Jeff Equity Award Nominations Announced

Chicago Theatres Shine in Outstanding Jeff Nominated Productions of 2009-2010 Season

7 New Play Nominations Recognize Theatres’ Commitment to New Works

Drury Lane Productions and Court Theatre
Top List of Award Nominees

 

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – Chicago, IL. The Jeff Awards today announced 162 nominations in 31 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2009, and July 31, 2010. The Jeff Awards sent judges to the opening nights of 111 Equity productions offered by 42 producing organizations. From these openings, 88 productions were "Jeff Recommended," which made them eligible for
award nominations.

The 42nd Annual Jeff Awards ceremony honoring excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area will be held on Monday, October 25, at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. A pre-show Appetizer Buffet will run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the Awards Ceremony, directed by Michael Weber, will begin at 7:30 p.m., with a Reception immediately following. Musical numbers featuring cast members from nominated musicals and video segments from nominated plays will be included in the Jeff Awards ceremony, emceed by luminary actors Deanna Dunagan and Felicia P. Fields. Advance purchase tickets, which include the ceremony and the pre-show buffet, are $75 ($55 for members of Actors' Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, The Musicians' Union, and The Dramatists Guild of America). The evening is black tie optional and the public is cordially invited to attend. To purchase tickets, visit the Jeff Awards website at www.jeffawards.org. For more information, contact Equity Chair Diane Hires at equitywing@jeffawards.org.

Enhancing Chicago’s reputation as a nurturing home for new work, 7 new plays were Jeff-nominated from both large and small houses: Victory Gardens Theater, in association with Teatro Vista…Theatre with a View, scored with Kristoffer Diaz’ Pulitzer nominated comedy about wrestling and politics with “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” and also with Michael Golamco’s “Year Zero,” a tale of young Cambodian immigrants in California from their new play development program “Ignition.” Bruce Norris, an associate at Steppenwolf Theatre, was nominated for “A Parallelogram,” a dark comedy about seeing one’s future and David Schwimmer, co-founder and associate at Lookingglass Theatre Company, and writing partner Andy Bellin created the story of a cyber-predator victim in “Trust,” soon to be a major film release. A Red Orchid Theatre in Old Town delighted audiences with an extended run of Craig Wright’s “Mistakes Were Made,” a comic turn for Oscar nominee and long time associate Michael Shannon; The Gift Theatre, tucked away on North Milwaukee Avenue, brought Andrew Hinderaker’s eerie story of corporate sabotage “Suicide, Incorporated,” featuring co-founder, artistic director, and television actor Michael Patrick Thornton; and The Artistic Home storefront on North Clark presented Jim Lynch’s yarn “The Tallest Man,” about a tinker scraping together a life in turn-of-the-century Ireland.

Drury Lane Productions led all theatres with 26 nominations for four musicals, including 11 nods for the critically acclaimed American epic “Ragtime” reinvented by Director Rachel Rockwell and her stellar 40 person cast, and seven nominations each for "Cabaret” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Court Theatre topped the list of play producers with 18 nominations for a bold 5-play season which included 7 nods for the magical Tony Kushner adaptation of a French satire “The Illusion;” 5 nominations for the hilarious, quick-change romp “The Mystery of Irma Vep;” and 4 nods for the quintessential August Wilson play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” TimeLine Theatre Company, in its third season as an Equity house, led the field of midsize theatres with 11 nominations including 5 for the Chicago premiere of “The Farnsworth Invention.” “The Drowsy Chaperone” and “Hairspray” led the list of 11 Marriott Theatre nominations with 6 and 5, respectively. Goodman Theatre garnered 10 nominations, led by the inventive Marx Brothers musical “Animal Crackers,” with 6 mentions. Among individual multiple nominees Joshua Horvath, Jesse Klug, and Marc Robin topped the list with 4 each, followed by Ray Nardelli, Doug Peck, and Nick Sandys with 3 each.

The coveted nominations for Outstanding Ensemble reflected the strength and diversity of Chicago productions as nominees came from small storefronts, midsize theatres, and the city’s biggest houses. Ensemble nominations went to “Abigail’s Party” from A Red Orchid, Goodman’s “Animal Crackers,” Steppenwolf’s “The Brother/Sister Plays,” TimeLine’s “The Farnsworth Invention,” Court’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Drury Lane’s “Ragtime,” and “The Wedding” from TUTA Theatre Chicago. Actors' Equity Association continues its support of the Equity Jeff Awards by sponsoring the Outstanding Ensemble Award.

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. Each year the Jeff Awards evaluates over 200 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies. 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 6, 2011 at the Park West.

Complete List of Jeff Equity Nominations

PRODUCTION – PLAY - LARGE

“The Brother/Sister Plays” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
“The Illusion” - Court Theatre
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” - Court Theatre
“The Mystery of Irma Vep” - Court Theatre
“A Streetcar Named Desire” - Writers’ Theatre

PRODUCTION – PLAY - MIDSIZE

“Abigail’s Party” - A Red Orchid Theatre
“All My Sons” - TimeLine Theatre Company
“The Farnsworth Invention” - TimeLine Theatre Company
“‘Master Harold’…And The Boys” - TimeLine Theatre Company
“Tobacco Road” - American Blues Theater

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL - LARGE

“Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre
“Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
“The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre
“Hairspray” - Marriott Theatre
“Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
“Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions

PRODUCTION – REVUE

“The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life” - The Second City e.t.c.
“Low Down Dirty Blues” – Northlight Theatre
“Oh Coward!” – Writers’ Theatre

ENSEMBLE

“Abigail’s Party” - A Red Orchid Theatre
“Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre
“The Brother/Sister Plays” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“The Farnsworth Invention” - TimeLine Theatre Company
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” - Court Theatre
“Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
“The Wedding” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

NEW WORK – PLAY

Kristoffer Diaz - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Michael Golamco - “Year Zero” - Victory Gardens Theater
Andrew Hinderaker - “Suicide, Incorporated” - The Gift Theatre
Jim Lynch - “The Tallest Man” - The Artistic Home
Bruce Norris - “A Parallelogram” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
David Schwimmer and Andy Bellin - “Trust” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Craig Wright - “Mistakes Were Made” - A Red Orchid Theatre

DIRECTOR - PLAY

Nick Bowling - “The Farnsworth Invention” - TimeLine Theatre Company
David Cromer - “A Streetcar Named Desire” - Writers’ Theatre
Sean Graney - “The Mystery of Irma Vep” - Court Theatre
Tina Landau - “The Brother/Sister Plays” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Shade Murray - “Abigail’s Party” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Charles Newell - “The Illusion” - Court Theatre
Kimberly Senior - “All My Sons” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Edward Torres - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View

DIRECTOR – MUSICAL or REVUE

Jim Corti - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Jim Corti - “Oh Coward!” - Writers’ Theatre
William Osetek - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions
Marc Robin - “The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre
Marc Robin - “Hairspray” - Marriott Theatre
Rachel Rockwell - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Henry Wishcamper - “Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

Desmin Borges - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Brian Dennehy - “Hughie/Krapp’s Last Tape” - Goodman Theatre
Rob Fagin - “The Farnsworth Invention” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Erik Hellman - “The Mystery of Irma Vep” - Court Theatre
Tracy Letts - “American Buffalo” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Nick Sandys - “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Michael Shannon - “Mistakes Were Made” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Chris Sullivan - “The Mystery of Irma Vep” - Court Theatre

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Quentin Earl Darrington - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
James Harms - “The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre
Max Quinlan - “Jesus Christ Superstar” - Theatre at the Center
Alan Schmuckler - “Sugar” - Drury Lane Productions
Joey Slotnick - “Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY

Tracy Michelle Arnold - “Private Lives” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Cassandra Bissell – “Mary’s Wedding” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Janet Ulrich Brooks - “All My Sons” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Kirsten Fitzgerald - “Abigail’s Party” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Natasha Lowe - “A Streetcar Named Desire” - Writers’ Theatre
Lia Mortensen - “The Hiding Place” - Provision Theater
Allison Torem – “Trust” - Lookingglass Theatre Company

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Holly Ann Butler - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions
Cory Goodrich - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Heidi Kettenring - “I Do! I Do!” - Theatre at the Center
Marissa Perry - “Hairspray” - Marriott Theatre

SOLO PERFORMANCE

Mary Beth Fisher - “The Year of Magical Thinking” - Court Theatre
Dael Orlandersmith - “Stoop Stories” - Goodman Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY

Allen Gilmore - “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” - Court Theatre
Francis Guinan - “A Guide for the Perplexed” - Victory Gardens Theater
Tom Irwin - “A Parallelogram” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Timothy Edward Kane - “The Illusion” - Court Theatre
Nick Sandys - “Twelfth Night” - First Folio Theatre
Lindsay Smiling - “Blue Door” - Victory Gardens Theater
Michael Patrick Thornton – “Suicide, Incorporated” - The Gift Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL

Mark David Kaplan - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Peter Kevoian - “The Christmas Schooner” - Theatre at the Center
David Lively - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Adam Pelty - “The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY

Janet Ulrich Brooks - “When She Danced” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Cindy Gold - “Awake and Sing!” - Northlight Theatre
Rebecca Spence - “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Stacy Stoltz - “A Streetcar Named Desire” - Writers’ Theatre
Wandachristine - “The Old Settler” - Writers’ Theatre
Natalie West - “Abigail’s Party” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Jacqueline Williams - “The Brother/Sister Plays” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL

Rebecca Finnegan - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Heidi Kettenring - “Hairspray” - Marriott Theatre
Valisia LeKae - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Barbara Robertson - “Yeast Nation (the triumph of life)” - American Theater Company
Paula Scrofano - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions

ACTOR IN A REVUE

Mississippi Charles Bevel - “Low Down Dirty Blues” - Northlight Theatre
Rob Lindley - “Oh Coward!” - Writers’ Theatre
Gregory Porter - “Low Down Dirty Blues” - Northlight Theatre
Sam Richardson - “Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies” - The Second City

ACTRESS IN A REVUE

Christina Anthony – “The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life” - The Second City e.t.c.
Felicia P. Fields - “Low Down Dirty Blues” - Northlight Theatre
Kate Fry - “Oh Coward!” - Writers’ Theatre
Sandra Reaves-Phillips - “Low Down Dirty Blues” - Northlight Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN - LARGE

Jeffrey Bauer - “A Guide for the Perplexed” - Victory Gardens Theater
John Culbert - “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” - Court Theatre
Kevin Depinet - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Kevin Depinet - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions
Collette Pollard - “The Illusion” - Court Theatre
Todd Rosenthal - “A Parallelogram” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Walt Spangler - “A True History of the Johnstown Flood” - Goodman Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN - MIDSIZE

Aimee Hanyzewski - “Of Mice and Men” - Oak Park Festival Theatre
James Leaming - “Tobacco Road” - American Blues Theater
Timothy Mann - “‘Master Harold’…And The Boys” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Angela Miller - “Jeeves in Bloom” - First Folio Theatre
Inseung Park - “The Hiding Place” - Provision Theatre

COSTUME DESIGN - LARGE

Jacqueline Firkins - “The Illusion”- Court Theatre
Nancy Missimi - “The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre
Tatjana Radisic - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Alison Siple - “The Mystery of Irma Vep” - Court Theatre

COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE

William J. Morey - “Into the Woods” - Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago
Sarah E. Ross & Kristin DeiTos - “Tobacco Road” - American Blues Theater
Emily Waecker - “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

SOUND DESIGN – LARGE

Mikhail Fiksel - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Joshua Horvath and Nick Keenan - “The Illusion”- Court Theatre
Joshua Horvath and Ray Nardelli - “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”- Court Theatre
Ray Nardelli - “Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale” - Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment

SOUND DESIGN - MIDSIZE

Victoria Delorio - “Mary’s Wedding” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Mikhail Fiksel - “War With the Newts” - Next Theatre Company
Nick Keenan - “End Days” - Next Theatre Company
Miles Polaski - “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”- The Gift Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE

Brian Sidney Bembridge - “Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale” - Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment
John Culbert - “The Illusion”- Court Theatre
Jesse Klug - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Jesse Klug - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Jesse Klug - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions

LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE

Lee Fiskness - “End Days” - Next Theatre Company
Jesse Klug - “Yeast Nation (the triumph of life)” - American Theater Company
Keith Parham - “The Farnsworth Invention” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Jaymi Lee Smith - “Mary’s Wedding” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

CHOREOGRAPHY

John Carrafa - “Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre
Tammy Mader - “Thoroughly Modern Millie” - Drury Lane Productions
Marc Robin - “The Drowsy Chaperone” - Marriott Theatre
Marc Robin - “Hairspray” - Marriott Theatre

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC

Alaric Jans - “The Hiding Place” – Provision Theater
Lindsay Jones - “Richard III” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Henry Marsh - “Twelfth Night” - First Folio Theatre
Ray Nardelli and Joshua Horvath - “The Long Red Road” - Goodman Theatre
Ray Nardelli, Andre Pluess, Kevin O'Donnell and Josh Horvath - “Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale” - Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment
Jesse Terrill - “The Wedding” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

MUSIC DIRECTION

Roberta Duchak - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Doug Peck - “Animal Crackers” - Goodman Theatre
Doug Peck - “Cabaret” - Drury Lane Productions
Doug Peck - “Oh Coward!” – Writers’ Theatre
Robert Reddrick - “Nothing But the Blues” - Black Ensemble Theater

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION

Bridges Media - Multimedia Design - “Trust” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Sage Marie Carter – Projections Design - “Ragtime” - Drury Lane Productions
Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi - Circus Choreography and Movement Direction - “Icarus” - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
Nick Sandys - Fight Choreography - “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
David Woolley - Fight Choreography - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View

Multiple Nominees

 

By Theatre

Drury Lane Productions

26

Court Theatre

18

Marriott Theatre

11

TimeLine Theatre Company

11

Goodman Theatre

10

Victory Gardens Theater (6 in association with Teatro Vista…Theater With a View)

10

Writers’ Theatre

10

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

8

A Red Orchid Theatre

7

Lookingglass Theatre Company (3 in association with Silverguy Entertainment)

7

Northlight Theatre

6

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

4

American Blues Theater

3

First Folio Theatre

3

The Gift Theatre

3

Next Theatre Company

3

Provision Theater

3

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

3

Theatre at the Center

3

American Theater Company

2

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

2

The Second City e.t.c.

2

TUTA Theatre Chicago

2

By Production

Ragtime

Drury Lane Productions

11

Cabaret

Drury Lane Productions

7

The Illusion

Court Theatre

7

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Drury Lane Productions

7

Animal Crackers

Goodman Theatre

6

The Drowsy Chaperone

Marriott Theatre

6

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity

Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View

6

Abigail’s Party

A Red Orchid Theatre

5

The Farnsworth Invention

TimeLine Theatre Company

5

Hairspray

Marriott Theatre

5

Low Down Dirty Blues

Northlight Theatre

5

The Mystery of Irma Vep

Court Theatre

5

Oh Coward!

Writers’ Theatre

5

The Brother/Sister Plays

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

4

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

4

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Court Theatre

4

A Streetcar Named Desire

Writers’ Theatre

4

All My Sons

TimeLine Theatre Company

3

Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale

Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment

3

The Hiding Place

Provision Theater

3

Mary’s Wedding

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

3

A Parallelogram

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

3

Tobacco Road

American Blues Theater

3

Trust

Lookingglass Theatre Company

3

The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life

The Second City e.t.c.

2

End Days

Next Theatre Company

2

A Guide for the Perplexed

Victory Gardens Theater

2

‘Master Harold’…And The Boys

TimeLine Theatre Company

2

Mistakes Were Made

A Red Orchid Theatre

2

Suicide, Incorporated

The Gift Theatre

2

Twelfth Night

First Folio Theatre

2

The Wedding

TUTA Theatre Chicago

2

Yeast Nation (the triumph of life)

American Theater Company

2

By Individual
Joshua Horvath 4
Jesse Klug 4
Marc Robin 4
Ray Nardelli 3
Doug Peck 3
Nick Sandys 3
Janet Ulrich Brooks 2
Jim Corti 2
Kevin Depinet 2
Mikhail Fiksel 2
Nick Keenan 2
Heidi Kettenring 2

 

SPECIAL NOTICE TO NEWS MEDIA
Your complimentary ticket to the 42nd Annual Jeff Awards Ceremony will be held at the News Media Table at the Drury Lane Oakbrook only if you make a reservation in advance with Jeffrey Marks at 312.606.0400 or media@jeffawards.org.
Names of award recipients will be released immediately following the presentation ceremony October 25 by email and on our website. Photos from the event will be available on our website.
A Media Curtain is available for your own photos. We will also have an interview area available to you, and will assist in bringing interviewees to that area. If you need a quote or interview with any Jeff Awards committee member, please call or e-mail Jeffrey Marks at 312-606-0400 or media@jeffawards.org.
The Jeff Awards Committee website, www.jeffawards.org, lists all the current nominees and statistics, along with other Jeff Awards information and news.