The nominees for the 2018 Helen Hayes Awards—which honor theatrical productions in Washington, D.C.—have been announced by the Washington Post. Leading the nominations in the Hayes category (shows with a majority of performers who are Equity actors) was the Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, which received ten nominations, closely followed by Signature Theatre’s revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, which received nine.
Ford’s Theatre’s Ragtime received seven nominations, Round House Theatre’s Caroline, or Change received five, and Signature Theatre’s Crazy for You closely followed with four nominations. Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Twelfth Night topped the nominated plays with nine nods including Outstanding Production in a Play.
The Broadway-bound Mean Girls musical, which played its world premiere at the National Theatre in D.C., was nominated for Outstanding Visiting Production, along with Grey Henson and Kate Rockwell receiving nods for their performances. Rockwell and Henson will return to their roles as Karen and Damian when Mean Girls arrives on Broadway this spring. The new musical comedy from Tina Fey and husband Jeff Richmond is set to begin previews March 12 and open April 8 at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre.
In the Helen category (shows that did not employ a majority of Equity actors), GALA Hispanic Theatre’s Spanish-language In the Heights led the nominations with 18 in total.
See below for a complete list of Hayes nominees.
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical
Karma Camp, Jesus Christ Superstar, Signature Theatre
Parker Esse, The Pajama Game, Arena Stage
Denis Jones, Crazy for You, Signature Theatre
Marcos Santana, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Robert Bowen Smith, Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, Imagination Stage
Outstanding Choreography in a Play
Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi, Nina Simone: Four Women, Arena Stage
Dell Howlett, Wig Out! Studio Theatre
Robb Hunter, Hir, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Joe Isenberg, Watch on the Rhine, Arena Stage
Josh Prince, Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Musical Direction
Matt Hinkley, Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, Caroline, or Change, Round House Theatre
Darius Smith, Nina Simone: Four Women, Arena Stage
Christopher Youstra, Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Murell Horton, The School for Lies, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Helen Q. Huang, Fickle: A Fancy French Farce, Olney Theatre Center
Jennifer Moeller, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Kendra Rai, Or, Round House Theatre
Alejo Vietti, The Pajama Game, Arena Stage
Outstanding Lighting Design
Colin K. Bills, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Colin K. Bills, Macbeth, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jason Lyons (Lighting Designer), Zachary G. Borovay (Projection Designer), Jesus Christ Superstar, Signature Theatre
Cory Pattak, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Scott Zielinski, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Set Design
Paige Hathaway (set), Olivia Sebesky (projection), Me . . . Jane: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall, Kennedy Center
Paige Hathaway, Or, Round House Theatre
Misha Kachman, Hir, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Milagros Ponce de León, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Lee Savage, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Sound Design
Broken Chord, Macbeth, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Palmer Hefferan, Baby Screams Miracle, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Ryan Hickey, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Lindsay Jones, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Neil McFadden, Misterman, Solas Nua
Ryan Rumery, The Father, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
Kathryn Chase Bryer, Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, Imagination Stage
Peter Flynn, Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Aaron Posner, Me . . . Jane: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall, Kennedy Center
Marcos Santana, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Eric Schaeffer, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Direction in a Play
Michael Kahn, The School for Lies, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Ethan McSweeney, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
David Muse, The Father, Studio Theatre
Aaron Posner, Or, Round House Theatre
Bill Rauch, Roe, Arena Stage
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Crazy for You, Signature Theatre
In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Me . . . Jane: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall, Kennedy Center
Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, Imagination Stage
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
The Father, Studio Theatre
Roe, Arena Stage
Skeleton Crew, Studio Theatre
Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Ford’s Theatre
Outstanding Performer - Visiting Production
Alessandra Baldacchino, Fun Home, National Theatre
Miche Braden, The Devil’s Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith, Mosaic Theater Company
Abby Corrigan, Fun Home, National Theatre
Grey Henson, Mean Girls, National Theatre
Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls, National Theatre
Nilaja Sun, Pike St, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Aaron Bliden, Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, Imagination Stage
Will Gartshore, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Michael J. Mainwaring, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Bobby Smith, Jesus Christ Superstar, Signature Theatre
Marquise White, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Valerie Leonard, My Fair Lady, Olney Theatre Center
Tracy Lynn Olivera, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Nova Y. Payton, Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Awa Sal Secka, Caroline, or Change, Round House Theatre
Korinn Walfall, Caroline, or Change, Round House Theatre
James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
J Anthony Crane, Watch on the Rhine, Arena Stage
Will LeBow, Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing, Signature Theatre
Gregory Linington, Or, Round House Theatre
Jim Lichtscheidl, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Cody Nickell, The School for Lies, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Derek Smith, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Catherine Castellanos, Roe, Arena Stage
Felicia Curry, Nina Simone: Four Women, Arena Stage
Anna O’Donoghue, I Wanna F---ing Tear You Apart, Studio Theatre
Antoinette Robinson, As You Like It, Folger Theatre
Erin Weaver, Or, Round House Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Robin De Jesús, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Danny Gardner, Crazy for You, Signature Theatre
Kevin McAllister, Annie, Olney Theatre Center
Kevin McAllister, Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Blakely Slaybaugh, The Pajama Game, Arena Stage
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Nancy Anderson, The Pajama Game, Arena Stage
Brittany Campbell, My Fair Lady, Olney Theatre Center
Rayanne Gonzales, In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Nova Y. Payton, Caroline, or Change, Round House Theatre
Holly Twyford, A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Gregory Linington, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Ford’s Theatre
Andrew Long, Watch on the Rhine, Arena Stage
Rafi Silver, The Effect, Studio Theatre
Ted van Griethuysen, The Father, Studio Theatre
Gregory Wooddell, The School for Lies, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Caroline Stefanie Clay, Skeleton Crew, Studio Theatre
Tessa Klein, The Hard Problem, Studio Theatre
Lizan Mitchell, A Raisin in the Sun, Arena Stage
Debra Monk, Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing, Signature Theatre
Holly Twyford, Or, Round House Theatre
Outstanding Visiting Production
“Cabaret,” Kennedy Center
“The Devil’s Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith,” Mosaic Theater Company
“Fun Home,” National Theatre
“Mean Girls,” National Theatre
“Pike St,” Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Production in a Musical
A Little Night Music, Signature Theatre
Caroline, or Change, Round House Theatre
Crazy for You, Signature Theatre
In the Heights, Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre
Ragtime, Ford’s Theatre
Outstanding Production in a Play
The Father, Studio Theatre
Or, Round House Theatre
A Raisin in the Sun, Arena Stage
Skeleton Crew, Studio Theatre
Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Ford’s Theatre
