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Equity Jeff nominees announced, virtual ceremony to take place November 9

September 16, 2020

Chicago – The Jeff Awards announces the nominees for the 52nd annual awards for theater excellence that include 142 theater artists across 30 artistic and technical categories. The awards will be presented in an online program on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 7:00PM.

The traditional Equity season runs August 1st through July 31st however, this year, it ended March 13th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of the 2019-2020 season, Jeff Awards members attended the openings of 78 productions. From these, 64 productions became “Jeff Recommended.” With two productions having runs so short (due to the pandemic shutdown), a total of 62 productions became eligible for 2020 award nominations.

This year, the work of 28 Equity theater companies is showcased with 37 productions receiving one or more nominations. Musicals led the nominations with “An American in Paris” (12) and “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” (8). Five productions tied with seven nominations including “The Boys in the Band,” “Bug,” “Grey House,” “King Hedley II,” and “The Color Purple.” Among theater companies, Drury Lane Productions captured the most nominations with 22, followed by Paramount Theatre (13), Porchlight Music Theatre, Court Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre Company (all with 11), TimeLine Theatre (10), and eight nominations each for A Red Orchid Theatre, Windy City Playhouse and Writers Theatre.

The virtual awards ceremony will be presented on November 9th to recognize theater excellence over the past Equity season, announce recipients and honor the dedicated theater companies so significantly impacted during these challenging times. Details on accessing the free online program will be available in late October.

2020 EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES

Production – Play (Large)

 “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 “The First Deep Breath” – Victory Gardens Theater

 “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 “The King’s Speech” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 “Oslo” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 “Stick Fly” – Writers Theatre

Production – Play (Midsize)

 “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater

 “The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys” – Steep Theatre Company

 “Sheepdog” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Production – Musical or Revue (Large)

 “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

 “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – Porchlight Music Theatre

 “Into the Woods” – Writers Theatre

 “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

Production – Musical or Revue (Midsize)

 “Always…Patsy Cline” – Firebrand Theatre

 “Monty Python’s Spamalot” – Mercury Theater Chicago

 “Verböten” – The House Theatre of Chicago

Ensemble – Play

 “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 “The First Deep Breath” – Victory Gardens Theater

 “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 “How to Defend Yourself” – Victory Gardens Theater

 “Kill Move Paradise” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 “The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys” – Steep Theatre Company

 “Stick Fly” – Writers Theatre

Ensemble – Musical or Revue

 “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – Porchlight Music Theatre

 “Into the Woods” – Writers Theatre

 “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

New Work

 Lee Edward Colston II – “The First Deep Breath” – Victory Gardens Theater

 Steven Dietz – “How a Boy Falls” – Northlight Theatre

 Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler

       – “The Secret of My Success” – Paramount Theatre

 Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon

       – “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” – Northlight Theatre

 Levi Holloway – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 Jason Narducy and Brett Neveu – “Verböten” – The House Theatre of Chicago

 Douglas Post – “Howards End” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 Fouad Teymour – “Twice, Thrice, Frice…”

       – Silk Road Rising in association with International Voices Project

 Loy A. Webb – “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater

Director – Play (Large)

 Nick Bowling – “Oslo” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 Wardell Julius Clark – “Kill Move Paradise” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 David Cromer – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Ron OJ Parson – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 Vanessa Stalling – “Roe” – Goodman Theatre

Director – Play (Midsize)

 Laura Alcalá Baker – “The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys”

       – Steep Theatre Company

 Wardell Julius Clark – “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater

 Wardell Julius Clark – “Sheepdog” – Shattered Globe Theatre

 Carl Menninger – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 Shade Murray – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 Nick Sandys – “Howards End” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 Randy White – “Midsummer (A Play with Songs)”

       – The Greenhouse Theater Center

Director – Musical or Revue (Large)

 Lili-Anne Brown – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 Brenda Didier & Florence Walker-Harris

       – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Gary Griffin – “Into the Woods” – Writers Theatre

 Lynne Kurdziel-Formato – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Scott Weinstein – “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

Director – Musical or Revue (Midsize)

 Nathan Allen – “Verböten” – The House Theatre of Chicago

 Brigitte Ditmars – “Always…Patsy Cline” – Firebrand Theatre

  1. Walter Stearns – “Monty Python’s Spamalot” – Mercury Theater Chicago

Performer in a Principal Role – Play

 Carrie Coon (Agnes White) – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Chaon Cross (Helena) – “Midsummer (A Play with Songs)”

       – The Greenhouse Theater Center

 Charles Andrew Gardner (Teeny) – “His Shadow: A Parable”

       – 16th Street Theater

 Harry Hadden-Paton (Bertie) – “The King’s Speech”

       – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 Patrick Mulvey (Bob) – “Midsummer (A Play with Songs)”

       – The Greenhouse Theater Center

 Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Hedley) – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 Leslie Ann Sheppard (Amina) – “Sheepdog” – Shattered Globe Theatre

 Julia Siple (Jenny) – “Mosquitoes” – Steep Theatre Company

 Namir Smallwood (Peter Evans) – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Eliza Stoughton (Margaret Schlegel) – “Howards End”

       – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 Bri Sudia (Mona Juul) – “Oslo” – TimeLine Theatre Company

Performer in a Principal Role – Musical

 Josh Drake (Jerry Mulligan) – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Leigh-Ann Esty (Lise Dassin) – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Lucy Godinez (Nancy) – “Oliver!” – Marriott Theatre

 Beth Stafford Laird (Belle) – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

 Eben K. Logan (Celie) – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 Emilie Lynn (Mary Poppins) – “Mary Poppins” – Drury Lane Productions

 Alex Prakken (Jack Kelly) – “Disney’s Newsies” – Paramount Theatre

 Hollis Resnik (Norma Desmond) – “Sunset Boulevard”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Billy Harrigan Tighe (Brantley Foster) – “The Secret of My Success”

       – Paramount Theatre

 Jonah D. Winston (King Arthur) – “Monty Python’s Spamalot”

       – Mercury Theater Chicago

Solo Performance

 Deirdre O’Connell (Dana H.) – “Dana H.” – Goodman Theatre

 Rebecca Spence (Narrator) – “Every Brilliant Thing”

       – Windy City Playhouse

Performer in a Revue

 Harmony France / Christina Hall (Patsy Cline / Louise Seger)

       – “Always…Patsy Cline” – Firebrand Theatre

 Donica Lynn (The Chanteuse) – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Lorenzo Rush Jr. (The Raconteur) – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

Performer in a Supporting Role – Play

 Kierra Bunch (Tonya) – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 Lisa Dawn (Jen) – “The Cake” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

 Anish Jethmalani (Ahmed Qurie) – “Oslo” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 Dan Klarer (Egbert Bakewell) – “Jeeves Saves the Day” – First Folio Theatre

 James Leaming (Ronald Reagan) – “Five Presidents” – American Blues Theater

 Marcus D. Moore (Kodak/Man) – “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater

 Deanna Reed-Foster (Pearl Thomas ) – “The First Deep Breath”

       – Victory Gardens Theater

 Sadieh Rifai (Eva) – “Do You Feel Anger?” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 James Seol (Wen Chang) – “The Great Leap” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 A.C. Smith (Elmore) – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 John Tufts (Edmond Rostand) – “Bernhardt/Hamlet” – Goodman Theatre

 Celeste Williams (Ruth Jones) – “The First Deep Breath”

       – Victory Gardens Theater

 Larry Yando (Constant Coquelin) – “Bernhardt/Hamlet” – Goodman Theatre

Performer in a Supporting Role – Musical

 Ephie Aardema (Harriet Smith) – “Emma” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 Larry Adams (Max von Mayerling) – “Sunset Boulevard”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Skyler Adams (Adam Hochberg) – “An American in Paris”

       – Drury Lane Productions

 Sydney Charles (Shug Avery) – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 Erica Evans (Milo Davenport) – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Jackson Evans (Lumiere) – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

 Jason Grimm (Hines) – “The Pajama Game” – Theatre at the Center

 Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 Heidi Kettenring (Vera Prescott) – “The Secret of My Success”

       – Paramount Theatre

 Ross Lehman (Nostradamus) – “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

 Meghan Murphy (Lady of the Lake) – “Monty Python’s Spamalot”

       – Mercury Theater Chicago

Scenic Design – Large

 William Boles – “Disney’s Newsies“ – Paramount Theatre

 William Boles – “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley”

       – Northlight Theatre

 Linda Buchanan – “Stick Fly” – Writers Theatre

 Regina Garcia – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 Takeshi Kata – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Jeffrey D. Kmiec – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

Scenic Design – Midsize

 Kurtis Boetcher – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 William Boles – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 José Manuel Díaz-Soto – “Twice, Thrice, Frice…”

       – Silk Road Rising in association with International Voices Project

 Angela Weber Miller – “Sherlock’s Last Case” – First Folio Theatre

 Joe Schermoly – “The Gulf” – About Face Theatre

Costume Design – Large

 Karl Green – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Theresa Ham – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

 Theresa Ham – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Theresa Ham – “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

 Robin L. McGee – “Mary Poppins” – Drury Lane Productions

 Alison Siple – “The Mousetrap” – Court Theatre

Costume Design – Midsize

 Uriel Gomez – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 Kristy Leigh Hall – “Howards End” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 Rachel Lambert – “Jeeves Saves the Day” – First Folio Theatre

Sound Design – Large

 Mikhail Fiksel – “Dana H.” – Goodman Theatre

 Christopher M. LaPorte – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre

 Jeffrey Levin – “Kill Move Paradise” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 André Pluess and Christopher LaPorte – “Oedipus Rex” – Court Theatre

 Josh Schmidt – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Sound Design – Midsize

 Grover Hollway – “Verböten” – The House Theatre of Chicago

 Christopher Kriz – “Sheepdog” – Shattered Globe Theatre

 Jeffrey Levin – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 Sarah D. Espinoza – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

Lighting Design – Large

 Lee Fiskness – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Lee Fiskness – “Into the Woods” – Writers Theatre

 Heather Gilbert – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Jesse Klug – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre

 Keith Parham – “The Great Leap” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Keith Parham – “Oedipus Rex” – Court Theatre

Lighting Design – Midsize

 Erik S. Barry – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse

 Mike Durst – “Howards End” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 Mike Durst and Claire Chrzan – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre

 David Goodman-Edberg – “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater

 Rachel Levy – “The Gulf” – About Face Theatre

 Jason Lynch – “Sheepdog” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Choreography

 Joshua Blake Carter – “Disney’s Newsies” – Paramount Theatre

 Brenda Didier & Florence Walker-Harris – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Linda Fortunato – “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” – Theatre at the Center

 Lynne Kurdziel-Formato – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Alex Sanchez – “Something Rotten!” – Marriott Theatre

Original Music in a Play

 John Gromada – “The King’s Speech” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 Pornchanok Kanchanabanca – “The Great Leap” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Ladysmith Black Mambazo – “Lindiwe” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 Jeffrey Levin – “Kill Move Paradise” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 Joanna Lynne Staub – “Bernhardt/Hamlet” – Goodman Theatre

Musical Direction

 Matt Deitchman – “Into the Woods” – Writers Theatre

 Jermaine Hill – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions

 Jermaine Hill – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”

       – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Chris Sargent – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Andra Velis Simon – “Always…Patsy Cline” – Firebrand Theatre

 William Underwood – “Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America”

       – Theatre at the Center

Projection Design

 Anthony Churchill – “Sunset Boulevard” – Porchlight Music Theatre

 Hana Kim – “The King’s Speech” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 Kevan Loney – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions

 Kevan Loney – “Mary Poppins” – Drury Lane Productions

 Mike Tutaj – “Oslo” – TimeLine Theatre Company

 Mike Tutaj – “The Secret of My Success” – Paramount Theatre

Artistic Specialization

 Breon Arzell (Movement Choreographer) – “Kill Move Paradise”

       – TimeLine Theatre Company

 Steve Cuiffo (Illusion and Lip Sync Consultant) – “Dana H.”

       – Goodman Theatre

 Micah Figueroa (Intimacy & Violence Director)

       – “The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys” – Steep Theatre Company

 Matt Hawkins (Fight Choreography) – “How to Defend Yourself”

       – Victory Gardens Theater

 Wendy A. Huber and Margaret Garofalo (Properties Design)

       – “Sherlock’s Last Case” – First Folio Theatre

 Erin Kilmurray (Movement Design) – “Oedipus Rex” – Court Theatre

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