It was a good night for one show with an F-bomb in the title but not so much for the other. Woolly Mammoth’s Stupid F**king Bird, a riff on Chekhov’s The Seagull by Aaron Posner, took home eight Helen Hayes Award nominations last night in a ceremony onstage at the National Theatre. Studio Theatre’s The Motherf**ker With the Hat, however, wasn’t so lucky—it failed to claim a single one.
In their last year under the current format before the awards divide into two categories (“Hayes” for primarily Equity shows and “Helen” for predominantly non-Equity productions), the Helen Hayes Awards will still be plenty different this year, with the ceremony moving to the National Building Museum, the awards being presented on two different stages, and the speeches streamlined to a slender 30 seconds (or so TheatreWashington promises). Also new is TheatreWashington board chair Kurt Crowl, who takes over from veteran Victor Shargai after 16 years and almost 30 with the organization.
With all this change afoot, perhaps it’s a relief that the nominations this year, on the 30th anniversary of the awards, are still as intriguing as ever. Posner’s Bird, a critically acclaimed and very funny show, gets top honors with nominations for Outstanding Direction (Howard Shalwitz), resident Play, Outstanding New Play, Ensemble, Lead Actor (Brad Koed), Supporting Actor (Rick Foucheux), and Supporting Actress (Kimberly Gilbert and Kate Eastwood Norris).
Following in its footsteps are Shakespeare Theatre’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which got seven nominations, including Outstanding Musical, Choreography, Direction, Ensemble, and Lead Actor (Bruce Dow); and Round House Theatre’s production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, which also scored seven. This year’s nominations, in which Round House picked up eight nods, would appear to be an endorsement of new artistic director Ryan Rilette, since the company scored only one nomination in 2013, two in 2012, and none in 2011.
In terms of institutions, Signature Theatre led the way with 20 nominations, six of which were for its co-production of Hello, Dolly! with Ford’s Theatre. The recent revival of Gypsy scored five, as did Aaron Posner’s production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years. Woolly Mammoth followed with 16 nominations, Shakespeare with 15, the Kennedy Center with 12, Arena Stage and Ford’s Theatre with 10, and the Folger Theatre and Studio Theatre tying with 9.
In any year, there will be surprises. I was gratified to see Shakespeare Theatre’s Mies Julie and the Kennedy Center’s Anything Goes rewarded among the “visiting” productions, but surprised to see not a single nomination for Shakespeare’s stellar The Winter’s Tale and only one (in lighting design) for the Folger’s outstanding Henry V. The awards are heavily skewed by nature to favor musicals, which tend to be less frequently produced by companies around town, but Signature’s production of Company, a terrific ensemble production by Eric Schaeffer, only scored a single nomination, for Erin Weaver as Outstanding Supporting Actress (who mightily deserved it, given the syllables she had to spew out in the frantic “Getting Married Today”).
Weaver was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play for her performance in the Folger’s Romeo and Juliet, and Lead Actress, Resident Musical for The Last Five Years, meaning she and her husband, Posner (nominated for his direction of both shows, as well as Stupid F**king Bird), took home more nominations between them than Theater J (one nomination), Forum Theatre (one), and Synetic Theater (two) put together.
What are your thoughts on this year’s Helen Hayes Awards nominations? Peruse the full list below and let us know in the comments.
Outstanding Choreography, Resident Musical
Karma Camp, Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
Rachel Leigh Dolan, Cabaret, The Keegan Theatre
Maurice Hines, Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ Thru Life, Arena Stage
Josh Rhodes, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Tara Jeanne Vallee, The King and I, Olney Theatre Center
Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production
Mariah Hale, Twelfth Night, Folger Theatre
Murell Horton, Wallenstein, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Helen Huang, The Convert, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Sabrina Mandell, 4th Annual, ALL-NEW Cabaret Macabre, Happenstance Theater
Kendra Rai, The Magic Finger, Imagination Stage
Katie Touart, Peter Pan and Wendy, Imagination Stage
Merrily Murray-Walsh, Mary T. & Lizzy K., Arena Stage
Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Joe Calarco, Gypsy, Signature Theatre
Thomas W. Jones II, Gee’s Bend, MetroStage
Alan Paul, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Aaron Posner, The Last Five Years, Signature Theatre
Eric Schaeffer, Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
Outstanding Director, Resident Play
Matthew Gardiner, The Laramie Project, Ford’s Theatre
Mitchell Hébert, Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Robert O’Hara, The Mountaintop, Arena Stage
Aaron Posner, Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Howard Shalwitz, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical
A Chorus Line, Olney Theatre Center
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Full Monty, The Keegan Theatre
Gee’s Bend, MetroStage
Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play
The Apple Family Plays, The Studio Theatre
Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
The Laramie Project, Ford’s Theatre
Never the Sinner, 1st Stage
Optimism! or Voltaire’s Candide, Spooky Action Theater
Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actor, Visiting Production
Mark Evans, The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
Josh Franklin, Anything Goes, The Kennedy Center
Chester Gregory, Sister Act, The Kennedy Center
Bongile Mantsai, Mies Julie, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Christopher John O’Neill, The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical
Bruce Dow, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
James Gardiner, The Last Five Years, Signature Theatre
David Gregory, In the Heights, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Bryan Knowlton, A Chorus Line, Olney Theatre Center
Paul Scanlan, Cabaret, The Keegan Theatre
Thom Sesma, Miss Saigon, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actress, Visiting Production
Hilda Cronje, Mies Julie, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Perri Gaffney, The Resurrection of Alice, The Essential Theatre
Andrus Nichols, Bedlam’s Saint Joan, Olney Theatre Center
Rachel York, Anything Goes, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical
Sherri L. Edelen, Gypsy, Signature Theatre
Diana Huey, Miss Saigon, Signature Theatre
Nancy Opel, Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
Maria Rizzo, Cabaret, The Keegan Theatre
Jessica Vaccaro, A Chorus Line, Olney Theatre Center
Erin Weaver, The Last Five Years, Signature Theatre
Roz White, Gee’s Bend, MetroStage
Lauren Williams, Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”, The Kennedy Center
Lori Williams, Ladies Swing the Blues, MetroStage
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play
Johanna Day, Good People, Arena Stage
Tana Hicken, 4000 Miles, The Studio Theatre
Joaquina Kalukango, The Mountaintop, Arena Stage
Susan Lynskey, Ghost-Writer, MetroStage
Nancy Moricette, The Convert, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Holly Twyford, Contractions, The Studio Theatre 2ndStage
Erin Weaver, Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production
Brian S. Allard, Never the Sinner, 1st Stage
Andrew F. Griffin, Henry V, Folger Theatre
Andrew F. Griffin, The Tempest, Synetic Theater
A. J. Guban, 36 Views, Constellation Theatre Company
Rui Rita, The Laramie Project, Ford’s Theatre
Outstanding Movement, Resident Play
Monalisa Arias, Optimism! or Voltaire’s Candide, Spooky Action Theater
Matthew Gardiner, Never the Sinner, 1st Stage
Happenstance Theater, 4th Annual, ALL-NEW Cabaret Macabre, Happenstance Theater
Robb Hunter, Red Speedo, The Studio Theatre
Irina Tsikurishvili, The Three Musketeers, Synetic Theater
Ben Cunis, The Three Musketeers, Synetic Theater
Outstanding Music Direction, Resident Production
Jon Kalbfleisch, Gypsy, Signature Theatre
William Hubbard, Gee’s Bend, MetroStage
William Knowles, Gee’s Bend, MetroStage
Dr. Sherrie Maricle, Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ Thru Life, Arena Stage
James Moore, Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
William Yanesh, The Last Five Years, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Visiting Production
Anything Goes, The Kennedy Center
Baby Universe: A Puppet Odyssey, The Studio Theatre
The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
Mies Julie, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Second City Presents America All Better!!, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Production, Theatre For Young Audiences
Anime Momotaro, Imagination Stage
Goodnight Moon, Adventure Theatre MTC
The Magic Finger, Imagination Stage
Peter Pan and Wendy, Imagination Stage
Three Little Birds, Adventure Theatre MTC
Winnie the Pooh, Adventure Theatre MTC
Outstanding Resident Musical
A Chorus Line, Olney Theatre Center
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Cabaret, The Keegan Theatre
Gypsy, Signature Theatre
Hello, Dolly!, Ford’s Theatre and Signature Theatre
The Last Five Years, Signature Theatre
The Rocky Horror Show, The Studio Theatre 2ndStage
Outstanding Resident Play
The Convert, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Good People, Arena Stage
The Laramie Project, Ford’s Theatre
The Mountaintop, Arena Stage
Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production
A. J. Guban, 36 Views, Constellation Theatre Company
James Kronzer, Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Elizabeth Jenkins McFadden, The House of the Spirits/La casa de los espirtus, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Clint Ramos, Appropriate, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Clint Ramos, The Mountaintop, Arena Stage
Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production
Christopher Baine, Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Carla Kihlstedt, Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Mark Bennett, Coriolanus, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Broken Chord, Appropriate, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Lindsay Jones, The Mountaintop, Arena Stage
Matthew M. Nielson, Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave, The Hub Theatre
Eric Shimelonis, Never the Sinner, 1st Stage
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical
Matthew Dewberry, The Full Monty, The Keegan Theatre
James Konicek, Peter Pan and Wendy, Imagination Stage
John Loughney, The Full Monty, The Keegan Theatre
Bobby Smith, Spin, Signature Theatre
Edward Watts, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Tobias Young, In the Heights, Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical
Jennifer Cordiner, A Chorus Line, Olney Theatre Center
Lora Lee Gayer, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Maria Rizzo, Gypsy, Signature Theatre
Erin Weaver, Company, Signature Theatre
Brittany N. Williams, Three Little Birds, Adventure Theatre MTC
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play
Starla Benford, The Convert, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Sherri L. Edelen, Romeo & Juliet, Folger Theatre
Kimberly Gilbert, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Kate Eastwood Norris, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Susan Rome, After the Revolution, Theater J
Dawn Ursula, The Convert, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Performer, Visiting Production
Grey Henson, The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
Kevin Mambo, The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
Thoko Ntshinga, Mies Julie, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Edward Staudenmayer, Anything Goes, The Kennedy Center
Samantha Marie Ware, The Book of Mormon, The Kennedy Center
The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
Happenstance Theater, 4th Annual, ALL-NEW Cabaret Macabre, Happenstance Theater
Matthew R. Wilson, freely adapted from Molière, Don Juan, Faction of Fools Theatre Company
Lucas Hnath, Red Speedo, The Studio Theatre
Aaron Posner, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Michael J. Bobbitt, adaptation, based on the book by Cedella Marley, music & lyrics by Bob Marley, additional music & lyrics by Jon. L. Cornelius, II, Three Little Birds, Adventure Theatre MTC
The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play
Louis Butelli, Twelfth Night, Folger Theatre
Rick Foucheux, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Ted van Griethuysen, The Apple Family Plays, The Studio Theatre
Mitchell Hebert, How to Write a New Book for the Bible, Round House Theatre
KenYatta Rogers, Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Richard Sheridan Willis, Twelfth Night, Folger Theatre
The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play
Rick Foucheux, Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Brad Koed, Stupid F**king Bird, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Julian Elijah Martinez, 9 Circles, Forum Theatre
Patrick Page, Coriolanus, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Steve Pickering, Wallenstein, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Alexander Strain, Glengarry Glen Ross, Round House Theatre
Brandon Uranowitz, Torch Song Trilogy, The Studio Theatre