Blickenstaff, Irwin, Jones, Kudisch, Ruhl, et al. Win Helen Hayes Awards

The 24th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, which honor the best of Washington D.C.-area theater, were presented at a gala celebration on Monday, April 28.

Synetic Theatre’s production of Macbeth, received five awards, including Outstanding Resident Play. Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone, which premiered at Woolly Mammoth, received three awards, including the Charles McArthur Award for Outstanding New Play. Avenue Q was named Outstanding Non-Resident Production, and Studio Theatre’s Reefer Madness was named Outstanding Resident Musical.

Winning performers included Bill Irwin for Outstanding Lead Actor, Non Resident Production for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Kennedy Center; Cherry Jones and Caroline Stefanie Clay for Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production and Outstanding Supporting Performer for the national tour of Doubt; Marc Kudisch as Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical, for The Witches of Eastwick; Heidi Blickenstaff as Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical for Meet John Doe; and Nancy Robinette and J. Fred Schiffman for Outstanding Lead Actress and Actor, Resident Play for Souvenir.

In addition, Sir Derek Jacobi received the annual Helen Hayes Tribute and a special award was given to the Taffety Punk company.

For a complete list of nominees and winners, click here.