Theatre Washington will host the 42nd Annual Helen Hayes Awards on Monday, May 18, 2026, at The Anthem in Washington, DC, bringing together the region’s dynamic theater community for an evening honoring artistic excellence across the Washington, DC, area. The evening includes a red carpet, festive reception, seated dinner, and presentation of Awards with performances from some of the region’s most celebrated theater-makers. The theme for this year’s ceremony, “Make a Scene,” showcases the essential role of theater in today’s world as both an art form and a platform for conversation, change, and reflection.
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by performers Felicia Curry, Awa Sal Secka, and Derrick Truby, with performances featuring the Helen Hayes Awards Ensemble. The creative team includes co-directors Ashleigh King and Holly Twyford, with music direction by Christopher Wingert, script writing by Trey Graham, and production stage management by Julia Singer. Philanthropist and Business Leader Adrienne Arsht will receive the inaugural Transformative Cultural Impact Award.
Recognizing productions from the 2025 calendar year, the Helen Hayes Awards continue to spotlight the depth and diversity of the theater community. The Helen Hayes Awards recognize outstanding achievement from dozens of professional theaters and hundreds of theater-makers across the DC region, celebrating the artists and organizations that contribute to one of the nation’s most robust theater communities. This year’s program reflects the scale and versatility of the region’s creative output:
- 149 eligible productions, including 42 musicals, 107 plays, and 33 world premieres
- 77 nominated productions
- 38 nominated theaters
- 249 individual nominees
- 1,997 individual pieces of work evaluated
“The Helen Hayes Awards are a testament to the strength and vibrancy of our theater community,” said Amy Austin, Theatre Washington President and CEO. “This year’s nominees represent an incredible range of voices and perspectives, highlighting the power of theater to bring people together and spark meaningful conversations. We are proud to celebrate the artists and creative teams whose work continues to inspire audiences and strengthen our cultural community.”
Adrienne Arsht, philanthropist and business leader, will receive the Transformative Cultural Impact Award at the ceremony in May. Arsht has made transformative contributions to some of the nation’s leading arts institutions, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where she served on the Board of Trustees. In 2008, she made a landmark gift to Miami’s Performing Arts Center, which became the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and endowed the Center to establish a fully paid internship program, expanding access to careers in arts administration. In Washington, DC, Arsht founded the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council to focus on the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in the trans-Atlantic community. She also created and funded a Center for Resilience at the Atlantic Council, which evolved into the National Security Resilience Initiative, and launched the Community-Based Resilience Solutions Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution.
Helen Hayes Awards Honorary Chairs are Robert Pullen and Luke Frazier, with lead Host Committee members Jan Du Plain, Edie Fraser, Catherine Hand, Beth Mendelson, Bonnie Nelson Schwartz (founder of the Helen Hayes Awards), Robin Philips, Annie Simonian Totah, Jose Alberto Ucles, and Tom Noll. Sponsors include Destination DC, Events DC, TodayTix, Giant Food, Tang Reserve Tea, and OTJ Architects.
The full list of the 2026 Helen Hayes Award nominees is available HERE.
Produced by Theatre Washington, the Helen Hayes Awards are the culmination of a year-long adjudication process, with a panel of volunteer judges attending and evaluating eligible productions throughout the season.
The Helen Hayes Awards, named in honor of Washington native and legendary “First Lady of the American Theatre” Helen Hayes, have recognized excellence in professional theater across the region for more than four decades. The awards ceremony has become a cornerstone cultural event in the nation’s capital, highlighting the innovation and impact of local theater while fostering connection among artists, audiences, and industry leaders.
Seating information, sponsorship opportunities, and additional event details for the 2026 Helen Hayes Awards are available at theatrewashington.org.
About Theatre Washington
Through collaborative partnerships and programs, Theatre Washington supports the Washington, DC-area’s professional theater community, celebrating artistic achievement, strengthening the theatrical workforce, supporting institutional growth, and cultivating collective action. Core programs include the Helen Hayes Awards, Theatre Week, Theatre Summit, Theatre Work, and the Taking Care Fund.
