Produced and administered by Theatre Washington, the Helen Hayes Awards honors excellence in professional theatre in the greater Washington area.
This evening, the 2023 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 Naomi Jacobson, Erika Rose, Holly Twyford, and Christopher Michael Richardson 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, Drake Leach, and Kanysha Williams and special guest star Michael Urie, with additional performances by Frenchie Davis and Solomon Parker III. Recognizing work from 131 eligible productions presented in the 2022 calendar year, awards were given in 41 categories. Productions under consideration in 2022 included 39 musicals, 97 plays, and 38 world premieres. For the seventh 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 first year in 2022, performers were adjudicated as gender inclusive (vs. gender segregated “actor” and “actress”), with ten nominees and two recipients in each performance category.
Topping the list of theaters receiving Helen Hayes Awards this year was GALA Hispanic Theatre, which received a total of 11 awards for work in 2022, including nine for their production of ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡En español! (Musical, Helen), one for REVOLTOSA (The troublemaker) (Musica, Helen), and one for La casa de la laguna (The House on the Lagoon) (Play, Helen). Going home with four awards for The Color Purple (Musical, Hayes) and two awards for She Loves Me (Musical, Hayes) was Signature Theatre. Olney Theatre Center received three awards for Meredith Willson’s The Music Man and one each for The Joy That Carries You (Play, Hayes) and A.D. 16 (Musical, Hayes).
Outstanding Productions in 2022 went to Guys and Dolls from The Kennedy Center (Visiting Production), Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (Theatre for Young Audiences), ON YOUR FEET! from GALA Hispanic Theatre (Musical, Helen), The Color Purple from Signature Theatre (Musical, Hayes), Host & Guest from Synetic Theater (Play, Helen), and John Proctor is the Villain from Studio Theatre (Play, Hayes).
The 2023 Helen Hayes Tribute honored Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Founder of the Helen Hayes Awards and a fixture of Washington’s cultural community. Nelson Schwartz is a Tony and Emmy-nominated producer of Broadway theatre, television, and concerts, with over 100 plays, films, television programs, and concerts in Washington, DC, New York, London, and South Africa to her credit.
The two recipients of the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company were ExPats Theatre and Prologue Theatre. Prologue Theatre received two additional awards for their production of The Revolutionists (Play, Helen) — Outstanding Supporting Performer Fabiolla Da Silva and Outstanding Director Jessica Lefkow.
This year’s award show was supported by a variety of hosts and sponsors. Angie M. Gates, President and CEO of Events DC, served as this year’s honorary chair alongside event chair Jan Du Plain. Producers included Andrew Ammerman, Jan Du Plain, Meg and John Hauge, Craig Pascal, and Alan J. Savada and Will Stevenson. Co-Chairs included Terry O. Brackett, Michael Burke & Carl Smith, Myrna Fawcett & Michael Singer, Karina Hou, Christie Johnson, Abel Lopez, Shahin D. Mafi, Lola C Reinsch of the Reinsch Pierce Family Foundation, and Sammy and Annie Totah Family Foundation. Honorary Committee Hosts included Congressman Don Beyer (US Representative from VA-8), Mrs. Megan Beyer (Director of the Office of Art in Embassies at the U.S. Department of State), Senator Adam Ebbin (Senate of Virginia - District 30), Suzan E. Jenkins (Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County), Congressman Jim Moran (Former US Representative from VA-8) and Brooke Pinto (Ward 2 Councilmember, District of Columbia). This year’s host committee included: Terri Allen (CAPPA), Jeffrey Allen & Stacie Lee Banks, Sherrie Beckstead, Susan & Dixon Butler, Claire Carlin, Laura Einstein & Helene Madonick, Gary Fontaine & O'Shelya Brown, Holly Hassett, Barbara Hawthorn, Kevin Hennessy, Frank F. Islam & Debbie Driesman, Rebecca Klemm, Renée Klish, Jacqueline Mars, Howard Meneker & Patrick Gossett, Carl & Undine Nash, Michelle Pendoley, Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, David & Rita Sirignano, Dana M. Smith, Carol & Tom Wheeler.
The 2023 Helen Hayes Awards were also supported in part by Arctos Technology Solutions, Destination DC, Monty Hoffman, Hoffman and Associates, Share Fund, TodayTix, and Everything Legendary.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Dani Stoller & Awa Sal Secka, The Joy That Carries You- Olney Theatre Center
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Blue Door, Perisphere Theater
Host & Guest, Synetic Theater
The Rainmaker, 1st Stage
The Revolutionists.,Prologue Theatre
The Servant of Two Masters, Synetic Theater
*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
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