COVID-19 may have forced theatreWashington to cancel its scheduled May 18 in-person event celebrating the 36th Helen Hayes Awards, but the show finally went on in late August and September, culminating with a virtual event on September 25.

The virtual celebration of professional theater in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area included four weeks of online events recognizing the honorees in most award categories. The September 25 event included award presentations for outstanding productions, ensembles, and the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company.

Blood at the Root, presented by Theatre Alliance in the Helen (majority non-Equity) category, received the largest number of awards, seven, including Outstanding Production in a Play. Signature Theatre's production of A Chorus Line led the Hayes (majority Equity) category with five awards including Outstanding Production in a Musical, while The Brothers Size at 1st Stage took Outstanding Production in a Play-Hayes and three other awards. Outstanding Production in a Musical-Helen went to GALA Hispanic Theatre's production of Fame, The Musical.

For the first time, although the 16 performer categories were adjudicated as "actor" and "actress," theatreWashington has combined and renamed this year's categories as gender-inclusive awards listed as Outstanding Lead Performer and Outstanding Supporting Performer, with two recipients in each category. Beginning with the next year's awards, the performer categories will be adjudicated as gender-inclusive and expanded to 10 nominees each (from the previous cap of five).

theatreWashington also announced the establishment of the Victor Shargai Leadership Award in memory of a leading supporter of the arts in the Washington area and the organization's board chair from 1991-2014, who died December 24, 2019. This award will be presented for the first time in 2021, "when we can gather again," the group announced.

Following is the complete list of Helen Hayes Award nominees and recipients for 2020. Award recipients are designated in bold. For more information, visit www.theatrewashington.org.

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical - Hayes
Grady McLeod Bowman, Singin' in the Rain, Olney Theatre Center
Byron Easley, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, Olney Theatre Center
Denis Jones, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Parker Esse, Newsies, Arena Stage
Katie Spelman, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical - Helen
Tina Marie DeSimone & Mark Minnick, A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Ilona Kessell, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Ashleigh King, Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Robert Mintz, Singin' in the Rain, NextStop Theatre Company
Luis Salgado, Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Choreography in a Play - Hayes
Tori Tolentino and Dallas Tolentino, Escape from Peligro Island, Imagination Stage
Alice Gosti, U. Jonathan Toppo, 1 Henry IV, Folger Theatre
Orange Grove Dance, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Stephanie Paul, Robb Hunter, Richard the Third, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Tony Thomas, P.Y.G. Or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle, Studio Theatre
Paige Hernandez, Cliff Williams III, The Royale, Olney Theatre Center & 1st Stage

Outstanding Choreography in a Play - Helen
Robert Bowen Smith, Jonathan Ezra Rubin, Tiffanie Horner, Crystal Creek Motel, Flying V
Happenstance Theater, Pantheon, Happenstance Theater
Casey Kaleba, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Tiffany Quinn, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Jessica Redish, Airness, The Keegan Theatre & 1st Stage
Irina Tsikurishvili, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction - Hayes
Laura Bergquist, Newsies, Arena Stage
Jon Kalbfleisch, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Mark G. Meadows, Ain't Misbehavin', Signature Theatre
William Yanesh, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Christopher Youstra, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Musical Direction - Helen
Marika Countouris, We're Gonna Die, Flying V
Walter "Bobby" McCoy, Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Walter "Bobby" McCoy, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Ross Scott Rawlings, A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Refiye Tappan, On Air, Creative Cauldron

Outstanding Costume Design - Hayes
Tracy Christensen, Love's Labor's Lost, Folger Theatre
Mariah Anzaldo Hale, Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Wade Laboissonniere, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Pei Lee, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, Olney Theatre Center
Merrily Murray-Walsh, Jubilee, Arena Stage

Outstanding Costume Design - Helen
Kristen Ahern, Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company
Jeannette Christensen, Elephant & Piggie's "We Are In A Play!", Adventure Theatre MTC
Alison Samantha Johnson, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater
Frank Labovitz, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Amy MacDonald, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance

Outstanding Lighting Design - Hayes
Colin K. Bills, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center
William D'Eugenio, The Brothers Size, 1st Stage
Adam Honore, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Sherrice Mojgani, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Rui Rita, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design - Helen
Johnathan Alexander, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Brian S. Allard, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater
Lynn Joslin, On Air, Creative Cauldron
Conor Mulligan, columbinus, 1st Stage
Alberto Segarra (Lighting Designer), Kelly Colburn (Projections/Media Designer), Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance

Outstanding Set Design - Hayes
Debra Booth, Richard the Third, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Wilson Chin, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center
Paul Tate DePoo III, Grand Hotel, Signature Theatre
Milagros Ponce de Leon, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Milagros Ponce de Leon (Set Designer), Clint Allen (Projections/Media Designer), Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, Olney Theatre Center
Giorgos Tsappas, The Brothers Size, 1st Stage

Outstanding Set Design - Helen
Nephelie Andonyadis, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Jessica Cancino, Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company
A.J. Guban, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
David A. Hopkins, A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Joseph Musumeci Jr., Crystal Creek Motel, Flying V
Jonathan Dahm Robertson, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance

Outstanding Sound Design - Hayes
Ryan Hickey, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Kenny Neal, The Royale, Olney Theatre Center & 1st Stage
Kenny Neal, Oil, Olney Theatre Center
Sarah O'Halloran, The Brothers Size, 1st Stage
Andre Pluess, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Matt Rowe, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Sound Design - Helen
e'Marcus Harper-Short, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Kenny Neal, columbinus, 1st Stage
Kenny Neal, Airness, The Keegan Theatre & 1st Stage
Tony Starnes, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Tom Teasley, Chao Tian, The White Snake, Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction in a Musical - Hayes
Peter Flynn, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Matthew Gardiner, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Alan Paul, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center
Molly Smith, Newsies, Arena Stage
Jerry Whiddon, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Direction in a Musical - Helen
Matt Conner, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Creative Cauldron
Ricky Drummond, Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Shawn Kettering, A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Nick Martin, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Michael Windsor, Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction in a Play - Hayes
Vivienne Benesch, Love's Labor's Lost, Folger Theatre
José Carrasquillo, The Brothers Size, 1st Stage
Robert Richmond, Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Ryan Rilette, Jared Mezzocchi, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Nicole A. Watson, School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre

Outstanding Direction in a Play - Helen
Raymond O. Caldwell, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Danielle A. Drakes, Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem, Theater Alliance
Rick Hammerly, Agnes of God, Factory 449
Alex Levy, Juan Francisco Villa, columbinus, 1st Stage
DeMone Seraphin, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Vato Tsikurishvili, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical - Hayes
A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical, The Kennedy Center
Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Newsies, Arena Stage
Once, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical - Helen
A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Disenchanted!, Creative Cauldron
Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
On Air, Creative Cauldron

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play - Hayes
Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Oil, Olney Theatre Center
The Oresteia, Shakespeare Theatre Company
School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre
Vanity Fair, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play - Helen
Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
columbinus, 1st Stage
Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater
Day of Absence, Theater Alliance
Pantheon, Happenstance Theater

Outstanding Performer - Visiting Production
Jayne Atkinson, Ann, Arena Stage
Anthony Chisholm, Jitney, Arena Stage
Sasson Gabay, The Band's Visit, The Kennedy Center
Steven Anthony Jones, Jitney, Arena Stage
Russell Jordan, Vivian's Music 1969, The Essential Theatre
Pat Kinevane, Silent, Solas Nua
Pomme Koch, The Band's Visit, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical - Hayes
Samantha M. Gershman, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Jade Jones, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Donna Migliaccio, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, Olney Theatre Center
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Assassins, Signature Theatre
Christopher Bloch, Assassins, Signature Theatre
Jeff Gorti, A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Vincent Kempski, Assassins, Signature Theatre
Bobby Smith, Grand Hotel, Signature Theatre
Jacob Scott Tischler, Singin' in the Rain, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical - Helen
Teresa Danskey, Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Susan Oliveras, Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Molly Rumberger, Be More Chill, Monumental Theatre Company
Molly Rumberger, Disenchanted!, Creative Cauldron
Alana Thomas, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Chani Wereley, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Marty Austin Lamar, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
Christian Montgomery, Be More Chill, Monumental Theatre Company
Josh Simon, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Creative Cauldron
Fashad Tyler, Black Nativity, Anacostia Playhouse
Greg Watkins, Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play - Hayes
Temídayo Amay, School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre
Shannon Dorsey, Fairview, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Jade Jones, School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre
Sarah Marshall, Admissions, Studio Theatre
Nancy Robinette, The Heiress, Arena Stage
Kathryn Tkel, A Doll's House, Part 2, Round House Theatre
Christopher Dinolfo, Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Juri Henley-Cohn, Oslo, Round House Theatre
Vincent Randazzo, Vanity Fair, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Justin Weaks, BLKS, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Elan Zafir, Twelve Angry Men, Ford's Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play - Helen Jessica Lefkow, Lovers' Vows, We Happy Few Productions
Chloe Mikala, The Burn, The Hub Theatre
Rebecca Speas, As You Like It, Brave Spirits Theatre
Zoe Walpole, Agnes of God, Factory 449
Gabby Wolfe, The Burn, The Hub Theatre
Aaron Bliden, Beep Beep, Arts on the Horizon
Brett Cassidy, columbinus, 1st Stage
Elliott Kashner, The Burn, The Hub Theatre
Jack Novak, Lovers' Vows, We Happy Few Productions
Gary Perkins III, Airness, The Keegan Theatre & 1st Stage
Chris Stezin, Airness, The Keegan Theatre & 1st Stage
Matt Stover, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical - Hayes
Felicia Curry, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical, The Kennedy Center
Nova Y. Payton, Ain't Misbehavin', Signature Theatre
Malinda Kathleen Reese, Once, Olney Theatre Center
Awa Sal Secka, Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Erin Weaver, Newsies, Arena Stage
Rhett Guter, Singin' in the Rain, Olney Theatre Center
Gregory Maheu, Once, Olney Theatre Center
Daniel J. Maldonado, Newsies, Arena Stage
Kevin McAllister, Ain't Misbehavin', Signature Theatre
Mason Alexander Park, Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical - Helen
Tanya DeLeon, Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Gabriella DeLuca, Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Nora Palka, On Air, Creative Cauldron
Eleanor Todd, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Creative Cauldron
Karen Vincent, Elephant & Piggie's "We Are In A Play!", Adventure Theatre MTC
Caroline Wolfson, Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company
Kurt Boehm, Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company
Juan Luis Espinal, Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Christian Montgomery, Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company
John Poncy, A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Jonah Schwartz, Huckleberry Finn's Big River, Adventure Theatre MTC

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play - Hayes
Kelley Curran, The Oresteia, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Shannon Dorsey, BLKS, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Catherine Eaton, Oil, Olney Theatre Center
Kashayna Johnson, School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre
Laura C. Harris, The Heiress, Arena Stage
Alison Luff, Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Sarah Marshall, Doubt, A Parable, Studio Theatre
Harrison Bryan, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Christian Conn, Doubt, A Parable, Studio Theatre
John Treacy Egan, Ken Ludwig's A Comedy of Tenors, Olney Theatre Center
Zachary Fine, Love's Labor's Lost, Folger Theatre
Gary-Kayi Fletcher, The Brothers Size, 1st Stage

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play - Helen
Felicia Curry, Agnes of God, Factory 449
Dane Figueroa Edidi, Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem, Theater Alliance
Billie Krishawn, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Lolita Marie, God of Carnage, The Keegan Theatre
Maryam Najafzada, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater
Louis E. Davis, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Jeremy Keith Hunter, Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre
Patrick Joy, columbinus, 1st Stage
Emmanuel Kyei-Baffour, Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Vato Tsikurishvili, Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Original Play or Musical Adaptation
Dane Figueroa Edidi, Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem, Theater Alliance
Patrick Flynn, The Velveteen Rabbit, Adventure Theatre MTC
Ellen McLaughlin, The Oresteia, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Matt Minnicino, A Misanthrope, Avant Bard Theatre
Tom Warburton, Mo Willems, Deborah Wicks La Puma, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical, The Kennedy Center

Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding Original New Play or Musical
Tearrance Chisholm, P.Y.G. Or The Mis-Edumacation Of Dorian Belle, Studio Theatre
Irma Correa, El viejo, el joven y el mar (The Old Man, the Youth, and the Sea), GALA Hispanic Theatre
Ken Ludwig, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Arena Stage
Psalmayene 24, Les Deux Noirs: Notes on Notes of a Native Son, Mosaic Theater Company of DC
Paul Reisman, The Great Commedia Hotel Murder Mystery, Faction of Fools Theatre Company

Outstanding Production - Theatre for Young Audiences
Beep Beep, Arts on the Horizon
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical, The Kennedy Center
From Gumbo to Mumbo, The Keegan Theatre
Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrop, Arts on the Horizon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Imagination Stage

Outstanding Visiting Production
The Band's Visit, The Kennedy Center
Hello, Dolly!, The Kennedy Center
Jitney, Arena Stage
Silent, Solas Nua
Twisted Melodies, Mosaic Theater Company of DC
Vivian's Music 1969, The Essential Theatre

Outstanding Production in a Musical - Hayes
Cabaret, Olney Theatre Center
A Chorus Line, Signature Theatre
Into the Woods, Ford's Theatre
Newsies, Arena Stage
Once, Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Production in a Musical - Helen
A Christmas Story, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Daddy Long Legs, Monumental Theatre Company
Fame, The Musical, GALA Hispanic Theatre
Legally Blonde, The Keegan Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors, Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding Production in a Play - Hayes
The Brothers Size, 1st Stage
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Round House Theatre
Doubt, A Parable, Studio Theatre
Nell Gwynn, Folger Theatre
Oil, Olney Theatre Center
School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, Round House Theatre

Outstanding Production in a Play - Helen
Agnes of God, Factory 449
Blood at the Root, Theater Alliance
Cyrano de Bergerac, Synetic Theater
Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem, Theater Alliance
Topdog/Underdog, Avant Bard Theatre

The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company
4615 Theatre Company