Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C.

King Lear, Ragtime Take Top Honors at
26th Helen Hayes Awards

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's production of King Lear and the Kennedy Center's production of Ragtime took the top awards for resident productions at the 26th Helen Hayes Awards, April 5 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC. The directors of the honored shows—Robert Falls and Marcia Milgrom Dodge, respectively—received the awards for Outstanding Director, Resident Play, and Outstanding Director, Resident Musical.

Ragtime, which transferred to Broadway for a brief run, also received Helen Hayes Awards for Christiane Noll, Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical, and Santo Loquasto and Jimm Halliday for Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production. Stacy Keach received the Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play, as Lear; he tied with Karl Miller, who was recognized for Forum Theatre's production of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, a production that also received the Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production, award for Colin K. Bills.

The Keegan Theatre's production of Rent received the Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical, and Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical, for Parker Drown as Angel. Cool Papa's Party at MetroStage in Alexandria, Virginia, received awards for Maurice Hines, Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production, and William Knowles, Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production; the theater's production of Heroes earned the Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play, tied with the Synetic Theatre production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Arcadia, presented by the Folger Theatre, earned recognition for Eric Hissom, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play, and Erin Weaver, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play. Holly Twyford was named Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play, for The Little Dog Laughed at Signature Theatre; Laurence O'Dwyer received the Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical, award for The Fantasticks at Arena Stage, while Eleasha Gamble was honored as Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical, for the Ford's Theatre production of The Civil War.

This year's awards introduced a new category, Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, which went to the Synetic Family Theatre production of The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish.

James Noone received the Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production, award for the Shakespeare Theatre Company's production of Design for Living, and Tom Teasley was honored for Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production, for Crazyface at Constellation Theatre Company.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company presented both of the plays that tied for the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical: Antebellum by Robert O'Hara and Eclipsed by Danai Gurira.

The Sydney Theatre Company production of A Streetcar Named Desire that played the Kennedy Center received three awards in the non-resident production category: Outstanding Production; Outstanding Lead Actress for Cate Blanchett; and Outstanding Supporting Performer, Robin McLeavy. Jim Brochu was honored as Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production, for his incarnation of Zero Mostel in Zero Hour at Theater J.

The Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theatre Community went to Andy Shallal, a community activist who provides performance spaces in the restaurants he owns and operates. Edward Albee received the annual Helen Hayes Awards Tribute, sponsored by Jaylee Mead, and 1st Stage in Tysons Corner, Virginia, was recognized with the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company.

More information on the awards is available online at www.helenhayes.org.

Helen Hayes Award Nominations and Recipients 2010 (recipients are in bold)

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production
Meisha Bosma, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Maurice Hines, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Carina Losano, Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Irina Tsikurishvili, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili, Dante, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili and Ben Cunis, Dracula, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production
Aaron Broderick, Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Jay Crowder, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
William Knowles, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
James Moore, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Christopher Youstra, Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production
Linda Cho, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Santo Loquasto and Jimm Halliday, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Robert Perdziola, Design for Living, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Anastasia Ryurikov Simes, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Anastasia Ryurikov Simes, Dante, Synetic Theater
Alejo Vietti, A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas, Ford's Theatre
Norah Worthington, Wittenberg, Rep Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production
Colin K. Bills, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Colin K. Bills, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Andrew F. Griffin, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Michael Philippi, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Daniel MacLean Wagner, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Round House Theatre
Thom Weaver, Arcadia, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production
Tony Cisek, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Misha Kachman, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
James Kronzer, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Round House Theatre
James Noone, Design for Living, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Walt Spangler, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Klyph Stanford, Hysteria, Rep Stage

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production
Konstantine Lortkipandze, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Ryan Rumery, The Heavens are Hung in Black, Ford's Theatre
Tom Teasley, Crazyface, Constellation Theatre Company
Veronika Vorel, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Veronika Vorel, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Veronika Vorel, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Richard Woodbury, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
Morgan David Jones, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Mandy McElhinney, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Robin McLeavy, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Tim Richards, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
James Sugg, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical
Nate Dendy, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
John Dossett, Giant, Signature Theatre
Anthony Manough, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Laurence O'Dwyer, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Harry A. Winter, Show Boat, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play
Edward Gero, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Eric Hissom, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Irakli Kavsadze, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Alex Mills, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Frederick Strother, Radio Golf, The Studio Theatre
David Turner, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical
Eleasha Gamble, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Kellee Knighten, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Elizabeth Rayca, Oklahoma!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Kimberly Schraf, Show Boat, Signature Theatre
Delores King Williams, Show Boat, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play
Naomi Jacobson, The Winter's Tale, Folger Theatre
Sarah Marshall, Full Circle, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Jennifer Mendenhall, Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Marni Penning, Hysteria, Rep Stage
Miriam Silverman, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Erin Weaver, Arcadia, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production
Cate Blanchett, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Shannon Cochran, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Libby George, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Estelle Parsons, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Angelica Torn, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical
Sandy Bainum, The Music Man, Washington Savoyards
Jessica Lauren Ball, Oklahoma!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
E. Faye Butler, Crowns, Arena Stage
Laura Conforte, Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Tara Giordano, Heidi, Imagination Stage
Christiane Noll, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play
Valerie Harper, Looped, Arena Stage
Lisa Harrow, Rock ‘n' Roll, The Studio Theatre
Tana Hicken, Lost in Yonkers, Theater J
Tonya Pinkins, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Holly Twyford, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Holly Twyford, The Little Dog Laughed, Signature Theatre
Holly Twyford, Lost in Yonkers, Theater J

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production
Jim Brochu, Zero Hour, Theater J
Steve Cuiffo, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Joel Edgerton, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Paul Vincent O'Connor, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Dito van Reigersberg, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical
David Benoit, Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre
Quentin Earl Darrington, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Parker Drown, Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Will Gartshore, Show Boat, Signature Theatre
Jahi Kearse, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Ashley Robinson, Giant, Signature Theatre

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play
Tie: Stacy Keach, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Tie: Karl Miller, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre

Karl Miller, Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Cody Nickell, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Seth Reichgott, Wittenberg, Rep Stage

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall, Sam Forman, Theater J
Tie: Eclipsed, Danai Gurira, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
The Bread of Winter, Victor Lodato, Theater Alliance
Tie: Antebellum, Robert O'Hara, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, book by Gustavo Ott, conceived and composed by Mariano Vales, GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Non-Resident Production
A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Jersey Boys, The National Theatre
Spring Awakening, The Kennedy Center
Zero Hour, Theater J

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences
Barrio Grrrl!, The Kennedy Center
Heidi, Imagination Stage
Lyle the Crocodile, Imagination Stage
The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish, Synetic Family Theater
Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth, Imagination Stage

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical
The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Crowns, Arena Stage
Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Show Boat, Signature Theatre

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play
Tie: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Antebellum, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Disco Pigs, Solas Nua
Tie: Heroes, MetroStage
The Quality of Life, Arena Stage

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Jeff Calhoun, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Amanda Dehnert, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Thomas W. Jones, II, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Mark A. Rhea and Susan Marie Rhea, Rent, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Director, Resident Play
Robert Falls, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jonathan Munby, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Lisa Peterson, The Quality of Life, Arena Stage
Aaron Posner, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Jeremy Skidmore, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Tony Tsendeas, Wittenberg, Rep Stage
Paata Tsikurishvili, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Resident Musical
Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre
The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Crowns, Arena Stage
The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Rent, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Resident Play
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Arcadia, Folger Theatre
The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Quality of Life, Arena Stage
Wittenberg, Rep Stage

The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company
1st Stage

The Helen Hayes Tribute, sponsored by Jaylee Mead
Edward Albee

The Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theatre Community
Andy Shallal