Signature and Kennedy Center lead nominations for best in D.C. theater
Published: 10 February 2025
By Thomas Floyd
via the Washington Post newspaper (DC) website
Private Jones image
Johnny Link and the cast of "Private Jones" at Signature Theatre. (Christopher Nueller)
“Private Jones” and “The Nance” earned the most Helen Hayes Award nods.
“Private Jones,” a new musical about a deaf Welsh sniper in World War I, racked up 10 nominations for the Helen Hayes Awards, helping Signature Theatre edge the Kennedy Center for the top tally in advance of May’s annual celebration of the best in D.C. theater.
Signature’s 25 nods also included seven for its boisterous revival of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Among the Kennedy Center’s 24 nominations were seven for its Broadway Center Stage production of the gleefully irreverent “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” plus six apiece for “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Nine.”
Leading all shows with 11 nominations was 1st Stage’s play “The Nance,” about burlesque performers in the 1930s.
The Kennedy Center’s accolades came during a moment of uncertainty for the arts institution, after President Donald Trump revealed plans to remove several members of its board and install himself as chairman over his complaints about its programming.
The 41st Helen Hayes Awards will be hosted May 19 at the Anthem.
For the past decade, the awards have been split into two designations: “Helen” for modest productions with mostly non-equity actors and “Hayes” for bigger shows with mostly equity performers.
→ Read the entire article on the Y!Entertainment website.
External Web Site Notice: This page contains information directly presented from an external source. The terms and conditions of this page may not be the same as those of this website. Click here to read the full disclaimer notice for external web sites. Thank you.
