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DEAR EVAN HANSEN, WEST SIDE STORY and More Among 2016 Helen Hayes Award Nominees; Full List!

By: Feb. 01, 2016
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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."

Coordination of the nominations process is a year-round, complex endeavor. Over the course of 2015, a pool of 40 Helen Hayes Awards Judges submitted a total of 21,936 scores for 2,940 individual pieces of work (design, direction, choreography, etc.). Of those scores, 1,499 were for acting performances alone.

The result this year is a roster of 236 nominations drawn from 79 productions at 35 theatres. The inaugural Women's Voices Theater Festival, which garnered international attention in the fall of 2015, was recognized with 14 nominated productions, including six for world premiere plays and musicals.

The annual Helen Hayes Awards Tribute sponsored by the late Jaylee Mead and the Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theatre Community will be announced shortly, as will the date and venue for the annual Helen Hayes Award gala celebration.

A complete list of nominees for the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards can be found below and at theatreWashington.org.


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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