Chicago, IL. The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 128 nominations in 24 categories of Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 147 productions offered by 65 Non-Equity producing organizations. The judges recommended 66 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Thirty theatre companies received nominations.
BoHo Theatre, with a mix of musicals and plays, earned 12 nods this year, the most of any theatre company. "Kiss of The Spider Woman," a musical of South American political prisoners surviving brutality, garnered six nominations. The company's productions of "Amadeus," a story of court politics between musical rivals Mozart and Salieri, and their mystery thriller "Veronica's Room," each earned three nominations.
The 2014 nominations also recognized a strong season at Oracle Productions, which scored 11 nominations for two works: seven for "The Mother," Brecht's story of a widow embroiled in Marxist politics, and four for "Pink Milk," the tragic tale of Alan Turing, a forefather of modern computers. Raven Theatre's nine nominations include six for "The Playboy of the Western World," an Irish yarn of exaggerated heroics.
The 2014 nominations also reward the efforts of Non-Equity theaters producing New Works and New Adaptations in Chicago, citing 11 nominations for world premieres. Six nominated new plays include Maureen Gallagher's "Comrades Mine" at City Lit Theater Company, Philip Dawkins' "Miss Marx: or the involuntary side effect of living" at Strawdog Theatre Company, Manny Tamayo's "Incident on Run #1217" at The Factory Theater, Joel Kim Booster's "Kate and Sam Are Not Breaking Up" at The New Colony, Will Dunne's "The Roper" at The Den Theatre, and Bilal Dardal's "The Sovereign Statement" at The Neo-Futurists. New Adaptations earning nominations are Christopher M. Walsh's "A Tale of Two Cities" at Lifeline Theatre, Paul Edwards' "A Study in Scarlet" at Promethean Theatre Ensemble, Sean Graney's "12 Nights" at The Hypocrites, Thom Pasculli's "Core of the Pudel/Gutting the Legend of Faust" at Trap Door Theatre, and Steve Gooch's translation of "The Mother" at Oracle Productions.
The 41st Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, June 2, 2014, at Park West, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago. Doors open for a cash bar at 6 p.m., with a light buffet at 6:30 p.m., and the presentation ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. A group rate of $35 is available for parties of 10 or more. Festive cocktail attire is suggested, and the public is cordially invited. Tickets are purchased online with a credit card at www.jeffawards.org or by mail with the downloadable mail-order form, also found at www.jeffawards.org . For more information, contact John D. Glover, Non-Equity Wing Chair, at nonequitywing@jeffawards.org . Follow live twitter feeds from the ceremony and behind the scenes at #josephjefferson.
The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theater artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 55 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards are committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theater by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors. The Jeff Awards foster the artistic growth of area theaters and theater artists and promote educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theater community. Each year, the Jeff Awards evaluate over 250 theatrical productions and host 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 Equity Awards ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, is on Monday, October 13, 2014, at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Oakbrook Terrace.
2014 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION - PLAY
"Great Expectations" - Strawdog Theatre Company
"Incident on Run #1217" - The Factory Theater
"The Knowledge" - Steep Theatre Company
"The Mother" - Oracle Productions
"The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
"Veronica's Room" - BoHo Theatre
PRODUCTION - MUSICAL
"Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
"Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
"Monty Python's Spamalot" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company
"Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
"Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
DIRECTOR - PLAY
Jonathan Berry - "The Knowledge" - Steep Theatre Company
Matt Engle - "Incident on Run #1217" - The Factory Theater
Jason Gerace - "Great Expectations" - Strawdog Theatre Company
Elly Green - "Rabbit" - Stage Left Theatre
Max Truax - "The Mother" - Oracle Productions
DIRECTOR - MUSICAL OR REVUE
Fred Anzevino - "Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Lili-Anne Brown - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
Peter Marston Sullivan - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
Derek van Barham - "Songs From an Unmade Bed" - Pride Films and Plays
David E. Walters - "Monty Python's Spamalot" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company
ENSEMBLE
"Clybourne Park" - Redtwist Theatre
"Core of the Pudel/Gutting the Legend of Faust" - Trap Door Theatre
"Great Expectations" - Strawdog Theatre Company
"The Killer Angels" - Lifeline Theatre
"The Knowledge" - Steep Theatre Company
"The Mother" - Oracle Productions
"Pink Milk" - Oracle Productions i/a/w White Elephant
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Chris Ballou ( Mozart ) - "Amadeus" - BoHo Theatre
Patrick Gannon ( Dave/Mint/Candy ) - "The Tennessee Williams Project" - The Hypocrites
Fred Geyer ( Presley Stray ) - "Pitchfork Disney" - Interrobang Theatre Project
Steve O'Connell ( Salieri ) - "Amadeus" - BoHo Theatre
Joel Reitsma ( Danny ) - "Motortown" - Steep Theatre Company
Nate Santana ( Joe ) - "Golden Boy" - Griffin Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
Nathan Carroll ( Molina ) - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
Jim DeSelm ( Jamie Wallerstein ) - "The Last Five Years" - Kokandy Productions
Evan Tyrone Martin ( Valentin ) - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
Jordan Phelps ( Performer ) - "Songs From an Unmade Bed" - Pride Films and Plays
David Schlumpf ( Sidney Falcone ) - "Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
Kevin Webb ( Performer ) - "Songs From an Unmade Bed" - Pride Films and Plays
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Sally Eames ( Susan ) - "Woman in Mind" - Eclipse Theatre Company
Kelli Harrington ( Maria Callas ) - "Master Class" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Katherine Keberlein ( The Mother ) - "The Mother" - Oracle Productions
Caroline Neff ( Zoe ) - "The Knowledge" - Steep Theatre Company
Mary Williamson ( June ) - "Reverb" - Redtwist Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
Molly Brennan ( Madam Barker ) - "The Life and Death of Madam Barker" - Red Tape Theatre
Sydney Charles ( Dessa Rose ) - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
Harmony France ( Ruth ) - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
Allison Hendrix ( Catherine Hiatt ) - "The Last Five Years" - Kokandy Productions
Danni Smith ( Fosca ) - "Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Matt Edmonds ( Aaron ) - "All-American" - Redtwist Theatre
Jose Antonio Garcia ( Happy ) - "Fallow" - Steep Theatre Company
Dennis William Grimes ( Richard ) - "Rabbit" - Stage Left Theatre
Joseph Wiens ( Brad ) - "Orange Flower Water" - Interrobang Theatre Project
Norm Woodell ( Bonaparte ) - "Golden Boy" - Griffin Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Tommy Bullington ( Smee ) - "Return of Neverland" - Quest Theatre Ensemble
Daniel Desmarais ( Leaf Coneybear ) - "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - Griffin Theatre
Company
Greg Foster ( Patsy/French Taunter ) - "Monty Python's Spamalot" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company
Nathan Gardner ( Dallas ) - "Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
David Schlumpf ( Nehemiah ) - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Eleanor Katz ( Jessie Mae Watts ) - "The Trip to Bountiful" - Raven Theatre
Ashleigh LaThrop ( Jade ) - "Motortown" - Steep Theatre Company
Nina O'Keefe ( Lorna ) - "Golden Boy" - Griffin Theatre Company
Nora Lise Ulrey ( Mary Tilford ) - "The Children's Hour" - Pride Films and Plays
Sarah Wellington ( Performer ) - "Veronica's Room" - BoHo Theatre
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Victoria Blade ( Susan ) - "Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
Charlotte Mae Ellison ( Olive Ostrovsky ) - "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - Griffin
Theatre Company
Jasondra Johnson ( Dorcas ) - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
Laura McClain ( Rona Lisa Peretti ) - "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - Griffin
Theatre Company
Katie Miller ( Lady of the Lake ) - "Monty Python's Spamalot" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company
Colette Todd ( Clara ) - "Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
NEW WORK
Joel Kim Booster - "Kate and Sam Are Not Breaking Up" - The New Colony
Bilal Dardai - "The Sovereign Statement" - The Neo-Futurists
Phillip Dawkins - "Miss Marx: or the involuntary side effect of living" - Strawdog Theatre
Company
Will Dunne - "The Roper" - The Den Theatre
Maureen Gallagher - "Comrades Mine" - City Lit Theater Company
Manny Tamayo - "Incident on Run #1217" - The Factory Theater
NEW ADAPTATION
Steve Gooch ( translator ) - "The Mother" - Oracle Productions
Sean Graney - "12 Nights" - The Hypocrites
Thom Pasculli - "Core of the Pudel/ Gutting the Legend of Faust" - Trap Door Theatre
Christopher M. Walsh - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Lifeline Theatre
Paul Edwards - "A Study in Scarlet" - Promethean Theatre Ensemble
CHOREOGRAPHY
Linda Fortunato - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
Kelsey Overberg and Christopher Pazdernik - "Monty Python's Spamalot" - NightBlue Performing
Arts Company
Brandon Powers - "Pink Milk" - Oracle Productions i/a/w White Elephant
Steven Spanopoulos - "Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Josh Brechner - "Pink Milk" - Oracle Productions i/a/w White Elephant
Mad Dan Caffrey and the Tabletop Joes - "Heist Play" - The Ruckus
Jonathan Guillen and Nicholas Tonozzi - "The Mother" - Oracle Productions
Andrew Hansen - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Lifeline Theatre
Leif Olsen - "The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
MUSIC DIRECTION
Aaron Benham - "Sweet Smell of Success" - Kokandy Productions
Kory Danielson - "Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Elizabeth Doran - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" - BoHo Theatre
James Morehead - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
Robert Ollis - "Songs From an Unmade Bed" - Pride Films and Plays
SCENIC DESIGN
Buck Blue - "Lascivious Something" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Andrei Onegin - "The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
Amanda Rozmiarek - "Brighton Beach Memoirs" - Raven Theatre
Jameson Sanford - "Veronica's Room" - BoHo Theatre
Adam Veness - "Passion" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Carolyn Voss - "Through the Leaves" - the side project
LIGHTING DESIGN
Jessica Carson - "Pink Milk" - Oracle Productions i/a/w White Elephant
Diane D. Fairchild - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Lifeline Theatre
Brian Hoehne - "Dessa Rose" - Bailiwick Chicago
John Kelly - "Great Expectations" - Strawdog Theatre Company
Jared Moore - "Ivywild" - The Hypocrites
Kurt Ottinger - "The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN
Theresa Ham - "Amadeus" - BoHo Theatre
Izumi Inaba - "The Life and Death of Madam Barker" - Red Tape Theatre
Beth Laske-Miller - "A Study in Scarlet" - Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Alaina Moore - "The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
Kate Setzer Kamphausen - "Christmas Dearest" - Hell In A Handbag Productions
Mieka van der Ploeg - "Golden Boy" - Griffin Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN
Andrew Hansen - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Lifeline Theatre
Kevin O'Donnell - "Ivywild" - The Hypocrites
Stephen Ptacek - "The Killer Angels" - Lifeline Theatre
Danny Rockett and Cooper Forsman - "Core of the Pudel/Gutting the Legend of Faust" -
Trap Door Theatre
Rick Sims - "Golden Boy" - Griffin Theatre Company
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Ryan Bourque - "Reverb" - Redtwist Theatre
Matt Hawkins - "The Three Musketeers" - Lifeline Theatre
John Moran and Matt Engle - "Incident on Run #1217" - The Factory Theater
David Woolley - "The Playboy of the Western World" - Raven Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Jeremy Clark - Video Design - "The Mother" - Oracle Productions
John Fournier - Music and Lyrics - "The Life and Death of Madam Barker" - Red Tape Theatre
Megan Hovany, Nick Rupard and Luke Verkamp - Puppet Design - "The People's A Christmas Wish" -
Quest Theatre Ensemble
Scott C. Lamps and Andrew Park - Music and Lyrics - "The People's A Christmas Wish" - Quest Theatre
Ensemble
Mary O'Dowd - Properties/Set Dressing - "Brighton Beach Memoirs" - Raven Theatre
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
BY THEATER
BoHo Theatre 12
Oracle Productions 11
Raven Theatre 9
Bailiwick Chicago 8
Griffin Theatre Company 8
Kokandy Productions 8
Lifeline Theatre 7
Steep Theatre Company 7
Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 7
NightBlue Performing Arts Company 5
Pride Films & Plays 5
Strawdog Theatre Company 5
The Factory Theatre 4
The Hypocrites 4
Redtwist Theatre 4
Quest Theatre Ensemble 3
Red Tape Theatre Company 3
Trap Door Theatre 3
Interrobang Theatre Project 2
Promethean Theatre Ensemble 2
Stage Left Theatre Company 2
BY PRODUCTION
Dessa Rose 8
The Mother 7
Kiss of the Spider Woman 6
Passion 6
Playboy of the Western World 6
Sweet Smell of Success 6
Golden Boy 5
Monty Python's Spamalot 5
Great Expectations 4
Incident on Run #1217 4
The Knowledge 4
Pink Milk 4
Songs From An Unmade Bed 4
A Tale of Two Cities 4
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 3
Amadeus 3
Core of the Pudel/Gutting the Legend of Faust 3
The Life and Death of Madam Barker 3
Veronica's Room 3
Brighton Beach Memoirs 2
Ivywild 2
The Killer Angels 2
The Last Five Years 2
Motortown 2
The People's A Christmas Wish 2
Rabbit 2
Reverb 2
A Study in Scarlet 2
BY ARTIST
Matt Engle 2
Andrew Hansen 2
David Schlumpf 2
SPECIAL NOTICE TO NEWS MEDIA
Your complimentary ticket to the 41st Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony will be held at the News Media Table at the Park West 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 June 2, 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 Non-Equity nominees and statistics, along with previous recipients and nominees and other Jeff Awards information and news.
