The 46th Annual Jeff Awards ceremony honoring excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area is Monday, October 13 at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace.
Four world premiere plays and two new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving Jeff nominations by the Jeff Awards Committee. There are 179 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014.
During the 2013-14 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 134 Equity productions offered by 49 producing organizations, and from these openings, 94 productions were “Jeff Recommended” and eligible for award nominations.
This year’s nominees in musical theatre categories and musical theatre nominees in combined categories:
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE
Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Gypsy – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Next to Normal – Drury Lane Productions
Young Frankenstein – Drury Lane Productions
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
Avenue Q – Mercury Theater Chicago
The Color Purple – The Musical about Love – Mercury Theater Chicago
Hank Williams: Lost Highway – American Blues Theater
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Porchlight Music Theatre
PRODUCTION – REVUE
Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Depraved New World – The Second City
Old Jews Telling Jokes – Daniel Okrent & Peter Gethers, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch and Marc Routh
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Gary Griffin – Road Show – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Damon Kiely – Hank Williams: Lost Highway – American Blues Theater
William Osetek – Young Frankenstein – Drury Lane Productions
William Osetek – Next to Normal – Drury Lane Productions
Rachel Rockwell – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Rachel Rockwell – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
DIRECTOR – REVUE
Marc Bruni – Old Jews Telling Jokes – Daniel Okrent & Peter Gethers, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch and Marc Routh
Brenda Didier – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Mick Napier – Depraved New World – The Second City
ENSEMBLE
Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Avenue Q – Mercury Theater Chicago
The Old Man and the Old Moon – Writers Theatre
Our Class – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
The Seafarer – Seanachaí Theatre Company
Seven Guitars – Court Theatre
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Larry Adams (Ebenezer Scrooge) – A Christmas Carol, The Musical – Theatre at the Center
Matthew Brumlow (Hank Williams) – Hank Williams: Lost Highway – American Blues Theater
Quentin Earl Darrington (Javert) – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Michael Aaron Lindner (Addison Mizner) – Road Show – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Andrew Rothenberg (Wilson Mizner) – Road Show – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Trisha Jeffrey (Celie) – The Color Purple – The Musical about Love – Mercury Theater Chicago
Susie McMonagle (Diana) – Next to Normal – Drury Lane Productions
Leah Morrow (Kate Monster) – Avenue Q – Mercury Theater Chicago
Louise Pitre (Rose) – Gypsy – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Summer Naomi Smart (Mary Poppins) – Mary Poppins – Marriott Theatre
Jennie Sophia (Fiona MacLaren) – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
ACTOR IN A REVUE
John Hartman (Ensemble) – Depraved New World – The Second City
Donterrio Johnson (Ensemble) – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (Ensemble) – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Sharriese Hamilton (Ensemble) – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Renee Matthews (Bunny) – Old Jews Telling Jokes – Daniel Okrent & Peter Gethers, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch and Marc Routh
Tawny Newsome (Ensemble) – Depraved New World – The Second City
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Juan Francisco Villa (Actor) – The Gun Show – 16th Street Theater
Gwendolyn Whiteside (The Pilot) – Grounded – American Blues Theater
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Jordan Brown (Charlie Dalrymple) – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Joe Dempsey (Douglas Panch) – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Drury Lane Productions
Jeff Dumas (Igor) – Young Frankenstein – Drury Lane Productions
Mark David Kaplan (Thénardier) – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
John Keating (Bud Frump) – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Porchlight Music Theatre
Travis Taylor (Enjolras) – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Josh Tolle (Gabe) – Next to Normal – Drury Lane Productions
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
E. Faye Butler (Sister Juba) – Pullman Porter Blues – Goodman Theatre
Reyna de Courcy (Karlie) – Luna Gale – Goodman Theatre
Mary Beth Fisher (Dr. Emma Brookner) – The Normal Heart – TimeLine Theatre Company
Sandra Marquez (Beatrice) – A View From the Bridge – Teatro Vista
Ann Whitney (Grandma) – Lost in Yonkers – Northlight Theatre
Cecelia Wingate (LaNora) – Cicada – Route 66 Theatre Company and Hear/Tell Productions
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Annabel Armour (Fraulein Schneider) – Cabaret – Marriott Theatre
Jasondra Johnson (Sofia) – The Color Purple – The Musical about Love –
Mercury Theater Chicago
Maggie Portman (Meg Brockie) – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Jessica Rush (Louise) – Gypsy – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Sharon Sachs (Madame Thénardier) – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Paula Scrofano (Frau Blücher) – Young Frankenstein – Drury Lane Productions
Adrienne Walker (Shug Avery) – The Color Purple – The Musical about Love –
Mercury Theater Chicago
CHOREOGRAPHY
Brenda Didier – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Porchlight Music Theatre
Tammy Mader – Young Frankenstein – Drury Lane Productions
Marc Robin – Cats – Marriott Theatre
Rachel Rockwell – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Rachel Rockwell – Hello, Dolly! – Drury Lane Productions
MUSIC DIRECTION
Roberta Duchak – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Roberta Duchak – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Rick Fox – Gypsy – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Michael Mahler – Road Show – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Robert Reddrick – Chicago’s Golden Soul – Black Ensemble Theater
Malcolm Ruhl – Hank Williams: Lost Highway – American Blues Theater
SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE
Kevin Depinet – The Dance of Death – Writers Theatre
Regina Garcia – Seven Guitars – Court Theatre
Riccardo Hernandez – Pullman Porter Blues – Goodman Theatre
Collette Pollard – In the Garden: A Darwinian Love Story – Lookingglass Theatre Company
Todd Rosenthal – Luna Gale – Goodman Theatre
Yu Shibigaki – Appropriate – Victory Gardens Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Rebecca A. Barrett and Lee Keenan – Dorian – The House Theatre of Chicago
Brian Sidney Bembridge – A Raisin in the Sun – TimeLine Theatre Company
Charlie Cooper – Mill Fire – Shattered Globe Theatre
Mike Durst – Our Class – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Lee Keenan – The Crownless King – The House Theatre of Chicago
LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
T. J. Gerckens – The White Snake – Goodman Theatre
Greg Hofmann – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
William Kirkham – The Little Prince – Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
Jesse Klug – Cats – Marriott Theatre
Keith Parham – M. Butterfly – Court Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Rachel Lambert – Northanger Abbey – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Frances Maggio – The Color Purple – The Musical about Love – Mercury Theater Chicago
Bill Morey – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Porchlight Music Theatre
Alexia Rutherford – Double Trouble – Porchlight Music Theatre
Lynn Sandberg – The Goddess – The Artistic Home
COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE
Mara Blumenfeld – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Mara Blumenfeld – The White Snake – Goodman Theatre
Theresa Ham – Hello, Dolly! – Drury Lane Productions
Rachel Anne Healy and Carolyn Cristofani – Tom Jones – Northlight Theatre
Susan E. Mickey – Cyrano de Bergerac – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Susan E. Mickey – The Merry Wives of Windsor – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Mariann S. Verheyen – Henry V – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Joshua Horvath – The Crownless King – The House Theatre of Chicago
Lindsay Jones – Grounded – American Blues Theater
Christopher Kriz – Cicada – Route 66 Theatre Company and Hear/Tell Productions
Christopher Kriz – Mill Fire – Shattered Globe Theatre
Kevin O’Donnell – Dorian – The House Theatre of Chicago
PROJECTIONS / VIDEO DESIGN
John Boesche – Our Class – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Sage Marie Carter – Les Misérables – Drury Lane Productions
Shawn Sagady – Brigadoon – Goodman Theatre
Shawn Sagady – The White Snake – Goodman Theatre
Michael Stanfill – The Normal Heart – TimeLine Theatre Company
Mike Tutaj – Grounded – American Blues Theater
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Austin Cook – Piano/Conductor – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Porchlight Music Theatre
Matt Hawkins – Fight Choreography – Henry V – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Jeff Klapperich – Portrait Artist – Dorian – The House Theatre of Chicago
Cassy Schillo – Properties Design – Salvage – First Folio Theatre
Russ Walko – Puppet Design – Avenue Q – Mercury Theater Chicago
The list of all nominees may be read by clicking here.
Performances featuring cast members from nominated musicals and revues and video segments from nominated plays highlight the October 13 ceremony. Pre-show appetizers and cash bar will be offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony, directed by Michael Weber, with a buffet reception immediately thereafter.
Advance purchase tickets, which include the ceremony and pre- and post-show parties, are $75 ($55 for members of Actors’ Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Stage Managers’ Association, The Dramatists Guild of America, and American Federation of Musicians). The evening is black tie optional and the public is invited to attend. To purchase tickets, visit the Jeff Awards website at www.jeffawards.org or for more information, contact Jeff Equity Chair Merril Prager at [email protected]
The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 55 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards Committee is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors.
The Jeff Awards fosters the artistic growth of area theatres and theatre artists and promotes educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theatre community. Each year The Jeff Awards evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre. The next Non-Equity awards ceremony will be held on June 8, 2015, at Park West.
Leave a Reply