While the operations of theatreWashington, including all programs and services, is overseen by a Board of Directors, the year-long adjudication policies and procedures of the Helen Hayes Awards, as well as input on and development of other programming is provided by the Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee is a group of volunteers, all working professionals in the Washington area theatre community, who meet to advise theatreWashington on organizational and community initiatives. The advisory committee works to identify issues common to the community; facilitate successful collaborations within the community; work to propose solutions, make recommendations, and facilitate initiatives.

The committee was originally formed in 2013 as the Board of Governors to develop and monitor the rules, policies and procedures governing the Adjudication of the Helen Hayes Awards. As of 2018, the committee continues to advise on Helen Hayes procedures and the awards ceremony, but has expanded its work to include working on various initiatives including planning an annual Summit, defining a welcoming path for the emerging theatre companies, creating a mentorship program, and developing a task force on growing a technical workforce.

The Advisory Committee is supported by a number of working committees, including:

THE ADJUDICATION COMMITTEE

• Implements Existing Rules
• Makes Decisions about Eligibility Classifications
• Support the Judges via Nominee Cultivation, Selection & Education
• Reviews Applications for The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical and the Award for Outstanding Original Play or Musical Adaptation and vets their eligibility for consideration under the criteria for the Helen Hayes Awards
• Led by Brad Watkins, Committee Chair

THE EMERGING THEATRE COMMITTEE

• Reviews Applications for New Theatres and vets their eligibility for consideration under the criteria for the Helen Hayes Awards
• Attends productions by theatres that are eligible for the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Ensemble Theatre Company
• Annually confers with the Committee Chair on choosing the recipient of this award
• Led by Victor Shargai, Committee Chair, Founding Chair of theatreWashington 

2019 Advisory Committee

• Jason Loewith – Artistic Director, Olney Theatre Center (Chair)
• Beth Amann – Managing Director, Monumental Theatre Company
• Victoria Murray Baatin – Associate Artistic Director, Mosaic Theater Company of DC
• Maggie Boland – Managing Director, Signature Theatre
• Kathryn Chase Bryer – Associate Artistic Director, Imagination Stage
• Rebecca Ende Lichtenberg – Managing Director, Theater J
• Jenny McConnell Frederick – Co-Artistic Director, Rorschach Theatre
• Rick Hammerly – Artistic Director, Factory 449
• Farah Lawal Harris – Artistic Director, Young Playwrights' Theatre
• Evan Hoffmann – Artistic Director, NextStop Theatre Company
• Laura Connors Hull – Producing Director, Creative Cauldron
• Patti Kalil – Co-Artistic Director, Pointless Theatre
• Alex Levy – Artistic Director, 1st Stage
• W. Thompson Prewitt – Artistic Director, WSC Avant Bard
• Joseph Ritsch – Producing Artistic Director, Rep Stage
• Jojo Ruf – Managing Director, Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics
• Deb Sivigny – Freelance Designer, Educator

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