Nominations for the 40th Helen Hayes Awards were announced this week at the ATLAS Performing Arts Center on H Street, Northeast, honoring the best theater in the nation’s capital.
Judges considered 44 musicals and 107 plays, including 36 world premieres. The 41 categories were divided into “Helen” — non-equity casts that are majority nonunion — and “Hayes” — equity casts that are majority union.
On the union side, Arena Stage’s acclaimed Avett Brothers musical “Swept Away” earned a leading 12 nominations, including Outstanding Musical (Hayes). It’s now in a hated race against “Fela!” co-produced by Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre, “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Kennedy Center and “Shout Sister Shout!” by Ford’s Theatre, as well as Signature Theatre’s “Ragtime,” which earned 11 nominations.
Arena Stage also leads the way on the non-musical side as “Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches” earned a leading 12 nominations, including Outstanding Play (Hayes). It’s up against “Fat Ham” by Studio Theatre, “Here There Are Blueberries” by Shakespeare Theatre Company, “King of the Yees” by Signature Theatre and “My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion” by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.
On the nonunion side of smaller theaters, the nominees for Outstanding Musical (Helen) are “In the Heights” by NextStop Theatre Company, “Ride the Cyclone” by NextStop Theatre Company, “Seussical” by Keegan Theatre, “Something Rotten” by Toby’s Dinner Theatre’ and “Spring Awakening” by Monumental Theatre Company.
Finally, the nonunion nominees for Outstanding Play (Helen) are “Agreste (Drylands)” at Spooky Action Theater, “How the Light Gets In” at 1st Stage, “La Salpêtrière” at Taffety Punk Theatre Company, “The Honey Trap” at Solas Nua, “The Last Match” at 1st Stage and “The Tell-Tale Heart” at Synetic Theater.
Overall, Arena Stage earned the most total nominations with 32, followed by Signature Theatre with 20.
The 2024 Helen Hayes Tribute Award will go to longtime Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks, who recently stepped down after serving in the role for 21 years.
Named for the iconic D.C. native actress, the Helen Hayes Awards has honored excellence in professional theater throughout our region for four decades.
Winners will be crowned Monday, May 20, at The Anthem in D.C.
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