Cheers to the Helen Hayes Awards nominees recently acknowledged for artistic excellence in local theater. Four DowntownDC BID area theaters received nods in 18 of 26 categories and captured slightly more than 20 percent of the 150 nominations.
The categories ranged from Outstanding Director, Resident Play to Choreography, Resident Production. The Shakespeare Theatre Company (the Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th Street, and Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street) picked up 18 nominations; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (641 D Street) gathered 10; Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street) received three; and the National Theatre (1321 Pennsylvania Avenue) collected one.
The nominations were announced on Monday, January 28, in the National Theatre’s Helen Hayes Gallery, named for the legendary actress who won Emmy, Oscar, Grammy and Tony awards.
The Helen Hayes Awards promote Washington area professional theatres and is one of the country’s most esteemed cultural events. This year’s 29th annual black-tie awards ceremony will kick off at 8 p.m. at the Warner Theatre (513 13th Street) on Monday, April 8. The complete list of 2012 nominees can be found at the theatreWashington website. TheatreWashington administers and presents the awards.