Alexandria — The Elden Street Players garnered 22 nominations as the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors announced the nominees for the 2012 WATCH Awards Jan. 15 at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria.

Last year's production of "Ain't Misbehavin'" garnered 11 nominations including Outstanding Musical. Outstanding Play nominee "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream" earned seven nods while "Thrill Me" walked away with three and "Frozen" with one nomination.

Richelle "Rikki" Howie, who did double duty as director and performer in "Ain't Misbehavin,'" was nominated for Outstanding Direction of a Musical as well as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Charlayne Woodward. Howie's co-stars Michelle Harmon and Jade Jones were also nominated in the Outstanding Featured Actress category.

Adam Downs, one of the finest actors in the region, was nominated as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play for his role as Ralph in "Frozen." He was also recognized in the Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play category for his work in "Noises Off" at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.

Joining Downs as a multiple WATCH Award-nominee is Jaclyn Young, who earned an Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play nod for her role in the ESP production of "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream," an Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for "Hairspray" at The Little Theatre of Alexandria and Outstanding Hair Design in a Musical and Outstanding Makeup Design in a Musical in the Reston Community Players production of "The Drowsy Chaperone."

Evan Hoffman garnered dual nominations for "A Mid-summer Night's Dream," getting nods for Outstanding Direction of Play and Outstanding Set Decoration of a Play.

Nominees were selected from 127 productions that were adjudicated at 32 community theatre companies. In each of 38 categories, five nominees (more in case of a tie) were selected based on the average scores of eight judges.

Winners will be announced at the WATCH Awards ceremony March 11 at The Birchmere Music Hall.