Sure, there probably aren’t too many office pools going around wagering on whether Scott Bradley will take Tony Cisek in the set design category. But lack of watercooler chatter aside, tonight is an important night for the D.C. theater community.

This evening, Warner Theatre will be bustling with our local onstage and backstage heroes, dressed to the nines, as they celebrate the Helen Hayes Awards, which recognize the year’s finest contributions to professional theatre in the district.

Though the closest I got to the awards last year was wondering why there were so many people in ball gowns hanging out in Chef Geoff’s, this year we’ll be attending the festivities and filling you in on the memorable moments tomorrow morning. The night will be hosted by Broadway vet and nominee Brad Oscar (pictured, who eventually took over the role of Max Bialystock in Broadway’s The Producers and recently played the Devil in Arena Stage’s Damn Yankees).