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Awards Nominees & Winners

Dreamgirls, The Color Purple, Memphis Are 2013 Helen Hayes Nominees

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical Debra Walton, James Alexander, Zurin Villanueva, James T. Lane, and Aisha de Haas in the MetroStage production "Josephine Tonight." C. Stanley Photography

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One of the top honors in, the Helen Hayes Awards recognizes outstanding achievements in theatre works and performance for over 80 different professional theatres in the DC Metropolitan area. Next to New York, The Washington area theatre scene ranks as the top in the nation. On January 28th the nominations for 2013 were announced and to the surprise of many (not us) Toby’s Dinner Theatre production of The Color Purple and Signature Theatres production of Dreamgirls racked up. The former with 8 nominations and the ladder with 7 nominations. Some of BroadwayBlack’s favorites were given the honor of a nomination this year as well, including E. Faye Butler (Pullman Porter Blues) and Felicia Boswell (Memphis). Let us not forget the ensemble cast of Josephine Tonight Congrats to ALL the nominees from BroadwayBlack.com! View the full list of nominations below.

2013 HELEN HAYES NOMINATIONS

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical

Matthew A. Anderson
Seussical
Imagination Stage

Brooks Ashmanskas
1776
Ford’s Theatre

James Gardiner
Little Shop of Horrors
Olney Theatre Center

Doug Kreeger
Brother Russia
Signature Theatre

Paul Scanlan
Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

Bobby Smith
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical

Mary Bridget Davies
One Night with Janis Joplin
Arena Stage

Natascia Diaz
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage

Nova Y. Payton
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Dayna Quincy
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Erin Weaver
Xanadu
Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical

Christopher Bloch
1776
Ford’s Theatre

Michael John Casey
Rapunzel
Imagination Stage

Robert Cuccioli
1776
Ford’s Theatre

David Little
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Cedric Neal
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Nicholas Rodriguez
My Fair Lady
Arena Stage

Bobby Smith
Little Shop of Horrors
Olney Theatre Center

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical

Priscilla Cuellar
Legally Blonde the Musical
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Theresa Cunningham
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Sherri L. Edelen
Xanadu
Signature Theatre

Crystal Joy
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Donna Migliaccio
The Music Man
Arena Stage

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage
Josephine Tonight

MetroStage
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

Puerto Rico…
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Rapunzel

Imagination Stage
Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play

Teagle F. Bougere
Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Steven Epp
The Servant of Two Masters
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Larry Marshall
Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Cody Nickell
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Jose Joaqu Perez
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play

Rena Cherry Brown
August: Osage County
The Keegan Theatre

Helen Carey
Long Day
Arena Stage

Francesca Faridany
Strange Interlude
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Lee Mikeska Gardner
Side Man
1st Stage

Kathryn Kelley
The Belle of Amherst
The Bay Theatre Company

Kate Eastwood Norris
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Kathleen Turner
Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
Arena Stage

Holly Twyford
Dirt
The Studio Theatre

The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play

Adam Green
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Adi Hanash
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Matthew McGee
Taking Steps
Constellation Theatre Company

Danny Scheie
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Bradley Foster Smith
Suite Surrender
1st Stage

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production

Emily Behny
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
The National Theatre

Felicia Boswell
Memphis
The Kennedy Center

Mara Davi
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
The Kennedy Center

Ashley Blair Fitzgerald
Come Fly Away
The Kennedy Center

Helen Russell
Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie
Theater J

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production

Robert Jack
Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Julie Johnson
Memphis
The Kennedy Center

Tom Lawrence
Hamlet
Folger Theatre

Adam McNamara
Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Christopher Saul
Hamlet
Folger Theatre

Chris Starkie
Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production

Colin K. Bills
Brother Russia
Signature Theatre

Colin K. Bills
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Chuan-Chi Chan
The Servant of Two Masters
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Mary Louise Geiger
Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Keith Parham
Red
Arena Stage

Justin Townsend
One Night with Janis Joplin
Arena Stage

Thom Weaver
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Christopher Bayes
The Servant of Two Masters
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Robert Falls
Red
Arena Stage

Kirsten Kelly
Big Love
The Hub Theatre

Christopher McElroen
Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Ethan McSweeny
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Aaron Posner
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

John Vreeke
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Michael Kahn
The Government Inspector
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical

Kathryn Chase Bryer
Rapunzel
Imagination Stage

Matthew Gardiner
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Toby Orenstein
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Lawrence B. Munsey
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Mark A. Rhea
Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

Susan Marie Rhea
Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

Serge Seiden
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage

Janet Stanford
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production

Christopher Baine
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Cliff Eberhardt, Original Music; and Christopher Baine, Sound Design
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Matthew Nielson
The Illusion
Forum Theatre

David Remedios
Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Brendon Vierra
Hum
Theater Alliance

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical

Matthew R. Wilson, adaptor; based on the novel by Charles Dickens
A Commedia Christmas Carol
Faction of Fools Theatre Company

Jason Gray Platt
Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus
Round House Theatre

Bryony Lavery
Dirt
The Studio Theatre

Kathryn Chase Bryer, David Palmer, Janet Stanford, Septime Webre, concept by; libretto & lyrics by Janet Stanford with additional lyrics by Bari Biern; music by Matthew Pierce
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

Cheryl L. West
Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Paul Downs Colaizzo
Really Really
Signature Theatre

Renee Calarco
The Religion Thing
Theater J

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production

Parker Esse
The Music Man
Arena Stage

Joe Isenberg
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Erika Chong Shuch
The Conference of the Birds
Folger Theatre

Rick Sordelet
Sucker Punch
The Studio Theatre

Anwar Thomas
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Septime Webre
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

David Palmer
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

Outstanding Production, Theatre For Young Audiences

A Little House Christmas
Adventure Theatre MTC

The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Imagination Stage

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
The Kennedy Center

Rapunzel
Imagination Stage

The Snowy Day
Adventure Theatre

Outstanding Non-Resident Production

The Animals and Children Took to the Streets
Studio Theatre

Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Hamlet
Folger Theatre

Memphis
The Kennedy Center

Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie
Theater J

Outstanding Resident Play

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Theatre Company

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Our Class
Theater J

The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Outstanding Resident Musical

1776
Ford’s Theatre

The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage

Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play

E. Faye Butler
Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Sarah Marshall
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Natalia Payne
Dirt
The Studio Theatre

Nancy Robinette
The Government Inspector
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Holly Twyford
The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production

Michael Benz
Hamlet
Folger Theatre

Ryan Fletcher
Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Martin Kaye
Million Dollar Quartet
The Kennedy Center

David M. Lutken
Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie
Theater J

Christopher Sieber
La Cage Aux Folles
The Kennedy Center

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play

August: Osage County
The Keegan Theatre

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

The Government Inspector
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

The Taming of the Shrew
Folger Theatre

Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production

Riccardo Hernandez
Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Troy Hourie
Invisible Man
The Studio Theatre

Misha Kachman
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Todd Rosenthal
Red
Arena Stage

Lee Savage
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production

Judith Bowden
My Fair Lady
Arena Stage

Murell Horton
The Government Inspector
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Frank Labovitz
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Jennifer Moeller
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Theatre Company

Lawrence B. Munsey
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production

Jenny Cartney
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
MetroStage

Jonathan Tuzman
Mr. Burns, a post-electric play
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Lawrence Goldberg
The Music Man
Arena Stage

Jon Kalbfleisch
Dreamgirls
Signature Theatre

Jake Null
Spring Awakening
The Keegan Theatre

Christopher Youstra
The Color Purple
Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Jmichael
Pullman Porter Blues
Arena Stage

Founder/Editor-In-Chief of BroadwayBlack.com | Actor | Artist | 1/3 of @OffBookPodcast | Theatre connoisseur | All Audra Everything | Caroline over Change | I'm Not Charl Brown | Norm Lewis is my play cousin | Producing an all-black production of Mame starring Jenifer Lewis in my head

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Awards Nominees & Winners

Collecting Our Things: Black Excellence Dominates the 2017 Oscars

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If you weren’t lucky enough to get snuck in through the side door at the 89th Academy Awards Ceremony, I’ll give you the Broadway Black rundown. With Moonlight taking the big Oscar of the night, it seems The Academy heard us loud and clear when we demanded they give us our things, and I’m glad.

Watch highlight videos below! #TourBusGary, Viola, Mahershala, & Moonlights acceptances speeches, and more!

Although I do have some complaints I’d like to file regarding Ms. Taraji P. Henson and Mr. Denzel Washington, but that’s for another time.

The night began with Mahershala Ali winning Best Supporting Actor for his role as Juan in Moonlight. Mahershala celebrated many firsts on Oscar night: his first nomination and his first win. While many laud Ali for being the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar, his acceptance speech focused on his mentors, education, and his new baby girl.

“I want to thank my teachers, my professors. I had so many wonderful teachers, and one of the things they told me was…it’s not about you, it’s about these characters. You’re in service to these stories and these characters.”

 (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Image: Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times

Moonlight celebrated Mahershala’s win and later took home Best Picture (after a perplexing mix-up with La La Land – see blow) and Best Adapted Screenplay. The creators and cast of Moonlight echoed Mahershala’s message of representation. In their acceptance speech for Best Adapted Screenplay, Tarell Alvin McCraney and Barry Jenkins pledged to defend those who don’t fit the mold:

“All you people out there, who feel like there’s no mirror for you or your life is not reflected. We have your back and for the next four years, we will not leave you alone. We will not forget you.”

Image: Kevin Winter/Getty

Jenkins’ words echoed the community and perseverance that Moonlight celebrates. His victory for his second feature film alone is a testament to the spirit of perseverance. His first feature film, the highly acclaimed Medicine for Melancholy, premiered in 2008. Jenkins speaks openly of the discouragement he felt in this eight-year gap, where, at times, he thought his career was at an end. But just like Jenkins couldn’t dodge that Best Picture Oscar, he couldn’t dodge his calling, and I couldn’t be more pleased.

Another highlight in that same speech came from McCraney, who is the playwright of In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue of which the film is based. He said:

“This goes out to all those black and brown boys and girls and non-gender-conforming who don’t see themselves, we’re trying to show you you and us. Thank you, thank you. This is for you.”

Further celebrating a night of untold stories, NASA’s Katherine Johnson joined the Hidden Figures cast on stage. With the grace of a thousand Dianas, Viola Davis accepted the award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Rose in Fences. Her performance, which earned her a Tony for Best Actress in 2010, resonated with women and defined resilience to men.

We know Viola from Broadway and How to Get Away With Murder, but tonight she made history as the first Black actor to take home an Emmy, Tony, and Oscar for acting. Her role in Fences gives glory to the ordinary, and her speech showed her pride in that fact.

Now, about that Best Picture Oscar. Still can’t believe this actually happened. There are no words to describe what the conflicting feelings of confusion & joy bottled and shaken up, on the brink of explosion, actually feels like but here it is in video form:

As I cheered along, I thought of the power of ordinariness in Black communities. The legacy of Blackness exudes strength and resilience, but we should remember that excellence isn’t isolated to any tax bracket.

Audiences found power in Viola Davis’ Rose because August Wilson did not see powerful and ordinary as mutually exclusive. It is vital, especially today, that the Fences and Hidden Figures and Moonlights empower us.

These films tell the story of those perceived as ordinary, simply because the people looking had a singular point of view. So, yes, tonight was for Viola and her staple in history, for Mahershala and Moonlight collecting their things, and even for Denzel and Ruth Negga, no matter what The Academy says.

But even more, tonight was for the ordinary people who are, in fact, excellent and Broadway Black.

View the full list of winners at Oscar.

& the funniest moment of the night that we just can’t seem to get over. Watch #TourBusGary become a meme right in front of your eyes:

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Awards Nominees & Winners

Danielle Brooks visits Jimmy Kimmel Live

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When you see an image of Danielle Brooks on your feed, steaming her own skirt, in a flirty,  transparent blouse, pointed-toe, bubblegum colored pumps, with a caption that reads, “I’ll be steamin’ hot on Jimmy Kimmel Live,” it’s a good day! Danielle’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live aired on the night of June 30, on ABC. She demonstrated the scene when she embraced “Mama O” (Oprah), and shared stories about filming the Netflix series, Orange is the New Black, while performing nightly as “Sofia” in the Tony Award-winning show, The Color Purple.

It’s Danielle‘s superwoman cape, of course, that allows her to transport from Broadway to LA to Litchfield and back! One minute she’s on the East Coast roaring, “You told Harpo to beat me,” and the next she’s on the West Coast telling Jimmy Kimmel about a terrifying train ride with hysterical OITNB fans.
Orange is the New Black, where she plays “Tasha ‘Taystee’ Jefferson,” evinces season four’s monumental launch into raising awareness about several social justice issues, including the highly extremely relevant movement of Black Lives Matter.
Danielle has dedicated her life to performing in projects with meaning and purpose, and here at Broadway Black, we couldn’t be more proud. In fact, when she detailed (on JKL) the story of her proud parents capturing a selfie with Oprah on Tony night– thanks to Danielle’s talent and commitment–I wondered how many (non-Blacks) would even know about certain issues in the Black community without Broadway Black stars  like her.
She is everywhere making a difference.
I turn on Netflix, boom, she’s there, giving a stellar performance as a fed up inmate fighting for justice. I ride the NY  train and see her in a sassy soldier uniform, on the cover of someone’s Ebony magazine. Or plastered on an ad in her burnt orange jumper.
In the same manner, I hit the TV switch, and Danielle is on my screen, in a late show interview. Or securing the streets in an animation film. I shop in the mall and see her as the face of an exclusive Lane Bryant collection.
I catch the morning ABC news… and she’s there.
Wait! Do I sound like I’m fangirling?
Well, it’s kind of hard not to when Danielle’s respective performances and platforms represent everything that you stand for. She is an advocate for the thick girls, and opens conversations about being confident in your skin/body. She is onstage showcasing strong womanhood and Black unity, and on screen uncovering absurdities in corrupt systems, revealing racial injustice.
I’ve said before that she has the power inside to evoke change in this country. Consequently, on JKL, the largest topic was Oprah and Danielle’s relationship because they are like-minded. I would stay tuned for more groundbreaking news with Danielle Brooks as the headline if I were you.
Check out a final clip of Danielle Brooks on Jimmy Kimmel Live below.

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Twitter: @BroadwayBlack

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