Presented by TheatreWashington, the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards were celebrated May 23, honoring theatrical productions in Washington, D.C. Dear Evan Hansen, currently playing an acclaimed, sold-out engagement Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre, took home the Hayes prize for Outstanding Musical Production. Director Michael Greif was also the recipient of the Outstanding Director of a Musical Award.
The Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson musical, which debuted in D.C. at Arena Stage, was nominated for Musical Direction, Set Design, Lighting Design and Outstanding Ensemble as well as for The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding Original New Play or Musical.
The awards are divided into two categories: Helen and Hayes. Shows with the majority of the performers who are Equity actors are categorized as Hayes shows, and shows that do not employ a majority of Equity actors are Helen shows.
Below is a list of Hayes Awards and Special Awards nominees, with the winners highlighted in bold followed by an asterisk.
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical
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 Play
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 Musical Direction
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 Costume Design
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 Lighting Design
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 Set Design
Michael Carnahan, The Blood Quilt (Arena Stage)
Andrew Cohen, Brian MacDevitt, Murder Ballad (Studio Theatre)
Susan Hilferty, Salomé (Shakespeare Theatre Company)*
David Korins (Set Design), Peter Nigrini (Projection Design), Dear Evan Hansen (Arena Stage)
Allen Moyer, Man of La Mancha (Shakespeare Theatre Company)
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. (Sound Design), Steven Carpenter (Live Sound Design) 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 Director of a Musical
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 Play
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 Ensemble in a Musical
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 Play
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 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
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 Actress in a Musical
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)
The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
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)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Maggie Wilder, 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 Lead Actor in a Musical
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 Actress in a Musical
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)
The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
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)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
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 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 (Music), David S. Craig (Book & Lyrics), Double Trouble (AKA The Parent Trap) (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 Musical
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 Play
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)*
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