SPAMALOT, SWEPT AWAY And More Nominated for 2024 Helen Hayes Awards

Nominations have been announced for the 40th Helen Hayes Awards, which will be presented on Monday, May 20 at an event at The Anthem and hosted by beloved DC-area artists Felicia Curry, Rayanne Gonzales, Maria Rizzo, and Tom Story. The nominations are for productions in the Washington, DC, region in the 2023 calendar year.

Hosts of the 2024 Helen Hayes Awards, Felicia Curry and Tom Story, welcomed the audience and Washington, DC-area performers Victor Salinas, Ryan Sellers, Sarah Anne Sillers, and Fran Tapia joined them to announce the nominations. Amy Austin, President & CEO of Theatre Washington said, “This is going to be a great Helen Hayes Awards. It's the 40th year of celebrating the extraordinary work on DC-area stages. It's important to recognize that we have made it through some very tough years together. And our community remains robust, vibrant, and essential to cultural life in our region.”

Recognizing work from 151 eligible productions, nominations were announced 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 49 carefully vetted judges considering 2,005 individual pieces of work, such as design, direction, choreography, performances, writing, and more. Productions under consideration in 2023 included 44 musicals, 107 plays, and 36 world premieres.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theatre and Signature Theatre saw the most nominations, with 32 and 20, respectively. The most nominated productions include: Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches at Arena Stage (with 12), Swept Away at Arena Stage (with 12), Ragtime at Signature Theatre (with 11), and The Honey Trap at Solas Nua (with 10). 

Peter Marks, former Theatre Critic at the Washington Post, will receive the 2024 Helen Hayes Tribute Award, which will be presented at the ceremony on May 20. Marks recently stepped down at the end of the year after serving in this role for 21 years. This award appreciates and honors Marks' decades of knowledgeable and thoughtful writing about the DC-area, national, and international theatre landscape. He offered nuanced theatre criticism and reporting with respect, relish, and generosity. His work contributed immensely to the artistic vibrancy of our region. 

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 four decades.
 

2024 Helen Hayes Awards Nominations 

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Musical, Hayes 

Ashleigh King - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Breon Arzell - Fela!, Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
David Neumann - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Josh Rhodes - Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Kennedy Center
Tiffany Quinn - Passing Strange, Signature Theatre

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Musical, Helen 

 

Ahmad Maaty & Sierra Young - Spring Awakening, Monumental Theatre Company
David Singleton - Ride The Cyclone, NextStop Theatre Company
Kurt Boehm & Ashleigh King - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre
Mark Minnick - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Stefan Sittig - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Play, Hayes

 

Ambika Raina - A Nice Indian Boy, Olney Theatre Center
Jonathan Goddard, Robb Hunter, & Sierra Young - King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Latif Schofield - The Hula-Hoopin' Queen, Imagination Stage
Nikki Mirza - Ink, Round House Theatre & Olney Theatre Center
Tony Thomas - Fat Ham, Studio Theatre

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Play, Helen 

 

Casey Kaleba - Kill the Ripper, We Happy Few
Irina Tsikurishvili - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili - The Golden Fish, Synetic Theater
Rex Daugherty - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Tom Story & Shanara Gabrielle - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Adventure Theatre MTC

Outstanding MUSICAL DIRECTION, Hayes 

 

Brian Usifer, Chris Miller, & Will Van Dyke - Swept Away, Arena Stage
John Bell - Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Kennedy Center
Marika Countouris - Passing Strange, Signature Theatre
S. Renee Clark - Fela!, Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
Sheilah V. Walker - SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Ford's Theatre

Outstanding MUSICAL DIRECTION, Helen

 

Irakli Kavsadze & Koki Lortkipanidze - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Nathan Blustein - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre
Paige Austin Rammelkamp - Urinetown, Workhouse Arts Center
Rita Gigliotti, Bobby McCoy, Jake Null, & Marci Shegogue - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company
Ross Scott Rawlings - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre

Outstanding COSTUME Design, Hayes 

 

Debra Kim Sivigny - A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Erik Teague - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Helen Q. Huang - Pacific Overtures, Signature Theatre
Oana Botez - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Susan Hilferty - Swept Away, Arena Stage

Outstanding COSTUME Design, Helen 

 

Danielle Preston - Agreste (Drylands), Spooky Action Theater
Erik Teague - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Evgenia L. Salazar - The Golden Fish, Synetic Theater
Frank Labovitz - The School for Lies, Constellation Theatre Company
Heather Lockard - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua

Outstanding LIGHTING Design, Hayes

 

Christopher Akerlind - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
David Lander - Here There Are Blueberries, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Kevin Adams - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Tyler Micoleau - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Venus Gulbranson - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding LIGHTING Design, Helen 

 

Alberto Segarra - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Alberto Segarra - Look Both Ways, The Kennedy Center & Theater Alliance
Brian S. Allard - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Colin K. Bills - Agreste (Drylands), Spooky Action Theater
Helen Garcia-Alton - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage

Outstanding SET Design, Hayes 

 

Lee Savage - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Maruti Evans - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Misha Kachman - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Rachel Hauck - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Tony Cisek - Ink, Round House Theatre & Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding SET Design, Helen

 

Daniel Pinha - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Josh Sticklin - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre
Kathryn Kawecki - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage
Nadir Bey - The Chosen, 1st Stage
Sarah Reed - The School for Lies, Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding SOUND Design, Hayes 

 

Bobby McElver - Here There Are Blueberries, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Fabian Obispo - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
John Shivers - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Matthew M. Nielson - Unseen, Mosaic Theater Company
Michael Kiley - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding SOUND Design, Helen 

 

Brandon Cook - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater
Gordon Nimmo-Smith - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage
Kenny Neal - The Last Match, 1st Stage
Kenny Neal - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Adventure Theatre MTC
Marcus Kyd - La Salpêtrière, Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Outstanding MEDIA/PROJECTION Design, Hayes

 

David Bengali - Here There Are Blueberries, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Kelly Colburn - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Kelly Colburn - Passing Strange, Signature Theatre
Mona Kasra - Unseen, Mosaic Theater Company
Patrick W. Lord - The Dragon King's Daughter, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding MEDIA/PROJECTION Design, Helen 

Hailey LaRoe - Monsters of the American Cinema, Prologue Theatre
Kelly Colburn & Dylan - Uremovich, Look Both Ways, The Kennedy Center & Theater Alliance
Kylos Brannon - Night of the Living Dead, Rorschach Theatre
Taylor Verrett - 46 Plays for America's First Ladies, NextStop Theatre Company
Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor - The Wilting Point, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Performer, Visiting Production 

 

Ben Turner - The Jungle, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jeremy Davis - Disney’s Frozen, The Kennedy Center
Jonathan Nyati - The Jungle, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Julie Hesmondhalgh - The Jungle, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Lauren Nicole Chapman - Disney’s Frozen, The Kennedy Center
Melody A. Betts - The Wiz, Broadway at the National
Nichelle Lewis - The Wiz Broadway at the National
Rob McClure - Mrs. Doubtfire, Broadway at the National
Stephanie J. Block - Into the Woods, The Kennedy Center 
Twana Omer - The Jungle, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Hayes 

 

Awa Sal Secka - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Carol Dennis - SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Ford's Theatre
Dani Stoller - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Felicia Boswell - SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Ford's Theatre
Karen Vincent - A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer - Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Kennedy Center
Maria Rizzo - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Matthew Lamb - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Melody A. Betts - Fela!, Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
Michael Urie - Monty Python’s Spamalot. The Kennedy Center
Rob McClure - Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Helen

 

Ben Ribler - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Bruni Herring - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company
Graciela Rey - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company
Jordan B. Stocksdale - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Justin Calhoun - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Kaylen Morgan - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company
Kenny Carter - Spring Awakening, Monumental Theatre Company
Marina Yiannouris - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Robert Biedermann - Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Ryan Sellers - Spring Awakening, Monumental Theatre Company

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Hayes

 

Billie Krishawn - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Caro Dubberly - Confederates, Mosaic Theater Company
Craig Wallace - August Wilson's Radio Golf, Round House Theatre
Jacob Yeh - King of the Yees, Signature Theatre
Justin Weaks - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Kevin Mambo - August Wilson's Radio Golf, Round House Theatre
Marty Lodge - The Seafarer, Round House Theatre
Megan Hill - POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Arena Stage
Naomi Jacobson - POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Arena Stage
Sarah-Anne Martinez - POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Arena Stage
Susan Rome - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Helen 

 

DeJeannette Horne - This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, Theater Alliance
Ethan Miller - The Last Match, 1st Stage
Fabiolla Da Silva - The Last Match, 1st Stage
Jacob Yeh - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage
Joel Ashur - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage
Kimberly Gilbert - La Salpêtrière, Taffety Punk Theatre Company
Lise Bruneau - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Lynette Rathnam - The Last Match, 1st Stage
Matthew Pauli - Love Like Tuesday, Faction of Fools Theatre Company
Rebecca Ballinger - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Sasha Olinick - The Chosen, 1st Stage

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Hayes 

 

Adrian Blake Enscoe - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Bobby Smith - Fun Home, Studio Theatre
Bryonha Marie - Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre
Carrie Compere - SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Ford's Theatre
Deimoni Brewington - A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Erin Davie - The Bridges of Madison County, Signature Theatre
John Gallagher, Jr. - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Nkrumah Gatling - Ragtime, Signature Theatre
Stark Sands - Swept Away - Arena Stage
Stephanie J. Block - Sunset Boulevard, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Helen

 

Aidan Joyce - Spring Awakening, Monumental Theatre Company
Amanda Mason - Urinetown, Workhouse Arts Center
Anna Phillips-Brown - Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Ashton Schaffer - Urinetown, Workhouse Arts Center
Jeffrey Shankle - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Jordan B. Stocksdale - Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Mel Gumina - Urinetown, Workhouse Arts Center
Michael Innocenti - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre
Patrick Gover - Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Sarah Chapin - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Hayes 

 

Cody Nickell - Ink, Round House Theatre & Olney Theatre Center
Deborah Ann Woll - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Elizabeth Stahlmann - Here There Are Blueberries, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Joe Ngo - Cambodian Rock Band, Arena Stage in association with Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACTTheatre/5th Avenue
Marquis D. Gibson - Fat Ham, Studio Theatre
Nick Westrate - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Patrick Page - King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Phillip James Brannon - The High Ground, Arena Stage
Renea S. Brown - The Mountaintop, Round House Theatre
Suli Holum - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Helen 

 

Alina Collins Maldonado - JARDÍN SALVAJE (Native Gardens), GALA Hispanic Theatre
Brittany Martz - 46 Plays for America's First Ladies, NextStop Theatre Company
Dawn Thomas Reidy - Hazardous Materials, Perisphere Theater
Dylan Toms - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Adventure Theatre MTC
Ethan Miller - The Chosen, 1st Stage
Fabiolla Da Silva - La Salpêtrière, Taffety Punk Theatre Company
Irene Hamilton - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Adventure Theatre MTC
Jonathan Holmes - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Kevin Adams - An Irish Carol, The Keegan Theatre
Miss Kitty - Agreste (Drylands), Spooky Action Theater
Nicole Halmos - The Cake, Prologue Theatre

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Musical, Hayes

 

Ashleigh King - A Year with Frog and Toad, Imagination Stage
Josh Rhodes - Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Kennedy Center
Lili-Anne Brown - Fela!, Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
Michael Mayer - Swept Away, Arena Stage
Sammi Cannold - Sunset Boulevard, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Musical, Helen 

 

Elena Velasco - In The Heights, NextStop Theatre Company
Kurt Boehm & Ashleigh King - Seussical, The Keegan Theatre
Mark Minnick - Something Rotten!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Mark Minnick - Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Megan Bunn - Spring Awakening, Monumental Theatre Company

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Play, Hayes 

 

János Szász - Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, Arena Stage
Jason Loewith - Ink, Round House Theatre & Olney Theatre Center
Margot Bordelon - POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Arena Stage
Moisés Kaufman - Here There Are Blueberries, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Taylor Reynolds - Fat Ham, Studio Theatre
Yury Urnov - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company 

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Play, Helen

Alex Levy - The Chosen, 1st Stage
Alex Levy - How the Light Gets In, 1st Stage
Danilo Gambini - Agreste (Drylands), Spooky Action Theater
Johamy Morales - This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, Theater Alliance 
Matt Torney - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical Adaptation 

 

Elena Velasco - Arco Iris, Arts on the Horizon
Gloria Bond Clunie - The Hula-Hoopin' Queen, Imagination Stage
James L. Rogers III & Jenny McConnell Frederick - Angel Number Nine, Rorschach Theatre
Julia Izumi - Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea, Rorschach Theatre
Nathan Weinberger - The Tell-Tale Heart, Synetic Theater

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical 

 

Iris Bahr - See You Tomorrow, Theater J
James Ijames - Good Bones, Studio Theatre
Kelsey Mesa - La Salpêtrière, Taffety Punk Theatre Company
Kenneth Lin - Exclusion, Arena Stage
Leo McGann - The Honey Trap, Solas Nua
Sasha Denisova - My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Musical, Hayes

 

A Year with Frog and Toad - Imagination Stage
Fela! - Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
Monty Python’s Spamalot - The Kennedy Center
Ragtime - Signature Theatre
SHOUT SISTER SHOUT! - Ford's Theatre
Swept Away - Arena Stage

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Musical, Helen 

 

In The Heights - NextStop Theatre Company
Quilters - 1st Stage
Seussical - The Keegan Theatre
Spring Awakening -  Monumental Theatre Company
Urinetown - Workhouse Arts Center

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Play, Hayes 

 

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches - Arena Stage
Fat Ham - Studio Theatre
Here There Are Blueberries - Shakespeare Theatre Company
King of the Yees - Signature Theatre
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive - Arena Stage

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Play, Helen

 

Agreste (Drylands) - Spooky Action Theater
How the Light Gets In - 1st Stage
The Honey Trap - Solas Nua
The Last Match - 1st Stage
The School for Lies - Constellation Theatre Company
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing - Theater Alliance
 

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences 

A Year with Frog and Toad - Imagination Stage
Seussical - The Keegan Theatre
The Golden Fish - Synetic Theater
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - Adventure Theatre MTC
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing- Theater Alliance
 

Outstanding Visiting Production 

 

As You Like It - Shakespeare Theatre Company
Disney’s Frozen - The Kennedy Center
Into the Woods - The Kennedy Center
Mrs. Doubtfire - Broadway at the National
The Jungle - Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Production - MUSICAL, Hayes 

 

Fela! - Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre
Monty Python’s Spamalot - The Kennedy Center
Ragtime - Signature Theatre
SHOUT SISTER SHOUT! - Ford's Theatre
Swept Away - Arena Stage

Outstanding Production - MUSICAL, Helen

 

In The Heights - NextStop Theatre Company
Ride The Cyclone - NextStop Theatre Company
Seussical - The Keegan Theatre
Something Rotten! - Toby's Dinner Theatre
Spring Awakening - Monumental Theatre Company

Outstanding Production - PLAY, Hayes 

 

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches - Arena Stage
Fat Ham - Studio Theatre
Here There Are Blueberries - Shakespeare Theatre Company
King of the Yees Signature Theatre
My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Production - PLAY, Helen

 

Agreste (Drylands) - Spooky Action Theater
How the Light Gets In - 1st Stage
La Salpêtrière - Taffety Punk Theatre Company
The Honey Trap - Solas Nua
The Last Match - 1st Stage
The Tell-Tale Heart - Synetic Theater