Valerie Harper, Ragtime, Blanchett's Streetcar Among Nominees for DC's Helen Hayes Awards

Valerie Harper (star of the Broadway-bound Tallulah Bankhead bio Looped), the Kennedy Center’s revival of Ragtime (which transferred to Broadway) and the Australian revival of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Cate Blanchett (which later played at BAM) are among the nominees for the 26th annual Helen Hayes Awards, honoring the best in theater in the Washington DC area. The awards will be presented on April 5 at the Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel. A new award for productions aimed at audiences age 12 and under has been added to the lineup.

A complete list of nominees follows:

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall, Sam Forman, Theater J
Eclipsed, Danai Gurira, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
The Bread of Winter, Victor Lodato, Theater Alliance
Antebellum, Robert O'Hara, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical
Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre
The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Crowns, Arena Stage
The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Rent, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Resident Play
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Arcadia, Folger Theatre
The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Quality of Life, Arena Stage
Wittenberg, Rep Stage

Outstanding Non-Resident Production
A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Jersey Boys, The National Theatre
Spring Awakening, The Kennedy Center
Zero Hour, Theater J

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences
Barrio Grrrl!, The Kennedy Center Family Theatre
Heidi, Imagination Stage
Lyle the Crocodile, Imagination Stage
The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish, Synetic Family Theater
Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth, Imagination Stage

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production
Jim Brochu, Zero Hour, Theater J
Steve Cuiffo, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Joel Edgerton, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Paul Vincent O'Connor, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Dito van Reigersberg, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical
David Benoit, Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre
Quentin Earl Darrington, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Parker Drown, Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Will Gartshore, Show Boat, Signature Theatre
Jahi Kearse, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Ashley Robinson, Giant, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production
Cate Blanchett, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Shannon Cochran, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Libby George, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Estelle Parsons, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center
Angelica Torn, August: Osage County, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical
Sandy Bainum, The Music Man, Washington Savoyards
Jessica Lauren Ball, Oklahoma!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
E. Faye Butler, Crowns, Arena Stage
Laura Conforte, Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Tara Giordano, Heidi, Imagination Stage
Christiane Noll, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play
Valerie Harper, Looped, Arena Stage
Lisa Harrow, Rock 'n' Roll, The Studio Theatre
Tana Hicken, Lost in Yonkers, Theater J
Tonya Pinkins, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Holly Twyford, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Holly Twyford, The Little Dog Laughed, Signature Theatre
Holly Twyford, Lost in Yonkers, Theater J

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical
Nate Dendy, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
John Dossett, Giant, Signature Theatre
Anthony Manough, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Laurence O'Dwyer, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Harry A. Winter, Show Boat, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play
Edward Gero, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Eric Hissom, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Irakli Kavsadze, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Alex Mills, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Frederick Strother, Radio Golf, The Studio Theatre
David Turner, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical
Eleasha Gamble, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Kellee Knighten, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Elizabeth Rayca, Oklahoma!, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Kimberly Schraf, Show Boat, Signature Theatre
Delores King Williams, Show Boat, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play
Naomi Jacobson, The Winter's Tale, Folger Theatre
Sarah Marshall, Full Circle, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Jennifer Mendenhall, Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Marni Penning, Hysteria, Rep Stage
Miriam Silverman, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Erin Weaver, Arcadia, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
Morgan David Jones, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Mandy McElhinney, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Robin McLeavy, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Tim Richards, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
James Sugg, Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play
Stacy Keach, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Karl Miller, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Karl Miller, Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Cody Nickell, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Seth Reichgott, Wittenberg, Rep Stage

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical
The Civil War, Ford’s Theatre
Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage Crowns, Arena Stage
Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Show Boat, Signature Theatre

The Canadian Embassy Award for Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Angels in America: Perestroika, Forum Theatre
Antebellum, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Disco Pigs, Solas Nua
Heroes, MetroStage
The Quality of Life, Arena Stage

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Jeff Calhoun, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
Amanda Dehnert, The Fantasticks, Arena Stage
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Thomas W. Jones, II, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Mark A. Rhea, Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Susan Marie Rhea, Rent, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Director, Resident Play
Robert Falls, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jonathan Munby, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Lisa Peterson, The Quality of Life, Arena Stage
Aaron Posner, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Jeremy Skidmore, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Tony Tsendeas, Wittenberg, Rep Stage
Paata Tsikurishvili, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production
Aaron Broderick, Rent, The Keegan Theatre
Jay Crowder, The Civil War, Ford's Theatre
William Knowles, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
James Moore, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Christopher Youstra, Adding Machine: A Musical, The Studio Theatre

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production
Meisha Bosma, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Maurice Hines, Cool Papa's Party, MetroStage
Carina Losano, Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Irina Tsikurishvili, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili, Dante, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili, Dracula, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production
Tony Cisek, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Misha Kachman, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
James Kronzer, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Round House Theatre
James Noone, Design for Living, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Walt Spangler, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Klyph Stanford, Hysteria, Rep Stage

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production
Konstantine Lortkipandze, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Ryan Rumery, The Heavens are Hung in Black, Ford's Theatre
Tom Teasley, Crazyface, Constellation Theatre Company
Veronika Vorel, Arcadia, Folger Theatre
Veronika Vorel, Black Pearl Sings!, Ford's Theatre
Veronika Vorel, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Richard Woodbury, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production
Colin K. Bills, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Forum Theatre
Colin K. Bills, Fever/Dream, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Andrew F. Griffin, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Michael Philippi, King Lear, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Daniel MacLean Wagner, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Round House Theatre
Thom Weaver, Arcadia, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production
Linda Cho, The Dog in the Manger, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Santo Loquasto, Ragtime, The Kennedy Center
Robert Perdziola, Design for Living, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Anastasia Ryurikov Simes, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater
Anastasia Ryurikov Simes, Dante, Synetic Theater
Alejo Vietti, A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas, Ford's Theatre
Norah Worthington, Wittenberg, Rep Stage