Kevin Spacey receives the Helen Hayes Tribute. (Photo via @MattyInDC)

Signature Theatre’s production of Hairspray swept the musical categories at the 28th annual Helen Hayes Awards presented last night at the Warner Theatre. And while Synetic Theater’s wordless, but dazzlingly imagined version of King Lear collected four prizes, including for best ensemble, it was Arena Stage’s production of Ruined, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer-winning tale of survival in the Congo, that took the award for outstanding resident play.

It was apparent early on that Hairspray and King Lear would be the heavy winners. Synetic, which for several years now has been a favorite of the Helen Hayes crowd, enjoyed one of the largest cheering sections in the 1,800-seat theater.

But with 44 awards to give out, plus various tributes, musical numbers and other bits of stage banter, it was a solid two-and-a-half hours before the audience could get to the afterparty with the open bar. Several times during the evening, hosts Holly Twyford and Felicia Curry teased the the soon-to-be-flowing booze and finger foods. Their jokes did little by way of satiation.

Among the presenters were Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.), Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Hardball host Chris Matthews and NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, who was one of several presenters to stumble over the names of Synetic’s winners, many of whom hail from the Republic of Georgia.

Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) appeared early in the evening to read a D.C. Council proclamation declaring this week as Theater Week, punctuating his remarks by accidentally calling D.C. the “District of Congratulations.” He promptly corrected that to “Columbia.”

Musically, the awards were a bit shakier. A chorus line thanked the corporate sponsors of Theatre Washington with lyrics set to the tune of “Gee, Officer Krupke” from West Side Story. Lionell Thomas, the executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, induced groans when he sang a few bars of “Isn’t She Lovely” to his co-presenter, the commission’s chairwoman, Judith Terra.

And in the Helen Hayes Awards tradition of honoring Hollywood actors who duck in for brief stints at, say, the Kennedy Center, both Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett won for outstanding supporting performances in last summer’s production of Uncle Vanya. Neither was there to collect.

But Kevin Spacey was there to receive the Helen Hayes Tribute for his long stage career and for his work as a theater educator and advocate. Former President Bill Clinton introduced Spacey in a video message. It should be noted that Spacey’s vocal impersonation of the 42nd president was spot-on, especially when recounting an anecdote about Clinton befriending the actor’s mother.

Spacey, who does most of his stage work in New York or London, where he is artistic director of the Old Vic, has made a handful of appearances on D.C. stages in his 30-year career. Choked up, he recounted seeing posters of Henry Fonda hanging in a green room at the Kennedy Center.

“Everyone out there who has a dream, fucking live it,” he told the audience.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Outstanding Resident Play: Ruined, Arena Stage

Outstanding Resident Musical: Hairspray, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences: Charlotte’s Web, Adventure Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play: Erica Sullivan, Venus in Fur, Studio Theatre; Rena Brown, Wit, Bay Theatre Company (tie)

The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play: Mitchell Hebert, After the Fall, Theater J

Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical: Carolyn Cole, Hairspray, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical: Euan Morton, Parade, Ford’s Theatre and Theater J

Outstanding Non-Resident Production: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Arena Stage

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Play: King Lear, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Ensemble, Resident Musical: Hairspray, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Play: Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey, After the Fall, Theater J

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Play: Ted van Griethuysen, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production: Sahr Ngaujah, FELA!, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production: Cate Blanchett, Uncle Vanya, Kennedy Center

The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company: Faction of Fools Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Resident Musical: Nova Payton, Hairspray, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production: Hugo Weaving, Uncle Vanya, Kennedy Center

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical: Matthew Delorenzo, Pop!, Studio Theatre 2ndStage

Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production: Kendra Rai, Green Bird, Constellation Theatre Company

Outstanding Choreography, Resident Production: Ben Cunis and Irina Tsikurishvili, King Lear, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Musical Direction, Resident Production: Jon Kalbfleisch, Hairspray, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Production: Konstantine Lortkipanidze and Irakli Kavsadze, King Lear, Synetic Theater; Chris Baine, A Bright New Boise, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (tie)

Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production: Andrew Griffin, King Lear, Synetic Theater

Outstanding Set Design, Resident Production: Lee Savage, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Outstanding Director, Resident Play: Aaron Posner, Cyrano, Folger Theatre

Outstanding Director, Resident Musical: Michael Baron, A Year With Frog and Toad, Adventure Theatre

The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical: Marc Acito, Birds of a Feather, Hub Theatre