2011 Helen Hayes Awards Nominees Announced

The gathering at the Helen Hayes gallery at the National Theatre looked like any other networking event. Wine and appetizers were served as people made introductions and small talk. However a pianist playing soft music and a lit podium revealed that this wasn’t an ordinary reception.

It was the nominations announcement for the 27th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, DC’s premiere theatre awards honoring the past year in local professional theatre.

Helen Hayes was a DC-born actress who became known as the, “First Lady of the American Theatre”. Her legacy includes being one of 12 people who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Besides having the awards named after her there is also a theatre on Broadway that also shares her name.

Leading this year’s nominees is Arena Stage with 23 nods. With a newly built space in Southwest, Arena created a great backdrop for their blockbuster production of Oklahoma! which will be returning this summer.

The Shakespeare crowd was also honored, The Shakespeare Theatre Company earned 22 nominations while The Folger Shakeaspeare Library followed up with 19. Folger’s production of Henry VIII earned 10 nominations and Shakespeare’s production of Candide got 12.

Below is the complete list, with links to our reviews of the shows.

The awards will be presented on April 25th at The Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel.

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production

Colin K. Bills                                Antony and Cleopatra, Synetic Theater

Colin K. Bills                                The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater

Dan Covey                                  On the Verge or The Geography of Yearning, Rep Stage

T.J. Gerckens                             Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Klyph Stanford                          Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Justin Townsend                      Hamlet, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production

Tony Cisek                                  Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Simon Higlett                             Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Shakespeare Theatre Company

James Kronzer                          Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Eugene Lee                                Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Derek McLane                           The Lisbon Traviata, The Kennedy Center

Daniel Ostling                            Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production

Anthony Cochrane                  Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Irakli Kavsadze and Konstantine Lortkipanidze   Othello, Synetic Theater

Matthew M. Nielson              Hamlet, Folger Theatre

Matt Otto                                    Johnny Meister and the Stitch, Solas Nua

Tom Teasley                               The Ramayana, Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production

Mara Blumenfeld                     Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Murell Horton                           The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company

William Ivey Long                     Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Reggie Ray                                  Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Anastasia Rurikov Simes       Othello, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production

Diane Coburn Bruning            Improbable Frequency, Solas Nua

Parker Esse                                 Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Maurice Hines                           Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Irina Tsikurishvili                       King Arthur, Synetic Theater

Irina Tsikurishvili                       Othello, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production

George Fulginiti-Shakar         Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Jon Kalbfleisch                          Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre

Fred Lassen                                Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre

Konstantine Lortkipanidze   Othello, Synetic Theater

Doug Peck                                   Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Paul Sportelli                              The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage

James Sugg                                 Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production

Ellen Harvey                               Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center

Jodi Kimura                                 South Pacific, The Kennedy Center

Marc Kudisch                             Golden Age, The Kennedy Center

Josh Lamon                                Hair, The Kennedy Center

Hoon Lee                                     Golden Age, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production

Carmen Cusack                         South Pacific, The Kennedy Center

Jaqueline Grabois                    Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Caroline Sheen                         Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center

Kacie Sheik                                 Hair, The Kennedy Center

Caren Lyn Tackett                    Hair, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production

Steel Burkhardt                        Hair, The Kennedy Center

Brent Michael DiRoma           Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Laurence Fishburne                Thurgood, The Kennedy Center

Gavin Lee                                    Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center

David Pittsinger                        South Pacific The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical

MaryLee Adams                       Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Lauren “Coco” Cohn               Glimpses of the Moon, MetroStage

Jesaira Glover                            Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Marva Hicks                                Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Hollis Resnik                               Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Jenna Sokolowski                    Annie, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical

Ed Dixon                                      Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre

James Konicek                          Annie, Olney Theatre Center

Jeremy Kushnier                      Chess, Signature Theatre

John Manzari                             Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Leo Manzari                               Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Jesse J. Perez                            Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Larry Yando                              Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical

E. Faye Butler                            Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Eleasha Gamble                        Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Carrie A. Johnson                     Annie, Olney Theatre Center

Lauren Molina                           Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Jill Paice                                        Chess, Signature Theatre

Hollis Resnik                               The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical

Maurice Hines                           Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Marc Kudisch                             Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre

Geoff Packard                           Candide, Shakepeare Theatre Company

Nicholas Rodriguez                  Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Bobby Smith                              Annie, Olney Theatre Center

Cody Williams                            Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play

Colleen Delany                          Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage

Naomi Jacobson                       Richard II, Shakespeare Theatre Company

MacKenzie Meehan               Circle Mirror Transformation, The Studio Theatre

Phylicia Rashad                         every tongue confess, Arena Stage

Dawn Ursula                              Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play

Louis Butelli                                Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Adam Green                              The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Michael Tolaydo                       New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J

Ted van Griethuysen              All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Paxton Whitehead                  All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare Theatre Company

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play

Philip Fletcher                           Othello, Synetic Theater

John Glover                                The Lisbon Traviata, The Kennedy Center

Graham Michael Hamilton   Hamlet, Folger Theatre

Mitchell Hébert                        Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Bill Largess                                  The Foreigner, The Bay Theatre Company

Alex Mills                                     Othello, Synetic Theater

Cody Nickell                               Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Ian Merrill Peakes                    Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Johnny Ramey                          Superior Donuts The Studio Theatre

Alexander Strain                      New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play

Lise Bruneau                              Mikveh, Theater J

Naomi Jacobson                       Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Sarah Marshall                          Mikveh, Theater J

Jennifer Mendenhall              Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Erika Rose                                   In Darfur, Theater J

Holly Twyford                            Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical

Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre

If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Adventure Theatre

Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater

Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play

American Buffalo, The Studio Theatre

Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre

Othello, Synetic Theater

Travels With My Aunt, Rep Stage

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical

Toby Orenstein                         Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Eric Schaeffer                            Chess, Signature Theatre

Molly Smith                                The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage

Molly Smith                                Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Mary Zimmerman                    Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Kasi Campbell                            Travels With My Aunt, Rep Stage

Joseph Haj                                  Hamlet, Folger Theatre

Robert Richmond                     Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

Howard Shalwitz                      Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Paata Tsikurishvili                     The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater

Paata Tsikurishvili                     Othello, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Non-Resident Production

Avenue Q, The Broadway Musical, Shakespeare Theatre Company

The Last Cargo Cult, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Mary Poppins, The Kennedy Center

South Pacific, The Kennedy Center

Thurgood, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences

If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Adventure Theatre

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, The Kennedy Center Family Theater

The Nutcracker, the Puppet Co.

Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage

The Red Balloon, Adventure Theatre

Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical

every tongue confess, Arena Stage

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, The Kennedy Center Family Theater

The Liar, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Pirates! A Boy at Sea, Imagination Stage

Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred), The Kennedy Center Family Theater

Sycamore Trees, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical

Annie, Olney Theatre Center

Candide, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Arena Stage

Hairspray, Toby’s Dinner Theatre

The Light in the Piazza, Arena Stage

Little Shop of Horrors, Ford’s Theatre

Oklahoma!, Arena Stage

Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Resident Play

Clybourne Park, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Hamlet, Folger Theatre

Henry VIII, Folger Theatre

The Master and Margarita, Synetic Theater

New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza, Theater J

Orestes, A Tragic Romp, Folger Theatre

Othello, Synetic Theater

Superior Donuts, The Studio Theatre

Patrick has been blogging since before it was called blogging. At We Love DC Patrick covers local Theatre, and whatever catches his eye. Patrick’s blog stories, rants, and opinions have been featured in The Washington City Paper, Washington Post Express, CNN, Newschannel 8 Washington, and NBC Washington. See why Patrick loves DC.

You can e-mail him at ppho [at] welovedc.com

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