Theater News

Carmello, Irwin, Jones, Kudisch, et al. Nominated for Helen Hayes Awards

Marc Kudisch in The Witches of Eastwick
(© Scott Suchman)
Marc Kudisch in The Witches of Eastwick
(© Scott Suchman)

Carolee Carmello, Christopher Innvar, Bill Irwin, Cherry Jones, Marc Kudisch, Mary Beth Peil, and Sarah Ruhl are among the nominees for The 24th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, which were announced last night at a press conference, hosted by The National Theatre in its Helen Hayes Gallery. The awards, which honor the best of Washington D.C.-area theater, will be presented at a gala celebration on April 28.

Among the musicals, Signature’s The Witches of Eastwick picked up six nominations, including Outstanding Resident Musical, lead actor Kudisch, and director Eric Schaeffer. The Women of Brewster Place at Arena Stage also picked up six nominations, including Outstanding Resident Musical, and actors Harriett D. Foy, Marva Hicks, and Monique L. Midgette. Six nominations were also received by Reefer Madness: The Musical at Studio Theatre 2ndStage.

Non-musical nominations were led Synetic Theatre’s Macbeth, which took a total of 12 nominations, including Outstanding Resident Play. Dead Man’s Cell Phone, which premiered at Woolly Mammoth, received seven nominations, including nods for Outstanding Resident Play, and playwright Ruhl. A separate production of the play is now in previews at New York’s Playwrights Horizons. Also receiving seven nominations was Woolly Mammoth’s The Unmentionables.

Carmello received an Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical nomination for her work in Saving Aimee at Signature. Innvar received his Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play nomination for Shakespeare Theatre Company’s The Taming of the Shrew. Irwin was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor, Non Resident Production for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Kennedy Center. Jones picked up her nomination for Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production for the national tour of Doubt at the National Theatre. Peil was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play for 33 Variations at Arena Stage.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company received the most nominations with 23, followed by Signature Theatre with 21.

For a complete list of nominees, click here.