The awards ceremony for the 24th Annual Washington Area Theatre Community Honors (WATCH) Awards took place on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA. Ninety-four productions (37 musicals, 57 plays) were adjudicated in 2025.
Twenty-eight community theater companies participated in WATCH adjudication.
– Aldersgate Church Community Theater
– Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
– Bowie Community Theatre
– City of Fairfax Theatre Company
– Castaways Theatre
– Colonial Players of Annapolis
– Damascus Theatre Company
– Dominion Stage
– Fauquier Community Theatre
– Greenbelt Arts Center
– Hard Bargain Players
– Kentland Community Players
– Laurel Mill Playhouse
– Little Theatre of Alexandria
– Montgomery Playhouse
– Port Tobacco Players
– Prince William Little Theatre
– Providence Players of Fairfax
– Reston Community Players
– Rockville Little Theatre
– Rockville Musical Theatre
– 2nd Star Productions
– St. Mark’s Players
– Silver Spring Stage
– Silhouette Stages
– Sterling Playmakers
– The Arlington Players
– Vienna Theatre Company
In each of the thirty-six categories, five nominees were selected based on the average scores of eight judges. In some categories, due to score ties, more than five nominees are announced. Nominations are provided in alphabetical order by nominee. The nominations are provided by category. The winners are marked in bold. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!
Nominations for outstanding technical achievements:
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical (5)
Lori Crockett & Lisa Leary – The Producers – Reston Community Players
*Seth Fallon, Leon Nguyen, Thomas Allen, Julie Mimms, Jeremy Goldman, Ande Kolp, and
Debbie Mobley – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Riley Leonhardt – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Lourdes Turnblom – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Tina Weich – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play (6)
Maggie Balacki – An Ideal Husband – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Jeaneo Binney – for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf – 2nd Star Productions
Farrell Hartigan – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Jennifer Morrissey – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
*Ainsley Steger – The Metromaniacs – St. Mark’s Players
Zen Tabligan – The Crucible – Silhouette Stages
Outstanding Hair Design in a Musical (5)
Kyle Chua – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Ryan DeVoe – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Candace J. Foreman – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
*Ryan Kincade – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Sue Pinkman – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Hair Design in a Play (6)
Jan Blome – An Ideal Husband – Colonial Players of Annapolis
*Mary Frances Dini – The Metromaniacs – St. Mark’s Players
Emily Lagana – It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – Prince William Little Theatre
Shemika Renee – for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf –
2nd Star Productions
Maureen Roult – Blithe Spirit – Dominion Stage
Danielle Ward – Airness – Port Tobacco Players
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical (5)
*Kim Crago & Jeff Auerbach – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Ken & Patty Crowley – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Jake Gunter – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
TJ Lukacsina – Seussical the Musical – Silhouette Stages
John Purnell – Disaster – Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play (5)
Jeffrey Auerbach & Kimberly Crago – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Ken Crowley & Patti Crowley – The Woman in Black – Prince William Little Theatre
*Ari McSherry – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Tommy Scott – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
Don Slater – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Outstanding Makeup Design in a Musical (5)
Kyle Chua – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
*Seth Fallon, Leon Nguyen, Thomas Allen, Julie Mimms – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Candace J. Foreman – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Michael Barret Jones – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
McKenna G. Kelly – Company – Silver Spring Stage
Outstanding Makeup Design in a Play (7)
Jan Blome – An Ideal Husband – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Mary Frances Dini – The Metromaniacs – St. Mark’s Players
Jennifer Finn – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Meredith Fletcher – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Emily Lagana – It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – Prince William Little Theatre
*Maureen Roult – Blithe Spirit – Dominion Stage
Danielle Ward – Airness – Port Tobacco Players
Outstanding Properties in a Musical (5)
Natalie Foley – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Mary Jo Ford – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Jessie Krupkin – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Mel McCleerey – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
*Lillian McKinley & Carolyn Eby – A Year with Frog and Toad – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Properties in a Play (5)
*Norma Andrews – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Helen Bard-Sobola – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Erin Branigan, Emma Bowers, Katherine Offutt-Ross – The Play That Goes Wrong –
The Arlington Players
Kira Hogan & Joanne Tompkins – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Bob Thompson – It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – Prince William Little Theatre
Outstanding Set Construction in a Musical (6)
Bill Dunbar – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
*Peter Marsh & James Maxted – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Tony Muller & Shah Choudhury – Legally Blonde – The Arlington Players
Neal Townsend & Chris Mobley – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Gene Valendo – Into the Woods – 2nd Star Productions
*Dan Widerski – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Set Construction in a Play (5)
Douglas Becker – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
*Jim Hutzler – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Dan Lavanga – Web of Murder – Bowie Community Theatre
Tom O’Reilly – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
David Whitehead – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Outstanding Set Decoration and Set Dressing in a Musical (5)
Natalie Foley – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Mel McCleerey & Becky Gould-Levine – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
*Alecia Nault – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
*Angie Townsend & Jessie Krupkin – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Outstanding Set Decoration and Set Dressing in a Play (6)
Helen Bard-Sobola & Stacey Becker – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Erin Branigan, Emma Bowers, Katherine Offutt-Ross – The Play That Goes Wrong –
The Arlington Players
Margaret Chapman, Diana Selman, Eleanore Tapscott – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre
of Alexandria
Roy Hammond – Web of Murder – Bowie Community Theatre
*McKenna Kelly – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Matt Liptak – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical (7)
Matthew Bannister – Company – Silver Spring Stage
Noah Beye – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Sammy Jungwirth – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Kim Leone – Legally Blonde – The Arlington Players
Peter Marsh & James Maxted – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Anna Mintz – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
*Dan & Sheila Widerski – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Set Design in a Play (5)
Dan Deisz & Dan Remmers – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Julie Fischer – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Skip Gresko – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
Dan Lavanga – Web of Murder – Bowie Community Theatre
*Maggie Modig – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Outstanding Set Painting in a Musical (5)
Makayla Davis – Into the Woods – 2nd Star Productions
*Bridget Egan – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Mel McCleery & Becky Gould-Levine – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Cathy Rieder – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Cathy Rieder – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Set Painting in a Play (5)
Stacey Becker – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Kimberly Leone – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
*Maggie Modig – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Deirdre Nicholson-Lamb – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Brian O’Connor, Beth Whitehead, David Whitehead – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical (5)
Andi Matten – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Tim McCleerey & Wil Taft – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
*Elizabeth Shaher – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Nick Smith – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Hayden Van Wormer – Disaster – Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play (5)
*Jeff Miller – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Matthew Scarborough – The Woman in Black – Prince William Little Theatre
Aaron Skolnik – The Woman in Black – Rockville Little Theatre
Kenneth L. Waters, Jr. – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
Dudley Whitney – Dracula – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Outstanding Special Effects (5)
Ken & Patti Crowley, Myke Taister, Russell M. Wyland – The Play That Goes Wrong –
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Skip Gresko – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
Eric Hufford & Wes Bedsworth – Dracula – Colonial Players of Annapolis
*Dan Foster – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Adam Reesa, Allison Gray Mendes, Julie Fischer – Blithe Spirit – Dominion Stage
Nominations for outstanding performances by an actor or actress:
Outstanding Cameo in a Musical (5)
Henry Cyr as “Harry/Richard Bailey” – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Steven Fuentes-Interiano as “Nikos” – Legally Blonde – 2nd Star Productions
Rachael Howell as “Gloria Rasputin” – Bye Bye Birdie – Port Tobacco Players
*Scott Pierce as “Ezekiel Foster” – White Christmas – Fauquier Community Theatre
Garrett Rinker as “Teen Angel” – Grease – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Outstanding Cameo in a Play (5)
Tom Byrne as “You Tube Guy” – Bump – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Robert Heinly as “George Mallonee” – The City of Conversation – Dominion Stage
Gayle Nichols-Grimes as “Carolyn Mallonee” – The City of Conversation – Dominion Stage
Jenn Robinson as “Woman in Black” – The Woman in Black – Prince William Little Theatre
*Kevin Sockwell as “Malomo” – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical (10)
AnnaBelle Auguste as “Cinderella” – Into the Woods – 2nd Star Productions
*Lauren Baker as “Motormouth Maybelle” – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
*Zach Burgess as “Leaf Coneybear” – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee –
Sterling Playmakers
Steve Cairns as “Franz Liebkind” – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Imani Corbin as “Little Red Ridinghood” – Into the Woods – 2nd Star Productions
Maddie Ervin/Cera Baker as “Lauren” – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Samantha Mcewen Deininger as “Terry/Delores” – Working – Colonial Players of Annapolis
McKinley Seale as “Olive Ostrovsky” – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee –
Sterling Playmakers
Jessi Shull as “Rona Lisa Peretti” – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Sterling Playmakers Faith Wang as “Little Sally” – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play (12)
*Sally Cusenza as “Grandma” – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Gary Bernard DiNardo as “Eric” – Everything is Wonderful – Dominion Stage
Erin Galilee as “Esther” – Everything is Wonderful – Dominion Stage
Scott Graham as “E. K. Hornbeck” – Inherit the Wind – Fauquier Community Theatre
Bill Hurlbut as “Michael” – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Brian Jimenez as “Louie” – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
John Jennings as “Max Bennett” – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
Katherine Leiden as “Widow Quin” – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
*Joshua Mutterperl as “Christopher Wren” – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Bruce Alan Rauscher as “Sgt. Trotter” – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Jess Rawls as “Miri” – Everything is Wonderful – Dominion Stage
Christopher Smith as “Robert Grove” – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical (5)
Lindsey Anstead as “Elle Woods” – Legally Blonde – The Arlington Players
Iris DeWitt as “Rose Alvarez” – Bye Bye Birdie – Port Tobacco Players
*Joshua Franklin as “Lola/Simon” – Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
Clayton Alex James as “Simon/Lola” – Kinky Boots – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Eric Morris as “Dr. Frank N. Furter” – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Noah Mutterperl as “Jamie Wellerstein” – The Last Five Years – Sterling Playmakers
Ryan Power as “The Baker” – Into the Woods – 2nd Star Productions
Lindsey Nicole Steinberg as “Tracey Turnblad” – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Nick Villacorte as “Tommy DeVito” – Jersey Boys – Fauquier Community Theatre
Matt Wetzel as “Cat in the Hat” – Seussical the Musical – Silhouette Stages
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play (11)
*Sarah Cusenza as “Bella” – Lost in Yonkers – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Cainan Asher Grier as “Guy” – Blues for an Alabama Sky – Silver Spring Stage
Scott Heine as “Kip” – The Woman in Black – Prince William Little Theatre
Jaylen Reginald Henderson as “Othello” – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
*Jay Hunt as “Iago” – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
Justin Oratokhari as “Christopher” – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Tristan Poje as “Lord Goring” – An Ideal Husband – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Tristan Poje as “Charlie Baker” – Foreigner – Rockville Little Theatre
Seth Rue as “Benedick” – Much Ado About Nothing – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Yael Schoenbaum as “Pegeen” – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Aparna Sri as “Mrs. Cheveley” – An Ideal Husband – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Leta Hall Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical (5)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Sterling Playmakers
Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
*Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Leta Hall Outstanding Ensemble in a Play (6)
*Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors – Colonial Players of Annapolis
Everything is Wonderful – Dominion Stage
The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
*The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
*The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Nominations for outstanding achievement in overall production:
Outstanding Stage Combat Choreography (6)
Emmiline Winter Chang – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Adian Chapman – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Ian Claar – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Casey Kaleba – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
Jillian Riti – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
*Jehan Silva – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Choreography (5)
Abby Chaumont – White Christmas – Fauquier Community Theatre
*Kristina Friedgen – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Victoria Jungck – Legally Blonde – The Arlington Players
*Phillip Smith-Cobbs – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Jolene Vettese – The Producers – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Music Direction (6)
*Jim Bowen-Collinson – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Sterling Playmakers
Matthew Dohm – Company – Silver Spring Stage
Nancy Huddleston – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Cate Murray/Cathy Drummond – Jersey Boys – Fauquier Community Theatre
Owen Posnett – A Year with Frog and Toad – Rockville Musical Theatre
David Weinraub – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
Outstanding Direction of a Musical (5)
Kyle Chua – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Sterling Playmakers
Liz Colandene – The Rocky Horror Show – Reston Community Players
*Kristina Friedgen – Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
Mel McCleerey – Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Chad Rabago – A Year with Frog and Toad – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Direction of a Play (5)
*Henry Cyr – The Crucible – Silhouette Stages
Seth Ghitelman – The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
Frank D. Shutts, II – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
*Eleanore Tapscott – The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
Rachel Wallace – Othello – Port Tobacco Players
Outstanding Musical (5)
Hairspray – Prince William Little Theatre
Kinky Boots – Silhouette Stages
The Producers – Reston Community Players
*Urinetown – Rockville Musical Theatre
A Year with Frog and Toad – Rockville Musical Theatre
Outstanding Play (7)
*The Crucible – Silhouette Stages
The Mousetrap – Providence Players of Fairfax
*Othello – Port Tobacco Players
*The Play That Goes Wrong – The Little Theatre of Alexandria
The Play That Goes Wrong – The Arlington Players
The Playboy of the Western World – Silver Spring Stage
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – Prince William Little Theatre
ABOUT THE WATCH AWARDS
The Washington Area Theatre Community Honors (WATCH) is an organization founded for the adjudication and presentation of annual awards recognizing artistic and technical excellence in community theater throughout the metropolitan Washington DC area. These honors will:
- Foster and encourage the growth of community theater;
- Promote and enhance the image of community theater; and
- Educate and inform the general public about the theatrical opportunities provided by the member theaters.
