DC theatre’s biggest night turned The Anthem into one giant standing ovation on Monday, May 18, 2026.
A Sold-Out Celebration at The Anthem
Theatre Washington welcomed more than 1,600 artists, administrators, and supporters to The Anthem on the District Wharf for the 42nd Annual Helen Hayes Awards. Hosts Felicia Curry, Derrick Truby, and Holly Twyford steered the evening with charm. Performances from the Helen Hayes Awards Ensemble lit up the room. Recognizing work from the 2025 calendar year, the ceremony honored 149 eligible productions across 41 categories, including 33 world premieres!
Top Award-Winning Productions of 2026
Among individual productions, Damn Yankees at Arena Stage swept the night with eight honors. The Inheritance: Parts One and Two at Round House Theatre and Professor Woland’s Black Magic Rock Show at Spooky Action Theater each followed with five. Meanwhile, Not Your Mother’s Goose! at Adventure Theatre MTC took four, while Kimberly Akimbo at Broadway at the National and Furlough’s Paradise at Theater Alliance earned three apiece. Merry Wives at Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical at Signature Theatre, and The Immigrant at Synetic Theater rounded out the top tier with two wins each. See the full list of 2026 Helen Hayes Award winners at Theatre Washington.
A Landmark Honor for Adrienne Arsht
Philanthropist Adrienne Arsht was presented with the inaugural Transformative Cultural Impact Award, celebrating decades of investment in cultural institutions from Miami to the Kennedy Center to Lincoln Center!
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Clockwise from Left: Paris Francesca on the Helen Hayes Awards red carpet. Theatre Washington President & CEO Amy Austin (L) with Transformative Cultural Impact Award honoree Adrienne Arsht (R). Helen Hayes Ensemble. Actor Adam Poss at the 42nd Annual Helen Hayes Awards. All photos credit: Nina Palazzolo.
