A fete to remember: the 30th Annual Helen Hayes Awards

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

There was a big party goin' on. 

Attendees may well have talked while presentations were made, but it was such a good (make that great) party,  and we could hear the winners' names and their brief acceptance talks, so why halt a good time to hear people talk from a microphone?  Besides, they were so far away.

The bars overfloweth with more than water at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

It was a coat of snake skin and tiger with a matching yellow bow tie at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum, where were the men?/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Well, maybe next year, at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

It's our party and we'll talk if we want to,
Talk if we want to,
You would talk, too,
If it happened to you.

Sweet nothin's at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Big screens everywhere at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum, where were the men?/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Stationed at the food tables. At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

A blurry bar at the Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

It was the night of Washington's Oscars, the annual Helen Hayes Awards (judges are listed here) hosted for the first time at the National Building Musuem all decked out in finery with a big, loud band, efficient registration to accommodate thousands with almost no waiting,  an apt, energetic, and ample wait staff which swooped up every dish languishing for more than 15 seconds, and short bar lines whose length grew with the night. 

He and Kramer may have the same hairdresser.  At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum where he's looking at a big screen, and she's getting ready to ditch the panty hose?/Photo by Patricia Leslie

"Ahoy, mate!  I've lost my date!" At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum where the fountain ceased to flow during presentations/Photo by Patricia Leslie

The two intermissions seemed longer than 20 minutes each, but the open bars (until 10:30 p.m.) and mac and cheese (could have stood a bit more flavoring) and chicken bar-b-cue (equivalent to that found in Mumphis (sic)), heaping salmon, and excellent champagne, with popcorn (? a bit too salty) made for a tasty affair catered by Occasions.

In attendance were parents, actors, musicians, press, theatregoers, directors, managers, you name it and why not throw in a member of the U.S. Congress? 

Love between the chicken crepes and the big golden column.  Hey, isn't that U.S. Congressman James Moran (D-VA) at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum? Photo by Patricia Leslie

Indeed it was the good Congressman James Moran taking up a new seat and relinquishing his old one on Capitol Hill at the 30th Annual Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum. Projected retirement certainly bodes well for the congressman who looked rested and happy partying with theatregoers rather than Capitol Hill naysayers/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

And you just thought Sinatra was dead.  At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum mobile devices were out/Photo by Patricia Leslie

"Now, darling, your turn will be next year." At the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

He is over at the fountain looking for you at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Tired feet and $5 got you comfy slippers at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Stargazers at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Joseph came, too, for the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum.  Overall, the costumery was sedate and much more conservative than one might have expected for the theatre community, but this is Washington, D.C. Nominees wore small flashing multi-colored stars on their lapels/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the dessert bar at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

 

They looked real at the 30th Helen Hayes Awards April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum/Photo by Patricia Leslie

In good humor the trio of Sam Ludwig, Rachel Zampelli, and Ashleigh King sang right off the stage any speaker who talked longer than 30 seconds, including Linda Levy, the president and CEO of theatreWashington, the event's host.

And the winners were... all those in attendance, and the award recipients were... right here. 

Patricialesli@gmail.com