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(l-r): Sydney Charles, Gilbert Domally, Chuckie Benson and Steven Perkins in Kokandy’s production of THE WIZ. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
The Jeff Awards announced today a total of 127 nominations in 26 categories for the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017.
In the Production-Musical category, three of the nominated Productions each had eight nominations. These included “Urinetown” at BoHo Theatre, “The Wiz” at Kokandy Productions and “High Fidelity” at the newly eligible Refuge Theatre Project. Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre scored a total of 11 nominations this year, including seven for “The Most Happy Fella.”
In the Production-Play category, three of the nominated Productions each had four nominations: “Prowess” at Jackalope Theatre Company, “At The Table” at Broken Nose Theatre (another newly-eligible company) and “The North Pool” at Interrobang Theatre Project.
The Ensemble nominations were spread among seven productions: “At The Table” at Broken Nose Theatre, “Bat Boy The Musical” at Griffin Theatre Company, “truth and reconciliation” at Sideshow Theatre Company, “good friday,” produced by Kristiana Rae Colon and Tara Branham in association with Oracle Productions, “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” at Trap Door Theatre, “How We got On” at Haven Theatre Company and “High Fidelity” at Refuge Theatre Project.
The 2016-2017 season also rewarded the efforts of Non-Equity theaters producing new plays and new musicals in Chicago, citing nine nominations for world premieres. Seven playwrights were nominated in the New Play category, including Ike Holter for “Prowess” at Jackalope Theatre Company, Jerre Dye for “Distance” at Strawdog Theatre Company, Alex Lubischer for “Bobbie Clearly” at Steep Theatre Company, Zeljko Djukic for “Gentle” at TUTA Theatre Chicago, Philip Dawkins for “The Happiest Place on Earth” at Greenhouse Theater Center in association with Sideshow Theatre, Shepsu Aakhu for “Feral” at MPAACT, and the team of Heather McNama and Nancy Nyman for “Resolution” at Pride Films and Plays. New Musical nominations went to Robert Kauzlaric and George Howe for “Northanger Abbey” at Lifeline Theatre, as well as Alex Higgin-Houser & David Kornfeld for “Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Songbook” at Underscore Theatre Company.
The 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, June 5, 2017, at The Athenaeum. Alexis Roston and Lillian Castillo will be this year’s MCs.
2017 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION – PLAY
| “At the Table” – Broken Nose Theatre |
| “How We Got On” – Haven Theatre Company |
| “Miss Holmes” – Lifeline Theatre |
| “The North Pool” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
| “Our Lady of 121st Street” – Eclipse Theatre Company |
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
| “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre |
| “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
ENSEMBLE
| “At the Table” – Broken Nose Theatre |
| “Bat Boy The Musical” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| “good friday” – Kristiana Rae Colon and Tara Branham in collaboration with Oracle Productions |
| “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| “How We Got On” – Haven Theatre Company |
| “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” – Trap Door Theatre |
| “truth and reconciliation” – Sideshow Theatre Company |
DIRECTOR – PLAY
| Spenser Davis – “At the Table” – Broken Nose Theatre |
| Jonathan L. Green – “truth and reconciliation” – Sideshow Theatre Company |
| Robert Kauzlaric – “Cymbeline” – Strawdog Theatre Company |
| Victor Quezada-Perez – “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” – Trap Door Theatre |
| James Yost – “The North Pool” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
| Fred Anzevino – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Elise Kauzlaric – “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre |
| Christopher Pazdernik – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| Stephen Schellhardt – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Scott Weinstein – “Bat Boy The Musical” – Griffin Theatre Company |
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
| Salar Ardebili (Khadim) – “The North Pool” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
| Ryan Hallahan (Dan) – “The Body of an American” – Stage Left Theatre |
| John Henry Roberts (Danny) – “The Little Flower of East Orange” – Eclipse Theatre Company |
| George Seegebrecht (Hauptmann) – “Hauptmann” – City Lit Theater Company |
| Kevin V. Smith (Vic) – “Taste” – Red Theater Chicago |
| Gage Wallace (Terry) – “Taste” – Red Theater Chicago |
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
| Maxwell J. DeTogne (Rob) – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| Henry McGinniss (Bat Boy/Edgar) – “Bat Boy The Musical” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| Henry McGinniss (Bobby Strong) – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Jordan Phelps (Tick) – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
| William Roberts (Tony Esposito) – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
| Jeannie Affelder (Marie) – “The Little Flower of East Orange” – Eclipse Theatre Company |
| Kim Boler (Mabry) – “Human Terrain” – Broken Nose Theatre |
| Elaine Carlson (Eleanor of Aquitaine) – “The Lion in Winter” – Promethean Theatre Ensemble |
| Amy Johnson (Tami) – “Falling” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
| Kat McDonnell (May) – “Once in a Lifetime” – Strawdog Theatre Company |
| Shalyn Welch (Darcy) – “The Kid Thing” – Nothing Without A Company |
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
| Sydney Charles (Dorothy) – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Molly Hernandez (Amy) – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Amanda Horvath (Tonya Harding) – “Tonya and Nancy The Rock Opera” – Underscore Theatre Company |
| Stephanie Stockstill (Catherine Morland) – “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre Colette Todd (Diana) – “Next to Normal” – BoHo Theatre |
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
| Adam Bitterman (Mick) – “The Seedbed” – Redtwist Theatre |
| Matt Edmonds (Biff) – “Death of a Salesman” – Redtwist Theatre |
| Robert Koon (Riley) – “Chagrin Falls” – The Agency Theater Collective |
| D’Wayne Taylor (Lucius) – “Jesus Hopped the “A” Train” – Eclipse Theatre Company |
| Justin Tsatsa (Josh) – “Falling” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
| Chuckie Benson (Lion) – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Scott Danielson (Officer Lockstock) – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Nick Druzbanski (Barry) – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| Joe Giovannetti (Herman) – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Luke Meierdiercks (Felicia) – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
| Steven Perkins (Tin Man) – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
| Echaka Agba (Lauren) – “At the Table” – Broken Nose Theatre |
| JoAnn Montemurro (Faye) – “The Assembled Parties” – Raven Theatre Company |
| Deanna Reed-Foster (Trudy) – “Even Longer and Farther Away” – The New Colony |
| Kelli Strickland (Bananas) – “The House of Blue Leaves” – Raven Theatre Company |
| Kendra Thulin (Lisa) – “Wastwater” – Steep Theatre Company |
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
| Veronica Garza (Nancy/Tonya’s Mom) – “Tonya and Nancy The Rock Opera” – Underscore Theatre Company |
| Nicole Michelle Haskins (Aunt Em/Evillene) – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Courtney Jones (Cleo) – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Anne Sheridan Smith (Meredith Parker) – “Bat Boy The Musical” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| Jenifer Tyler (Mrs. Allen/Mrs. Tilney) – “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre |
| Honey West (Bernadette) – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
SOLO PERFORMANCE
| Philip Dawkins (Performer) – “The Happiest Place on Earth” – Greenhouse Theater Center i/a/w Sideshow Theatre Company |
| Sarah Gise (Performer) – “The Amish Project” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A REVUE
| Averis I. Anderson (Performer) – “An Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse Songbook” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Ian Rigg (Performer) – “Oh, Coward!” – Dead Writers Theatre Collective |
| Graham Thomas Heacock (Performer) – “An Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse Songbook” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Colette Todd (Angela) – “Honky Tonk Angels” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Leryn Turlington (Darlene) – “Honky Tonk Angels” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
NEW PLAY
| Shepsu Aakhu – “Feral” – MPAACT |
| Philip Dawkins – “The Happiest Place on Earth” – Greenhouse Theater Center i/a/w Sideshow Theatre Company |
| Zeljko Djukic – “Gentle” – TUTA Theatre Chicago |
| Jerre Dye – “Distance” – Strawdog Theatre Company |
| Ike Holter – “Prowess” – Jackalope Theatre Company |
| Alex Lubischer – “Bobbie Clearly” – Steep Theatre Company |
| Heather McNama and Nancy Nyman – “Resolution” – Pride Films and Plays |
NEW ADAPTATION
| Alex Higgin-Houser and David Kornfeld – “Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Songbook” – Underscore Theatre Company |
| Robert Kauzlaric and George Howe – “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre |
CHOREOGRAPHY
| Aubrey Adams – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Breon Arzell – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Jon Martinez – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
| Christopher Pazdernik – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
| Natasha Bogojevich – “Gentle” – TUTA Theatre Chicago |
| Andrew Hansen – “Cymbeline” – Strawdog Theatre Company |
| Andrew Hansen – “Miss Holmes” – Lifeline Theatre |
| Ben Sutherland – “The Lion in Winter” – Promethean Theatre Ensemble |
| Shawn Wallace – “Rutherford’s Travels” – Pegasus Theatre Chicago |
MUSIC DIRECTION
| Jimmy Morehead – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Robert Ollis – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
| Jeremy Ramey – “The Most Happy Fella” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre |
| Charlotte Rivard-Hoster – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Jon Schneidman – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
SCENIC DESIGN
| Kurtis Boetcher – “Gentle” – TUTA Theatre Chicago |
| Kevin Hagan – “Our Lady of 121st Street” – Eclipse Theatre Company |
| Jeffrey D. Kmiec – “The Assembled Parties” – Raven Theatre Company |
| Michelle Manni – “High Fidelity” – Refuge Theatre Project |
| Greg Pinsoneault – “The North Pool” – Interrobang Theatre Project |
| Ashley Ann Woods – “Miss Holmes” – Lifeline Theatre |
LIGHTING DESIGN
| Erik Barry – “Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Songbook” – Underscore Theatre Company |
| Kevin D. Gawley – “A Wrinkle in Time” – Lifeline Theatre |
| G. “Max” Maxin IV – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
| Alexander Ridgers – “Winterset” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| Brandon Wardell – “Bat Boy The Musical” – Griffin Theatre Company |
COSTUME DESIGN
| Aly Renee Amidei – “Northanger Abbey” – Lifeline Theatre |
| John Nasca – “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” – Pride Films and Plays |
| Rachel M. Sypniewski – “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” – Trap Door Theatre |
| Virginia Varland – “The Wiz” – Kokandy Productions |
| Elizabeth Wislar – “Urinetown” – BoHo Theatre |
SOUND DESIGN
| Eric Backus – “A Wrinkle in Time” – Lifeline Theatre |
| Thomas Dixon – “peerless” – First Floor Theater |
| Thomas Dixon – “Wastwater” – Steep Theatre Company |
| Stephen Ptacek – “How We Got On” – Haven Theatre Company |
| Stephen Ptacek – “In To America” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| Matthew Reich – “The Promise of a Rose Garden” – Babes With Blades |
PROJECTION DESIGN
| Brock Alter – “In To America” – Griffin Theatre Company |
| Anthony Churchill – “The Body of an American” – Stage Left Theatre |
| Michael Stanfill – “Prowess” – Jackalope Theatre Company |
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
| Ryan Bourque – “Prowess” – Jackalope Theatre Company |
| Matt Hawkins – “Cymbeline” – Strawdog Theatre Company |
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
BY THEATRE
11 – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
10 – Lifeline Theatre
9 – BoHo Theatre
8 – Griffin Theatre Company
8 – Kokandy Productions
8 – Refuge Theatre Project
7 – Interrobang Theatre Project
7 – Pride Films and Plays
5 – Broken Nose Theatre
5 – Eclipse Theatre Company
5 – Strawdog Theatre Company
4 – Jackalope Theatre Company
4 – Underscore Theatre Company
3 – Haven Theatre Company
3 – Raven Theatre Company
3 – Steep Theatre Company
3 – Trap Door Theatre
2 – Greenhouse Theater Center i/a/w Sideshow Theatre Company
2 – Promethean Theatre Ensemble
2 – Red Theater Chicago
2 – Redtwist Theatre
2 – Sideshow Theatre Company
2 – Stage Left Theatre
2 – TUTA Theatre Chicago
BY PRODUCTION
8 – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
8 – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
8 – High Fidelity – Refuge Theatre Project
7 – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
6 – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays
5 – Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
5 – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
4 – At the Table – Broken Nose Theatre
4 – The North Pool – Interrobang Theatre Project
4 – Prowess – Jackalope Theatre Company
3 – How We Got On – Haven Theatre Company
3 – Miss Holmes – Lifeline Theatre
3 – Cymbeline – Strawdog Theatre Company
3 – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Trap Door Theatre
2 – The Little Flower of East Orange – Eclipse Theatre Company
2 – Our Lady of 121st Street – Eclipse Theatre Company
2 – The Happiest Place on Earth – Greenhouse Theater Center i/a/w Sideshow Theatre Company
2 – In To America – Griffin Theatre Company
2 – Falling – Interrobang Theatre Project
2 – A Wrinkle in Time – Lifeline Theatre
2 – The Lion in Winter – Promethean Theatre Ensemble
2 – The Assembled Parties – Raven Theatre Company
2 – Taste – Red Theater Chicago
2 – truth and reconciliation – Sideshow Theatre Company
2 – The Body of an American – Stage Left Theatre
2 – Wastwater – Steep Theatre Company
2 – An Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse Songbook – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
2 – Honky Tonk Angels – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
2 – Gentle – TUTA Theatre Chicago
2 – Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Songbook – Underscore Theatre Company
2 – Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera – Underscore Theatre Company
BY ARTIST
2 – Philip Dawkins
2 – Thomas Dixon
2 – Andrew Hansen
2 – Robert Kauzlaric
2 – Henry McGinniss
2 – Christopher Pazdernik
2 – Stephen Ptacek
2 – Colette Todd
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