Arts & Entertainment

Hayes’ gays

LGBT community well represented at annual D.C. theater awards

Published

14 years ago

April 24, 2012

Patrick Folliard

Michael Bobbitt accepting his award Monday night. (Photo courtesy theatreWashington)

Monday night’s 28th annual Helen Hayes Awards had many winners, but the evening’s first was playwright Marc Acito.

He won the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical for his “Birds of a Feather,” a comedy about a pair of gay penguins living together in New York’s Central Park. Acito, who is gay, thanked his own longtime partner who couldn’t make the event.

Next up, Michael Baron (also gay) won Outstanding Director Resident Musical for his work on “A Year with Frog and Toad” at Adventure Theatre. He thanked his partner whom he’d left at home in Oklahoma.

The absentee boyfriend trend soon ended. When topnotch musical director Jon Kalbfleisch was singled out of Outstanding Musical Direction in a Resident Musical, he happily thanked his date who was seated close to the stage.

Presented by theatreWashington, the Helen Hayes Awards was co-hosted by notable local actors Holly Twyford and Felicia Curry. (In recent years, there had been pairs of presenters but no designated emcee per se. The return to hosts is a fun correction). Twyford, who is gay, and Curry underwent a half-dozen glamorous costume changes and traded insider references and gossipy tidbits. It’s exactly what the raucous audience seemed to want. After all, the Helen Hayes Awards is primarily a celebration of all that is local theater.

Every April, the awards are handed out to reward excellence in Washington-area professional theater. During the 2011 season, 53 theatres produced 192 productions that met eligibility requirements in the Jan.-Dec. judging cycle. From these shows, 153 artists, productions and ensembles from 26 theatres were nominated for awards and from these nominees, a large pool of judges carefully selected the evening’s winners.

Longtime Helen Hayes (and now theatreWashington) honcho Victor Shargai presented the prestigious Helen Hayes Tribute (sponsored and awarded by philanthropist Jaylee Mead) to Kevin Spacey, in honor of the famous actor’s enduring career and advocacy for arts funding. A two-time Oscar winner (“American Beauty” and “The Usual Suspects.”), Spacey, who is rumored to be gay but opts not to publicly discuss his orientation, is also a man of the theater: He won a Tony for the in “Lost in Yonkers” in 1991 and most recently toured the world in a Sam Mendes’ production of “Richard III.” He has worked as a director, screenwriter, producer and singer and is artistic director at the Old Vic in London.

Spacey’s acceptance speech was the highlight of the night. In about 10 minutes or so, he dropped several F bombs, did a couple of spot-on impersonations, waxed nostalgic, advised on the importance of giving back and ultimately inspired a house full of theater folks to live their dreams.

The tribute included a short film on Spacey’s career, and — much to the audience’s surprise and delight — a warm videotaped message from Spacey friend and fan, President Bill Clinton. Past honorees include Derek Jacobi, James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, and the award’s namesake, Helen Hayes.

Other deserving winners included delightful newcomer Matthew Delorenzo. He was awarded Outstanding Supporting Actor Resident Musical for his portrayal of Warhol superstar Candy Darling in Studio Theatre 2ndStage’s “Pop!” Michael Bobbitt, Adventure Theatre’s gay artistic director accepted the prize for Outstanding Production Theatre for Young Audiences on behalf of his company’s charming production of “Charlotte’s Web,” staged by talented gay director Serge Seiden. The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theater Company (named in memory of Victor Shargai’s theater-loving, late partner) to Faction of Fools, a performance group rooted in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte style currently in residence at Gallaudet University.

With nearly 80 professional theatre companies, Greater Washington is second only to New York for the number of productions produced each year. Appropriately, the night ended with co-hosts Twyford and Curry melodically encouraging everyone to see more theater: “Who needs the real housewives?” they sang. “Medea’s the original one. Go see a show!”

Visit theatrewashington.org for a complete list of winners.

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November 14, 2025

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Capital Pride will host the Trans Day of Resilience Leadership Brunch on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center (1827 Wiltberger Street, N.W.). For more information and to RSVP, visit this link.

There will be a Trans Day of Resilience “Community Chat & Chew” at 5 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. fashion show and live performances at 9 p.m. at TransMission (1353 H Street, N.E.). The event is 21+. More information about the event is available on Facebook.

Calendar

Calendar: November 14-20

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Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2025

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Friday, November 14

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., NW. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website or email [email protected].

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Trade. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for women living in the D.C. area. For more information join the group’s closed Facebook group.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Daytime Docs and Dramas Screening of ‘Summer Qamp’” at 12:30 p.m. This free event will celebrate queer youth, resilience and the power of living authentically. To RSVP, visit this link.

Saturday, November 15

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is an outlet for people of color to come together and talk about anything that affects them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. For more details, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, November 16

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Salon” at 5 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy stimulating conversation and dining. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Monday, November 17

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

“Soulfully Queer: LGBTQ+ Emotional Health and Spirituality Drop-In” will be at 3:00p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This group will meet weekly for eight weeks, providing a series of drop-in sessions designed to offer a safe, welcoming space for open and respectful conversation. Each session invites participants to explore themes of spirituality, identity, and belonging at their own pace, whether they attend regularly or drop in occasionally. For more details visit the DC Center’s website.

Tuesday, November 18

Center Bi+ Roundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is a is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Tae Kwon Do class” at 12:30. This inclusive and beginner-friendly class, led by Instructor Avi Rome, offers a light warm-up, stretching, and instruction in basic techniques, patterns, and striking padded targets. Each session is designed to be adaptable for all ability and mobility levels, creating a welcoming space for everyone to build strength, confidence, and community through martial arts. For more details, visit the Center’s website.

Wednesday, November 19

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Activism at Woman’s National Democratic Club” at 6 p.m. at The Whittemore House. Guests can join other activists at the WNDC for letter and postcard writing to get out the vote this fall in Virginia and other critical state races. Postcards will be written to women in rural VA and to members of Congress on Home Rule 101 in partnership with the D.C. Democrats Statehood Committee. There will be free pizza, cash bar, a fun raffle and camaraderie. More details are available on Eventbrite.

Thursday, November 20

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.