We went to the National Theatre for the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards nominations party presented by theatreWashington. We snapped Brave Spirits Theatre's Charlene Smith, Faction of Fouls' Rachel Spicknall Mulford, and noms presenter, actress Tonya Beckman.
The nominations party had an open cocktail bar, delicious appetizers including curry chicken salad sliders, and a dessert buffet, all provided by DC Central Kitchen. Here, Adventure Theatre's Michael Bobbitt, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, arts journalist Trey Graham, and Foursquare's Michael Weinberger.
This year's Helen Hayes Awards will be May 23, so save the date! Here, the Kennedy Center's Stephanie Stohler, Gregory Hughes, and Katie Toomb join the Alliance for New Music Theatre's Duane Gelderloos and Susan Galbraith.
Congrats to Shakespeare Theatre, which received 26 nominations, mostly for Kiss Me Kate, Man of La Mancha and Salome. Arena Stage's Dear Evan Hansen got nine nominations and Constellation Theatre's Avenue Q got 14. Pallas Theatre Collective was one of three finalists for best emerging theatre company. Its rep Russell Silber is bookended by singer/actor Maggie Walker and Forum Theatre's Natalie Piegari.
Travis Holler contributed to this issue.
