TimeLine’s “The History Boys” Gets 5 Honors;
Musical “Caroline, or Change” and New Play “Ruined” Score Big at 41st Annual Jeff Equity Awards with 4 Each,
Ceremony Pays Tribute to 50 Years of The Second City
October 19, 2009 - Chicago, IL. At the 41st Annual Jeff Equity Awards TimeLine Theatre’s much-extended production of “The History Boys” took top honors in the midsize theatre Play category and walked off with 5 statues, the most of any production honored at the festive ceremony held at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. “Ruined,” a searing cry against the systematic violation of women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 2000 civil war, presented by the Goodman Theatre in a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club, in a rare tie, shared top honors for Production-Play in the large theatre category, along with Steppenwolf Theatre’s brilliant rendering of seasoned Irish cronies in Conor McPherson’s “The Seafarer.” “Ruined” also garnered a New Work award for playwright Lynn Nottage. Honored musicals were Court Theatre’s innovative staging of “Caroline, or Change” (large theatre), whose star E. Faye Butler also took Principal Actress – Musical honors, and “Hilary A. Williams, LLC’s “Tomorrow Morning” (midsize theatre).
Directing awards went to Nick Bowling (“The History Boys”), Charles Newell (“Caroline, or Change”) and, in the Revue category, Matt Hovde, for The Second City e.t.c.’s “Studs Terkel’s Not Working.” Principal acting honors also went to Joseph Anthony Foronda in Drury Lane Oakbrook’s “Miss Saigon,” Saidah Arrika Ekulona for “Ruined,” and, in a second tie, Larry Neumann, Jr. (First Folio Theatre’s “A Moon for the Misbegotten”) and William L. Peterson (Victory Gardens Theater’s “Blackbird”).
The near-capacity audience enjoyed live and historic video performances from The Second City which received a Tribute Award for its 50th anniversary. Jeff Chair Susan Haimes presented a Special Award to Director-Producer William Pullinsi for his 50-year career of presenting theatre. Entertainment in the ceremony included performances from 11 nominated musicals and revues, while nominated plays were represented by video features. The festivities were once again directed by Michael Weber, produced by Jeff Equity Chair Diane Hires, and hosted by actors Elizabeth Ledo and Rob Lindley.
The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 50 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards 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. 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 at the Park West on June 7, 2010.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2008-2009 JEFF EQUITY AWARDS RECIPIENTS
PRODUCTION — PLAY – LARGE
Ruined - Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club
The Seafarer - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
PRODUCTION — PLAY - MIDSIZE
The History Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
PRODUCTION — MUSICAL - LARGE
Caroline, or Change - Court Theatre
PRODUCTION — MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
Tomorrow Morning - Hilary A. Williams, LLC
PRODUCTION — REVUE
Studs Terkel's Not Working - The Second City e.t.c.
ENSEMBLE
The History Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
NEW WORK — PLAY
Lynn Nottage - Ruined - Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club
NEW ADAPTATION — PLAY
Seth Bockley - Jon - Collaboraction
NEW WORK OR ADAPTATION - MUSICAL
Josh Schmidt, Jan Tranen & Austin Pendleton - A Minister's Wife - Writers' Theatre
DIRECTOR - PLAY
Nick Bowling - The History Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
DIRECTOR - MUSICAL
Charles Newell - Caroline, or Change - Court Theatre
DIRECTOR — REVUE
Matt Hovde - Studs Terkel's Not Working - The Second City e.t.c.
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE — PLAY
Larry Neumann, Jr. - A Moon for the Misbegotten- First Folio Theatre
William L. Petersen – Blackbird - Victory Gardens Theater
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE — MUSICAL
Joseph Anthony Foronda - Miss Saigon - Drury Lane Oakbrook
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Saidah Arrika Ekulona - Ruined- Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE — MUSICAL
E. Faye Butler - Caroline, or Change - Court Theatre
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Max McLean - Mark's Gospel - Fellowship for the Performing Arts
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE — PLAY
Alex Weisman - The History Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE — MUSICAL
Max Quinlan - The Light in the Piazza- Marriott Theatre
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE — PLAY
Spencer Kayden - Don't Dress for Dinner - The British Stage Company
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Liz Baltes - A Minister's Wife - Writers' Theatre
Summer Smart – The Light in the Piazza – Marriott Theatre
ACTOR IN A REVUE
Mark David Kaplan - Forbidden Broadway: Dances with the Stars - John Freedson, Harriet
ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Amanda Blake Davis — Studs Terkel's Not Working- The Second City e.t.c.
SCENIC DESIGN - LARGE
Lucy Osborne - Twelfth Night - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
SCENIC DESIGN - MIDSIZE
Brian Sidney Bembridge - The History Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN - LARGE
Mara Blumenfeld - The Arabian Nights - Lookingglass Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN — MIDSIZE
Rachel Laritz - The Voysey Inheritance - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN — LARGE
Ray Nardelli and Joshua Horvath - Miss Saigon - Drury Lane Oakbrook
SOUND DESIGN - MIDSIZE
Lindsay Jones - The K of D: An Urban Legend - The Route 66 Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN — LARGE
Christopher Akerlind - Rock 'n' Roll - Goodman Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN — MIDSIZE
Jesse Klug - Hedwig and the Angry Inch - American Theater Company
CHOREOGRAPHY
David H. Bell - The Boys from Syracuse - Drury Lane Oakbrook
ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Dominic Kanza - Ruined - Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club
MUSIC DIRECTION
Doug Peck - Caroline, or Change - Court Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SPECIAL EFFECTS
Steve Tolin - Special Effects - The Lieutenant of Inishmore - Northlight Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VIDEO DESIGN
Mike Tutaj - Film & Video Design - Tomorrow Morning - Hillary A. Williams
2009 EQUITY STATISTICS
In the Season ended July 31, 2009, the Jeff Awards Committee judged the opening nights of 141 Equity productions from 57 producing organizations. Of these, 98 productions were recommended by the opening night judges and became eligible for nominations.
MULTIPLE AWARDS RECIPIENTS
THEATRES:
TimeLine Theatre Company - 5
Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club - 4
Goodman Theatre - 1
Court Theatre - 4
Drury Lane Oakbrook - 3
The Second City e.t.c. - 3
Marriott Theatre - 2
Hilary A. Williams, LLC - 2
Writers’ Theatre – 2
PRODUCTIONS:
“The History Boys” – 5
“Ruined” – 4
“Caroline, or Change” – 4
“Studs Terkel’s Not Working – 3
“The Light in the Piazza” – 2
“A Minister’s Wife” - 2
“Miss Saigon” – 2
“Tomorrow Morning” - 2
SPECIAL NOTICE TO NEWS MEDIA
Photos from the event will be available on our website, www.jeffawards.org, shortly, and available for your download and use. Please credit Johnny Knight Photography. If you need a quote or interview with any Jeff Awards committee member, please contact Jeffrey Marks at 312-606-0400 or media@jeffawards.org.