Nominees for the 2012 Helen Hayes Awards were announced Feb. 27 with Signature Theatre, Synetic Theatre and MetroStage among the 25 theatre companies nominated in 26 categories.

Signature Theatre received 12 nominations for three productions: “Hairspray,” “The Hollow” and “Side By Side By Sondheim.” Synetic Theatre’s production of “King Lear” received 15 nominations and MetroStage received one nomination for Bernadine Mitchell’s performance as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for “His Eye Is On the Sparrow.”

Theatre Washington’s president and CEO Linda Levy Grossman read the nominations at the National Theatre in Washington and winners will be announced April 23 during the Helen Hayes Awards Ceremony at the Warner Theater.

For a complete listing of the 2012 Helen Hayes Award nominations, visit www.theatrewashington.org

Signature Theatre

"Hairspray"

• Outstanding Resident Musical

• Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production, Brianne Camp, Karma Camp

• Outstanding Director, Resident Musical, Eric Schaeffer

• Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical

• Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical, Carolyn Cole

• Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production, Jon Kalbfleisch

• Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production, Matt Rowe

• Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical, Nova Y. Payton

• Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical, Lauren Williams

"The Hollow"

• Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production, Chris Lee

"Side By Side By Sondheim"

• Outstanding Resident Musical

• Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical, Nancy Anderson

Synetic Theater

"King Lear"

• Outstanding Resident Play

• Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production, Irina Tsikurishvili, Ben Cunis

• Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production, Georgi Alexi-Meskhishvili

• Outstanding Director, Resident Play, Paata Tsikurishvili

• Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play

• Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play, Ira Koval

• Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play, Irina Tsikurishvili

• Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production, Andrew F. Griffin

• Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production, Phil Charlwood

• Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production, Irakli Kavsadze, Konstantine Lortkipanidze

• Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play, Ben Cunis

• Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play, Chris Dinolfo

• Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play, Philip Fletcher

• Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play, Mirenka Cechová

• The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play, Irakli

MetroStage

"His Eye is On the Sparrow"

• Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical, Bernardine Mitchell