The Helen Hayes Awards are given for acting in resident theatre productions in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The awards are generally divided between male and female performers, between lead and supporting performers, and since the early 1990s between dramatic plays and musicals.
Famous quotes containing the words helen, hayes and/or acting:
“I wish I were where Helen lies,
Night and day on me she cries;
And I am weary of the skies,
For her sake that died for me.”
—Unknown. Helen of Kirconnell (l. 37–40)
“The flattering, if arbitrary, label, First Lady of the Theatre, takes its toll. The demands are great, not only in energy but eventually in dramatic focus. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a star to occupy an inch of space without bursting seams, cramping everyone else’s style and unbalancing a play. No matter how self-effacing a famous player may be, he makes an entrance as a casual neighbor and the audience interest shifts to the house next door.”
—Helen Hayes (1900–1993)
“I have no acting technique.... I act instinctively. That’s why I can’t play any role that isn’t based on something in my life.”
—Ethel Waters (1900–1977)