Helen Hayes Award Nominees Include Next to Normal, Kiss of the Spider Woman

Nominees have been announced for the 2009 Helen Hayes Awards, which honor theatrical productions in the Washington D.C. area. The nominees include the four lead players in Arena Stage’s production of Next to Normal Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Jennifer Damiano and Aaron Tveit, which also received a Best Non-Resident Production nomination, and nine nominations for Signature Theater of Virginia’s production of Kiss of the Spider Woman, including acting nods for leads Will Chase and Hunter Foster. Signature’s Eric Schaeffer received three Best Director nominations for his productions of Ace, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Les Miserables. The awards will be presented on April 13 at the Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel.

 

A complete list of nominees follows:

 

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical

Stunning, by David Adjmi, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

ROOMS a Rock Romance, Book, music & lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman, book by Miriam Gordon, MetroStage and Geva Theatre Center

Chasing George Washington: A White House Adventure, Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, book and lyrics by Karen Zacarias, The Kennedy Center in collaboration with The White House Historical Association

Mermaids, Monsters, and the World Painted Purple, by Marco Ramirez, The Kennedy Center

Honey Brown Eyes, by Stefanie Zadravec, Theater J

 

Outstanding Non-Resident Production

Frost/Nixon, The Kennedy Center

The Lion King, The Kennedy Center

Next to Normal, Arena Stage

No Child …, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

The Price, Theater J

 

Outstanding Resident Musical

Ace: The New Musical Adventure, Signature Theatre

Jerry Springer the Opera, The Studio Theatre 2ndStage

Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

ROOMS a Rock Romance, MetroStage and Geva Theatre Center, in association with Van Hill Enterainment, The Musical Machine, Jeffrey M. Raff, and Small Pond Enterprises

The Visit, Signature Theatre

 

Outstanding Resident Play

Blackbird, The Studio Theatre

Macbeth, Folger Theatre

Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater

Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

 

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play

René Auberjonois, The Imaginary Invalid, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Aubrey Deeker, Boom, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Edward Gero, Nixon’s Nixon, Round House Theatre

Karl Kenzler, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Floyd King, The History Boys, The Studio Theatre

Ian Merrill Peakes, Macbeth, Folger Theatre

Ted van Griethuysen, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Jerry Whiddon, Blackbird, The Studio Theatre

 

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production

Alan Cox, Frost/Nixon, The Kennedy Center

Brian Tyree Henry, The Brothers Size, The Studio Theatre

Stacy Keach, Frost/Nixon, The Kennedy Center

Martin Moran, The Tricky Part, Signature Theatre

J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal, Arena Stage

 

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical

Will Chase, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Hunter Foster, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

George Hearn, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Doug Kreeger, ROOMS a Rock Romance, MetroStage and Geva Theatre Center

David Margulies, The Happy Time, Signature Theatre

Greg Stone, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

 

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production

Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking, Arena Stage

Becky Gulsvig, Legally Blonde, The Musical, Kennedy Center

Phindile Mkhize, The Lion King, Kennedy Center

Alice Ripley, Next to Normal, Arena Stage

Nilaja Sun, No Child …, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical

Natascia Diaz, ROOMS a Rock Romance, MetroStage and Geva Theatre Center

Janice Lorraine, Cookin' at the Cookery, MetroStage

Jill Paice, Ace: The New Musical Adventure, Signature Theatre

Chita Rivera, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Barbara Walsh, Grey Gardens, The Studio Theatre

 

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play

Tana Hicken, The Road to Mecca, The Studio Theatre

Lisa Joyce, Blackbird, The Studio Theatre

Sarah Marshall, Maria/Stuart, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Kimberly Schraf, Measure for Pleasure, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Deidra LaWan Starnes, Intimate Apparel, African Continuum Theatre Company

Holly Twyford, The Road to Mecca, The Studio Theatre

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical

Christopher Bloch, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Andrew Call, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Matthew Dellapina, This Beautiful City, The Studio Theatre, with Actors Theatre of Louisville & The Civilians

Mark Jacoby, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Chris Sizemore, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Jeremy Webb, The Visit, Signature Theatre

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play

Che Ayende, Resurrection, Arena Stage in collaboration with Hartford

Drew Eshelman, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Floyd King, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

Owen Scott, The History Boys, The Studio Theatre

Tom Story, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

Jay Sullivan, The History Boys, The Studio Theatre

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical

Felicia Curry, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Sherri L. Edelen, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Carrie A. Johnson, The Happy Time, Signature Theatre

Angelina Kelly, Ace: The New Musical Adventure, Signature Theatre

Christiane Noll, Ace: The New Musical Adventure, Signature Theatre

Tracy Lynn Olivera, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play

Helen Carey, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Sarah Marshall, Boom, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Jennifer Mendenhall, Measure for Pleasure, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Nancy Robinette, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

Deidra LaWan Starnes, Doubt: A Parable, Olney Theatre Center

 

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal, Arena Stage

Sofia Jean Gomez, Argonautika, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Robert Prosky, The Price, Theater J

Mark Shunock, The Lion King, The Kennedy Center

Aaron Tveit, Next to Normal, Arena Stage

 

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical

Goodnight Moon, Adventure Theatre and Tribute Productions

Jerry Springer the Opera, The Studio Theatre 2ndStage

Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

This Beautiful City, The Studio Theatre, in association with Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Civilians

The Visit, Signature Theatre

 

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play

Alice, Round House Theatre

Carmen, Synetic Theater

The History Boys, The Studio Theatre

In the Heart of America, Rep Stage

Intimate Apparel, African Continuum Theatre Company

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Forum Theatre

Measure for Pleasure, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Rabbit Hole, Olney Theatre Center

Resurrection, Arena Stage in collaboration with Hartford Stage

Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater

Translations, The Keegan Theatre

Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

 

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical

Frank Galati, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Eric Schaeffer, Ace: The New Musical Adventure, Signature Theatre

Eric Schaeffer, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Eric Schaeffer, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Scott Schwartz, ROOMS a Rock Romance, MetroStage and Geva Theatre Center

Mary Hall Surface, Goodnight Moon, Adventure Theatre and Tribute Productions

 

Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Ethan McSweeny, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

David Muse, Blackbird, The Studio Theatre

David Muse, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Aaron Posner, Macbeth, Folger Theatre

Rebecca Bayla Taichman, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

Teller, Macbeth, Folger Theatre

Paata Tsikurishvili, Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

John Vreeke, Boom, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production

Jon Kalbfleisch, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Jon Kalbfleisch, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Konstantine Lortkipanidze, Host and Guest, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

David Loud, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Christopher Youstra, Jerry Springer the Opera, The Studio Theatre 2ndStage

 

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production

Michael J. Bobbitt, Goodnight Moon, Adventure Theatre and Tribute Productions

Karma Camp, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Robin McFarquhar, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Theatre Company

David Pelzig, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Ann Reinking, The Visit, Signature Theatre

Irina Tsikurishvili, Carmen, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

Irina Tsikurishvili, Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

 

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production

Daniel Conway, Stunning, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Thomas Kamm, Boom, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Adam Koch, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

James Kronzer, 1984, Catalyst Theater Company

James Noone, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Anastasia Ryurikov Simes, Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

Walt Spangler, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

 

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production

Marianne Custer, Alice, Round House Theatre

Kathleen Geldard, The Neverending Story, Imagination Stage

Miranda Hoffman, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center

Helen Q. Huang, Stunning, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Robert Perdziola, Major Barbara, Shakespeare Theatre Company

David Zinn, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Arena Stage

 

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production

Colin K. Bills, Stunning, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Andrew Cissna, 1984, Catalyst Theater Company

Daniel Covey, In the Heart of America, Rep Stage

Mark Lanks, Les Misérables, Signature Theatre

Chris Lee, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Signature Theatre

Charlie Morrison, Rabbit Hole, Olney Theatre Center

 

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production

Karin Graybash, Macbeth, Folger Theatre

Irakli Kavsadze, Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

Konstantine Lortkipanidze, Romeo and Juliet, Synetic Theater, Main Stage

Neil McFadden, Boom, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Matthew M. Nielson, 1984, Catalyst Theater Company

Ryan Rumery, Stunning, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company