The Shakespeare Theatre's production of Cyrano took four awards at the 2005 Helen Hayes Awards ceremony May 9 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC. The awards recognize excellence in Washington theater.

Barry Kornhauser's adaptation of Edmond Rostand's classic Cyrano de Bergerac received honors for Outstanding Resident Play; Michael Kahn, Outstanding Director of a Resident Play; Geraint Wyn Davies, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Play, and James Noone, Outstanding Set Design, Resident Play or Musical. Kahn tied in the director category with Aaron Posner, director of the Folger Theatre's production of William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Noone tied for scenic design with James Kronzer for The Diary of Anne Frank at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD.

Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, took the largest total number of awards, five: three for Allegro, a revised version of Richard Rodgers' and Oscar Hammerstein II's unsuccessful 1947 musical, and two for The Highest Yellow, Michael John LaChiusa's new musical about Vincent Van Gogh. Allegro tied with Señor Discretion Himself, a reworked version of Frank Loesser's unproduced last musical, as Outstanding Resident Musical, and also earned recognition for director Eric Schaeffer and costume designer Gregg Barnes. Jason Danieley received the Outstanding Lead Actor-Resident Musical award as Van Gogh's doctor inThe Highest Yellow, and Jon Kalbfleisch was honored for outstanding musical direction for the same show.

Round House received a total of three awards, all for The Diary of Anne Frank: set design; Daniel MacLean Wagner's lighting design; and sound design by Martin Desjardins.

The Folger also received the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play for Melissa Arctic by Craig Wright, based on Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. Holly Twyford received the Outstanding Supporting Actress-Resident Play honor for her numerous roles in The Two Gentlemen of Verona,, which included playing a dog.

In addition to its award for Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage earned recognition for Ann Duquesnay as Outstanding Supporting Actress-Resident Musical in Hallelujah, Baby!, the winner of the 1968 Best Musical Tony Award adapted by original author Arthur Laurents.

The touring production ofThe Producers, which played at the Kennedy Center, received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Non-Resident Production, and Lee Roy Reams was honored as outstanding supporting performer as outrageous director Roger de Bris. The leads in Movin' Out at the National Theatre, Ron Todorowski and Holly Cruikshank, took the outstanding lead actor and actress awards for non-resident productions.

Other theater companies honored with Helen Hayes Awards were Synetic-Classika Theater in Arlington, outstanding choreography to Irina Tsikurishvili for The Master and Margarita; African Continuum Theatre Company in Washington, outstanding supporting actor-resident play to David Toney in August Wilson's Two Trains Running; Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, MD, outstanding supporting actor-resident musical, David James in Godspell; Studio Theatre in Washington, outstanding lead actress-resident play for Gin Hammond in the one-woman play The Syringa Tree; and MetroStage in Alexandria, VA, outstanding lead actress-resident musical, Bernardine Mitchell for Mahalia, a Gospel Musical.

Highlights of the award ceremony included a production number to Cy Coleman and David Zippel's "I'm Nothing Without You," in which technical personnel from area theaters participated with electric drills, and the appearance of Helen Hayes Tribute recipient Jerry Herman, who performed at the piano after making his remarks.

Joy Zinoman, founding artistic director of the Studio Theatre, received the Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theatre Community. Dr. Sidney Harman, chairman and chief executive officer of Harman International Industries, received the KPMG Award to recognize the Harman Family Foundation's $15 million donation to fund the Shakespeare Theatre's Harman Center for the Arts, scheduled to open in 2007.

More information about the Helen Hayes Awards can be found at www.helenhayes.org. Helen Hayes Awards Nominees and Winners (winners are in bold)

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
Fred Applegate, The Producers, The Kennedy Center
Kristine Bendul, Movin' Out, The National Theatre
Craig Bockhorn, On Golden Pond, The Kennedy Center
Harry Bouvy, The Producers, The Kennedy Center
John Ganun, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Kennedy Center
Charley Izabella King, The Producers, The Kennedy Center
Lee Roy Reams, The Producers, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production
James Earl Jones, On Golden Pond, The Kennedy Center
Will Power, Flow, The Studio Theatre
Alan Ruck, The Producers, The Kennedy Center
Lewis J. Stadlen, The Producers, The Kennedy Center
Ron Todorowski, Movin' Out, The National Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production
Holly Cruikshank, Movin' Out, The National Theatre
Deb Filler, Filler Up!, MetroStage
Julieta Gros, Movin' Out, The National Theatre
Darcie Roberts, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Kennedy Center
Leslie Uggams, On Golden Pond, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Non-Resident Production
A Tale of a Tiger, Rorschach Theatre
Flow, The Studio Theatre
Movin' Out, The National Theatre
On Golden Pond, The Kennedy Center
The Producers, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical
Rick Foucheux, Jesus Christ Superstar, Open Circle Theatre
William Hubbard, Mahalia, a Gospel Musical, MetroStage
David James, Godspell, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Jeffery Peterson, The Who's Tommy, The Studio Theatre Secondstage
Harry A. Winter, Allegro, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical
Felicia Curry, Godspell, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Ann Duquesnay, Hallelujah, Baby!, Arena Stage and George Street Playhouse
Margo Moorer, Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Carousel, Olney Theatre Center for the Arts
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Allegro, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play
John Dow, Boy Gets Girl, Theater Alliance
David Marks, The Cripple of Inishmaan, The Studio Theatre
Richard Pelzman, Pericles, The Shakespeare Theatre
David Sabin, Ivanov, The Studio Theatre
David Toney, Two Trains Running, The African Continuum Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play
Dana Ivey, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Kennedy Center
Valerie Leonard, The Elephant Man, Catalyst Theater Company
Jennifer Mendenhall, Lenny & Lou, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Holly Twyford, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre
Sarah Zimmerman, The Matchmaker, Ford's Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Play or Musical
Mark K. Anduss, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Martin Desjardins, The Diary of Anne Frank, Round House Theatre
Martin Desjardins, Macbeth, The Shakespeare Theatre
Irakli Kavsadze and Paata Tsikurishvili , The Master and Margarita, Synetic-Classika Theatre
Ron Oshima, Porcelain, Tsunami Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Play or Musical
Gregg Barnes, Allegro, Signature Theatre
Zack Brown, The Importance of Being Earnest, Arena Stage
Mara Blumenfeld, Pericles, The Shakespeare Theatre
Robert Perdziola, Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre
Emilio Sosa, Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage
Kate Turner-Walker, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Play or Musical
Howell Binkley, Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre
Dan Covey, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Dan Covey, Merlin and the Cave of Dreams, Imagination Stage
T.J. Gerckens, Pericles, The Shakespeare Theatre
Tim Mitchell, Henry IV, Part 1, The Shakespeare Theatre
Tim Mitchell, Henry IV, Part 2, The Shakespeare Theatre
Daniel MacLean Wagner, The Diary of Anne Frank, Round House Theatre

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Play or Musical
Tony Cisek, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Daniel Conway, Fences, Round House Theatre
Tie: James Kronzer, The Diary of Anne Frank, Round House Theatre
Tie: James Noone, Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre
Milagros Ponce de León, Boy Gets Girl, Theater Alliance

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Play or Musical
David H. Bell, Children of Eden, Ford's Theatre
Ilona Kessell, Cats, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Kelly Parsley, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Doriana Sanchez, Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage
Irina Tsikurishvili, The Crackpots, Synetic Theater
Irina Tsikurishvili, The Master and Margarita, Synetic-Classika Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Play or Musical
Jon Kalbfleisch, Elegies, a Song Cycle, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, Allegro, Signature Theatre
Jon Kalbfleisch, The Highest Yellow, Signature Theatre
William Knowles, Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company
Christopher Youstra, Godspell, Toby's Dinner Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical
Ron Curameng, Miss Saigon, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Jason Danieley, The Highest Yellow, Signature Theatre
Will Gartshore, Allegro, Signature Theatre
Marc Kudisch, The Highest Yellow, Signature Theatre
Rob McQuay, Jesus Christ Superstar, Open Circle Theatre
Kevyn Morrow, Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company
Stephen F. Schmidt, Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka, The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical
Suzzanne Douglas, Hallelujah, Baby!, Arena Stage and George Street Playhouse
Sherri L. Edelen, Elegies, a Song Cycle, Signature Theatre
Ebony Jo-Ann, Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company
Bernardine Mitchell, Mahalia, a Gospel Musical, MetroStage
Elena Shaddow, Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
Kenny Leon, Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company
Toby Orenstein and Rob McQuay, Godspell, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Charles Randolph-Wright, Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage
Suzanne Richard, Jesus Christ Superstar, Open Circle Theatre
Eric Schaeffer, Allegro, Signature Theatre
Eric Schaeffer, One Red Flower, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical
Tie: Allegro, Signature Theatre
Elegies: A Song Cycle, Signature Theatre
Godspell, Toby's Dinner Theatre
Jesus Christ Superstar, Open Circle Theatre
One Red Flower, Signature Theatre
Tie: Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage
Tambourines to Glory, True Colors Theatre Company

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
Craig Wright, Grace, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Ian Cohen, Lenny & Lou, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Craig Wright, Melissa Arctic, Folger Theatre
Charles Way, Merlin and the Cave of Dreams, Imagination Stage
Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser Book by Frank Loesser and Culture Clash, Señor Discretion Himself, Arena Stage

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play
Doug Brown, Our Lady of 121st Street, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Scott Fortier, The Elephant Man, Catalyst Theater Company
George Grizzard, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Kennedy Center
Stephen Lang, Beyond Glory, Tribute Productions
Geraint Wyn Davies, Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play
Megan Anderson, The Seagull, Rep Stage
Patricia Clarkson, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Kennedy Center
Brigid Cleary, Homebody/Kabul, Theater J and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Kathleen Coons, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Gin Hammond, The Syringa Tree, The Studio Theatre
Jennifer Mendenhall, Grace, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Laiona Michelle, Yellowman, Arena Stage

Outstanding Director, Resident Play
Mike Chamberlin, Porcelain, Tsunami Theatre Company
Tie: Michael Kahn, Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre
Kirsten Kelly, Boy Gets Girl, Theater Alliance
Tie: Aaron Posner, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre
Jeremy Skidmore, Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Mary Zimmerman, Pericles, The Shakespeare Theatre

Outstanding Resident Play
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Kennedy Center
Cyrano, The Shakespeare Theatre
Lenny & Lou, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Mary's Wedding, Theater Alliance
Pericles, The Shakespeare Theatre
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Folger Theatre

-- Susan Berlin

Also see the Current Theatre Season Calendar for D.C.