Stephanie J. Block, Rob McClure, and More Receive 2024 Helen Hayes Awards

On May 20, 2024, the 40th Helen Hayes Awards took place at The Anthem on the District Wharf, with over 1,600 theatre-makers and theatre supporters in attendance. Esteemed Washington theatre artists Felicia Curry, Rayanne Gonzales, Maria Rizzo, and Holly Twyford hosted an evening showcasing the vibrant and diverse community of professional theatre artists in the Washington region. They were joined by a performance ensemble of Quadry Brown, Carolyn Burke, Victoria Gomez, Sarah Anne Sillers, and Wood Van Meter with special performances by two-time Award recipient Melody A. Betts, Tuyáșżt Thị PháșĄm, and James J. Johnson. The ceremony was written by Will Gartshore and co-directed by Will Gartshore and Raymond O. Caldwell. 

Recognizing work from 151 eligible productions presented in the 2023 calendar year, awards were given in 41 categories. Productions under consideration in 2023 included 44 musicals, 107 plays, and 36 world premieres. For the eighth year, the Helen Hayes Awards were given in parallel tracks determined by the ratio of Actors’ Equity contracts involved in an individual production, recognized as recipients in either the “Helen” or “Hayes” categories. For the second year, performers were adjudicated as gender inclusive (vs. gender segregated “actor” and “actress”), with ten or 11 nominees and two recipients in each performance category. 

Topping the list of individual theater organizations receiving Helen Hayes Awards this year was Arena Stage and The Keegan Theatre. Each received six awards for work in 2023. Seussical received all six awards for The Keegan Theatre, including Outstanding Production, Musical Helen. Arena Stage received three for Swept Away (Musical, Hayes), two for Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches (Play, Hayes), and one for Exclusion (Play, Hayes). Arena Stage received an additional award with The Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACT Theatre/5th Avenue for Cambodian Rock Band (Play, Hayes). 

Fela! (Musical, Hayes), a co-production from Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre went home with five awards, including Outstanding Production (Musical, Hayes). Solas Nua received three awards for The Honey Trap (Play, Helen) and Toby’s Dinner Theatre received three awards for Something Rotten (Musical, Helen).

Outstanding Productions in 2023 went to The Jungle from STC & Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (Visiting Production), A Year with Frog and Toad from Imagination Stage (Theatre for Young Audiences), La SalpĂȘtriĂšre from Taffety Punk Theatre Company (Play, Helen), and My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion from Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and The Wilma Theater (Play, Hayes).

The 40th Helen Hayes Tribute honored Peter Marks, former Theater Critic at the Washington Post. Marks stepped down in late 2023 after serving in this role for 21 years. This award recognizes Marks’ decades of knowledgeable and thoughtful writing about the DC-area, national, and international theatre landscape. He offered nuanced theatre criticism and reporting and  he contributed immensely to the recognition of the artistic vibrancy of our region.

This year’s award show was supported by a variety of hosts and sponsors. Sheila Johnson and The Honorable William J. Newman, Jr., served as this year’s Honorary Chairs alongside Event Chair Jan Du Plain. 

Producing Sponsors included Andrew A. Ammerman, Jan Du Plain, Meg and John Hauge, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Craig Pascal, Alan J. Savada and Will Stevenson. Co-Chairs included Michael Burke and Carl Smith, Claire Carlin, Janet Farrell, Myrna Fawcett, Holly Hassett, Kevin Hennessy, Karina Hou, John Kiser, David A. Lamdin, Abel Lopez, Shahin D. Mafi, Dale A. Mott and Charles D. Urstadt, Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Robin Phillips, and Annie Simonian Totah of the Sami and Annie Totah Family Foundation.

This year’s host committee included Drs. Nathan and Debbie Ann Doyle Ainspan, Jacqueline Badger Mars, Jeffrey and Stacie Lee Banks, Sherrie Beckstead, Susan and Dixon Butler, Debra Chandler, Prima and Chas Colburn, Leayne Dempsey, Kimberly E. Douglas and Maria Manuela Goyanes, Gary P. Fontaine and O'Shelya Brown, Edie Fraser, Brett and Cynthia Fuller, Handan Gencogluer, Barbara Hawthorn, Randy C. Howes, Debbie M. Jackson & Bill Lammers, Cliftine Jones, Elizabeth A. Karcher & Arthur A. Cohen, RenĂ©e Klish, Catherine Leggett, Jason Loewith, Howard Menaker & Patrick Gossett, David & Rita Sirignano, Lisa Stark, Carmen Stull, Graciela Thomen Ginebra, and Linda White.

Full List of Winners

Outstanding LIGHTING Design, Helen

Alberto Segarra

The Honey Trap

Solas Nua

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Play, Hayes

Ambika Raina

A Nice Indian Boy

Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Hayes

Awa Sal Secka

Ragtime

Signature Theatre

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Hayes

Bobby Smith

Fun Home

Studio Theatre

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Musical, Hayes

Breon Arzell

Fela!

Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre

Outstanding MUSICAL DIRECTION, Hayes

Brian Usifer, Chris Miller, & Will Van Dyke

Swept Away

Arena Stage

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Helen

Bruni Herring

In The Heights

NextStop Theatre Company

Outstanding MEDIA/PROJECTION Design, Hayes

David Bengali

Here There Are Blueberries

STC

Outstanding COSTUME Design, Hayes

Erik Teague

Ragtime

Signature Theatre

Outstanding COSTUME Design, Helen

Frank Labovitz

The School for Lies

Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding SOUND Design, Helen

Gordon Nimmo-Smith

How the Light Gets In

1st Stage

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Play, Helen

Irina Tsikurishvili

The Tell-Tale Heart

Synetic Theater

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Helen

Jeffrey Shankle

Something Rotten

Toby's Dinner Theatre

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Hayes

Joe Ngo

Cambodian Rock Band

Arena Stage in association with Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACT Theatre/5th Avenue

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Play, Helen

Johamy Morales

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing

Theater Alliance

Outstanding SOUND Design, Hayes

John Shivers

Swept Away

Arena Stage

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Helen

Jonathan Holmes

The Honey Trap

Solas Nua

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Helen

Jordan B. Stocksdale

Something Rotten

Toby's Dinner Theatre

Outstanding SET Design, Helen

Josh Sticklin

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Hayes

Justin Weaks

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches

Arena Stage

Outstanding MEDIA/PROJECTION Design, Helen

Kelly Colburn & Dylan Uremovich

Look Both Ways

The Kennedy Center & Theater Alliance

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical

Kenneth Lin

Exclusion

Arena Stage

Outstanding LIGHTING Design, Hayes

Kevin Adams

Swept Away

Arena Stage

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Hayes

Kevin Mambo

August Wilson's Radio Golf

Round House Theatre

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Helen

Kimberly Gilbert

La Salpêtrière

Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Outstanding CHOREOGRAPHY in a Musical, Helen

Kurt Boehm & Ashleigh King

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Musical, Helen

Kurt Boehm & Ashleigh King

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Musical, Hayes

Lili-Anne Brown

Fela!

Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Play, Helen

Lise Bruneau

The Honey Trap

Solas Nua

Outstanding Performer, Visiting Production

Melody A. Betts

The Wiz

The National Theatre

Outstanding SUPPORTING Performer in a Musical, Hayes

Melody A. Betts

Fela!

Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Helen

Michael Innocenti

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding SET Design, Hayes

Misha Kachman

My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company & The Wilma Theater

Outstanding DIRECTOR of a Play, Hayes

Moisés Kaufman

Here There Are Blueberries

STC

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical Adaptation

Nathan Weinberger

The Tell-Tale Heart

Synetic Theater

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Helen

Nicole Halmos

The Cake

Prologue Theatre & NextStop Theatre Company

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Play, Hayes

Renea S. Brown

The Mountaintop

Round House Theatre

Outstanding Performer, Visiting Production

Rob McClure

Mrs. Doubtfire

The National Theatre

Outstanding MUSICAL DIRECTION, Helen

Musical

Helen

Ross Scott Rawlings

Something Rotten

Toby's Dinner Theatre

Outstanding LEAD Performer in a Musical, Hayes

Stephanie J. Block

Sunset Boulevard

The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences

A Year with Frog and Toad

Imagination Stage

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Play, Hayes

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches

Arena Stage

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Musical, Hayes

Fela!

Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre

Outstanding Production - MUSICAL, Hayes

Fela!

Olney Theatre Center & Round House Theatre

Outstanding Production - PLAY, Helen

La Salpêtrière

Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Outstanding Production - PLAY, Hayes

My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company & The Wilma Theater

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Musical, Helen

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Production - MUSICAL, Helen

Seussical

The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Visiting Production

The Jungle

STC & Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding ENSEMBLE in a Play, Helen

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing

Theater Alliance

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