The Shakespeare Theatre revival of Schiller’s Don Carlos was the big winner in the design categories of the Helen Hayes Awards, given to honor excellence in theatre in the Washington, DC area.
In the set design category, Ming Cho Lee, designer of Don Carlos, tied with Tony Cisek for The Judas Kiss at Rep Stage, beating out Daniel L. Conway for Jitney at the Studio Theatre, Pavel Dobrusky for Agammenon and His Daughters at Arena Stage, James Kronzer for In the Garden at Signature Theatre, and Greg Mitchell for American Buffalo, at Source Theatre Company.
Chris Parry won in the lighting category, again for Don Carlos. He beat out Dan Covey for Macbeth at the Folger Theatre, Marcus Dilliard for The Oedipus Plays at the Shakespeare Theatre, Pavel Dobrusky for Agamemnon and his Daughters, Marianne Meadows for The Chosen at Theatre J, and Nancy Schertler for Tom Walker at Arena Stage.
In the costume slot, Robert Perdziola won for his work on Don Carlos, beating out Lindsay W. Davis for Agamemnon and His Daughters, Murell Horton for Hedda Gabler at the Shakespeare Theatre, Justin Light and Lucas Maroney for God of Vengeance at Rorschach Theatre and Theatre J, Susan E. Mickey for Blues in the Night at Arena Stage, and Jelena Vukmirovic for Perseus Bayou at Theatre of the First Amendment.
Daniel won in the sound category for Les Cloison (Partitions) at Le Neon Theatre. His competition was Mark Anduss for Andromeda Shack at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Tony Angelini for Home at Round House Theatre, Martin Desjardins for Hamlet at the Shakespeare Theatre, Fabian Obispo for Agamemnon and His Daughters, and Gil Thompson for The Invention of Love at the Studio Theatre.
The awards were presented May 6. A complete list of winners follows:
Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production: Tom Riis Farrell, Dirty Blonde, The Kennedy Center.
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical: Michael Sharp, Grand Hotel, Signature Theatre
. Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical: Kadejah Oni Higdon, Spunk, The African Continuum Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play: Helmar Augustus Cooper, Jitney, Studio Theatre.
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play: Mia Whang, Far East, Studio Theatre
Outstanding Set Design, Resident Play or Musical: Tony Cisek, The Judas Kiss, Rep Stage/Ming Cho Lee, Don Carlos, The Shakespeare Theatre (tie)
Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Play or Musical: Chris Parry, Don Carlos
Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Play or Musical: Robert Perdziola, Don Carlos
Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Play or Musical: Daniel Portaix, Les Cloisons (Partitions), Neon Theatre.
Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Play or Musical: Jon Kalbfleisch, Grand Hotel
Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production: Jason Watkins, A Servant to Two Masters, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production: Jodi Capeless, Late Nite Catechism, Phoenix Productions
Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical: Brian Childers, Danny & Sylvia: A Musical Love Story, The American Century Theatre.
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical: Bernadine Mitchell, Blues in the Night, Arena Stage
Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play: Nigel Reed, The Judas Kiss
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play: Jenifer Deal, The Muckle Man, Source Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Resident Musical: Mary Hall Surface, Perseus Bayou, Theatre of the First Amendment
Outstanding Director of a Resident Play: Thomas W. Jones, II, Home, Round House Theatre
. The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play: In the Garden by Norman Allen, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Non-Resident Production: Mill on the Floss, The Kennedy Center
Outstanding Resident Musical: Blues in the Night
Outstanding Resident Play: Home