Helen Hayes Award Winners Announced

The 2025 Helen Hayes Awards, which honor achievement in the Washington, DC-area theatre scene, were given out on May 19. The awards break down into two broad categories: Productions with majority-non-union casts are considered for Helen Awards, and those with majority-union casts are considered for Hayes Awards.

The design winners are:

Outstanding Costume Design/Hayes
Dede Ayite and Nikiya Mathis, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Outstanding Costume Design/Helen
Kendra Rai, The Nance, 1st Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design/Hayes
Jen Schriever, Private Jones, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design/Helen
Hailey LaRoe, Las hermanas Palacios (The Palacios Sisters), GALA Hispanic Theatre

Outstanding Set Design/Hayes
Gisela Estrada, Covenant, Theater Alliance

Outstanding Set Design/Helen
Matthew J. Keenan, Noises Off, The Keegan Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design/Hayes
Eric Norris, Private Jones, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design/Helen
Jennifer O'Malley, Summertime, Solas Nua

Outstanding Media/Projection Design/Hayes
Hannah Wasileski, The Lehman Trilogy, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Media/Projection Design/Helen
Mark Costello, Astro Boy and the God of Comics, Flying V

Leading the awards were 1st Stage's production of Douglas Carter Beane's comic drama The Nance and the world premiere musical Private Jones at Signature Theatre, each with four.

For the full list of winners, go to www.broadwayworld.com/article/Signature-Keegan-and-1st-Stage-Lead-Wins-at-41st-Annual-Helen-Hayes-Awards-in-Washington-DC-20250520.