Gillyard, Once on This Island- Constellation Theatre Company

Mark Minnick, Monty Python's Spamalot-Toby's Dinner Theatre

Mark Minnick, The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

Luis Salgado, ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Michael Windsor, tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Outstanding Direction in a Play - Hayes

Lili-Anne Brown, Ain't No Mo'- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Adam Immerwahr and January LaVoy, FIRES IN THE MIRROR****-Theater J

Jason Loewith and Kevin McAllister, The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center

Marti Lyons, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Aaron Posner and Teller, The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Talvin Wilks, The Till Trilogy: The Ballad of Emmett Till - Mosaic Theater Company

Outstanding Direction in a Play - Helen

Jessica Lefkow, The Revolutionists- Prologue Theatre

Paata Tsikurishvili, Dracula- Synetic Theater

Paata Tsikurishvili, Host & Guest- Synetic Theater

Vato Tsikurishvili, The Servant of Two Masters- Synetic Theater

Henery Wyand, Blue Door- Perisphere Theater

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical Adaptation

Michael Bloom, Nathan the Wise- Theater J & Folger Theatre

Raymond O. Caldwell and Adrienne Torf, Poetry for the People******- Theater Alliance & IN Series

Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith, Ichabod: The Legend of n Sleepy Hollow- Creative Cauldro

Frank Labovitz, RHINOCÉROS!- Pointless Theatre Company

C. Quintana and Janelle Lawrence, Beastgirl- The Kennedy Center

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical

Ifa Bayeza, The Till Trilogy: That Summer in Sumner- Mosaic Theater Company

Kimberly Belflower, John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Mona Pirnot, Private- Mosaic Theater Company

Psalmayene 24, Dear Mapel- Mosaic Theater Company

Charles Randolph-Wright and Marcus Hummon, American Prophet- Arena Stage Dani Stoller and

Awa Sal Secka, The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical - Hayes

American Prophet- Arena Stage

Into the Woods- Signature Theatre

Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical - Helen

Monty Python's Spamalot- Toby's Dinner Theatre

ON YOUR FEET!- GALA Hispanic Theatre

The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

REVOLTOSA (The Troublemaker)**- GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play - Hayes

John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Nollywood Dreams- Round House Theatre

The Hot Wing King- Studio Theatre

The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center

The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play - Helen

Fantastagirl and the Math Monster Adventure- Theatre MTC

The Revolutionists- Prologue Theatre

The Outsider- The Keegan Theatre

The Trip Best- Medicine Rep

Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee- 1st Stage

Outstanding Production - Theatre for Young Audiences

Beastgirl- The Kennedy Center

Make Way for Ducklings- Adventure Theatre MTC

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed*****- Imagination Stage

P.Nokio- Imagination Stage

Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee- 1st Stage

Outstanding Visiting Production

A Monster Calls- The Kennedy Center

Guys and Dolls- The Kennedy Center

Jesus Christ Superstar- The Kennedy Center

Just for Us- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

To Kill a Mockingbird- The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Production in a Musical - Hayes

American Prophet- Arena Stage

Meredith Willson's The Music Man- Olney Theatre Center

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed*****- Imagination Stage

No Place to Go- Signature Theatre

She Loves Me- Signature Theatre

The Color Purple- Signature Theatre

Outstanding Production in a Musical - Helen

Monty Python's Spamalot- Toby's Dinner Theatre

ON YOUR FEET!*- GALA Hispanic Theatre,

Once on This Island- Constellation Theatre Company,

The Spongebob Musical- Toby's Dinner Theatre

tick, tick...BOOM!- Monumental Theatre Co

Outstanding Production in a Play - Hayes

Ain't No Mo'- Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

John Proctor is the Villain- Studio Theatre

Much Ado About Nothing- Shakespeare Theatre Company

Nollywood Dreams- Round House Theatre

The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center

The Tempest- Round House Theatre

Outstanding Production in a Play - Helen

Blue Door, Perisphere Theater

Host & Guest, Synetic Theater

The Rainmaker, 1st Stage

The Revolutionists.,Prologue Theatre

The Servant of Two Masters, Synetic Theater

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*Full title: ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡En español! **Full title: REVOLTOSA (The Troublemaker) - Variations on the 1897 Zarzuela for Today ***Full title: La Casa De La Laguna (The House on the Lagoon)

****Full title: FIRES IN THE MIRROR: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Other Identities *****Full title: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience

******Full title: Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience