Pictured: Mark Pracht in “Requiem for a Heavyweight.” Photo by Joe Mazza | Brave Lux
VIDEO
The Jeff Awards’ Nomination Video with Breon Arzell by Jason Epperson
The Jeff Committee announced today a total of 132 nominations in 22 categories for the 46th Annual Non–Equity Jeff Awards.
Theater companies Raven, BoHo, and Haven led the nominations with double digits each, but it’s The Artistic Home’s “Requiem for a Heavyweight” and Sideshow’s “Tilikum” that earned the most nods for individual productions.
On the minds of many will be the gender breakdown of the performance categories, now in their second of two trial years without the Actor/Actress split. Instead, double the performers are nominated in half as many categories. In 2018, when the change rolled out with the non-Equity awards, it was largely successful. The committee nominated at least one non-binary artist and a majority of women in the performance categories (the other artist categories were overrun with men, as they always are). The Equity nominations, however, took a step back to the 1950s. Could this be a sign that Chicago’s non-Equity theaters are simply offering better opportunities for performers than the Equity houses?
Between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019, there were 144 eligible Non–Equity productions submitted for Jeff Recommendation. Of those, 68 productions (or 47%) were recommended, including 14 world premieres. There were 51 productions that received at least one nomination, which represents the work of 33 theatre companies.
The ceremony will be hosted by Breon Arzell and held on Monday, June 3, 2019, at the Athenaeum Theatre. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 day of. The next Equity Awards will be held on October 21 at Drury Lane Oakbrook.
2019 NON–EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES ENSEMBLE
“Eclipsed” – Pegasus Theatre Chicago“Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company “Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies” – First Floor Theater “In the Blood” – Red Tape Theatre“Plainclothes” – Broken Nose Theatre“Red Rex” – Steep Theatre Company PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
“The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre “Grand Hotel” – Kokandy Productions “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre PRODUCTION – PLAY
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Fred Anzevino – “The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Lili–Anne Brown – “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre Ericka Mac – “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre Ed Rutherford – “Evil Dead the Musical” – Black Button Eyes Productions Nick Thornton – “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company DIRECTOR – PLAY
Jonathan Berry – “Birdland” – Steep Theatre Company Lili–Anne Brown – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company Mikael Burke – “Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies” – First Floor Theater Wardell Julius Clark – “Dutch Masters” – Jackalope Theatre Company Ilesa Duncan – “Eclipsed” – Pegasus Theatre Chicago Elly Green – “Yen” – Raven Theatre John Mossman – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Bridget Adams–King (Lucy Parsons) – “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company Neala Barron (Lizzie) – “110 in the Shade” – BoHo Theatre Robert Cornelius (Joe Roy) – “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre Tessa Dettman (Jo March) – “Little Women” – Brown Paper Box Co. Gilbert Domally (Marty Roy) – “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre Kelli Harrington (Desiree Armfeldt) – “A Little Night Music” – BoHo Theatre Kelli Harrington (Francesca) – “The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Jordan Dell Harris (Ash) – “Evil Dead the Musical” – Black Button Eyes Productions Tommy Thurston (Robert) – “The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Missy Wise (Alice Murphy) – “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Patrick Agada (Eric) – “Dutch Masters” – Jackalope Theatre Company Jalen Gilbert (Tru) – “Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies” – First Floor Theater Jyreika Guest (Hester) – “In the Blood” – Red Tape Theatre Kenneth D. Johnson (Walter “Pops” Washington) – “Between Riverside and Crazy” – Redtwist Theatre marssie Mencotti (Hannah) – “The Safe House” – City Lit Theater Company Brian Parry (Richard Nixon) – “Frost/Nixon” – Redtwist Theatre Mark Pracht (Harlan “Mountain” McClintock) – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” –The Artistic Home Joel Reitsma (Paul) – “Birdland” – Steep Theatre Company Kevin V. Smith (Volodya) – “Radio Culture” – TUTA Theatre Eliza Stoughton (Li’l Bit) – “How I Learned to Drive” – Raven Theatre Kendra Thulin (Linda) – “Linda” – Steep Theatre Company Vahishta Vafadari (Anne Lister) – “I Know My Own Heart” – Pride Films and Plays PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Ryan Armstrong (Buddy) – “The Last Session” – Refuge Theatre Project Elizabeth Bollar (Vicki) – “The Last Session” – Refuge Theatre Project Darilyn Burtley (Tryshia) – “The Last Session” – Refuge Theatre Project Carl Herzog (Bud) – “The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Caitlin Jackson (Cheryl) – “Evil Dead the Musical” – Black Button Eyes Productions Michelle Jasso (Elizaveta Grushinskaya) – “Grand Hotel” – Kokandy Productions Stevie Love (Shelly / Annie) – “Evil Dead the Musical” – Black Button Eyes Productions Jeff Pierpoint (Billy Cane) – “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre Christopher Ratliff (Jimmy) – “110 in the Shade” – BoHo Theatre Jonathan Schwart (Otto Kringlein) – “Grand Hotel” – Kokandy Productions Stephanie Stockstill (Countess Charlotte Malcolm) – “A Little Night Music” – BoHo Theatre PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Tiffany Bedwell (Maggie) – “Yen” – Raven Theatre Debo Belogun (Trevor) – “Red Rex” – Steep Theatre Company Brianna Buckley (Lily Anne Green) – “Crumbs from the Table of Joy” – Raven Theatre August N. Forman (Gina) – “Girl in the Red Corner” – Broken Nose Theatre Annie Hogan (Grace Miller) – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home Evan Linder (Sam) – “Grace” – Interrobang Theatre Project marssie Mencotti (Louise) – “Herland” – Redtwist Theatre Jessica Dean Turner (Nicole) – “Red Rex” – Steep Theatre Company Netta Walker (Jennifer) – “Yen” – Raven Theatre H.B. Ward (Max) – “Rock ‘n’ Roll” – The Artistic Home SOLO PERFORMANCE
NEW MUSICAL
Alex Higgin–Houser and David Kornfeld – “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company Cindy O’Connor and Larry Todd Cousineau – “Flies! The Musical!” – Pride Films and Plays NEW PLAY
Guadalís Del Carmen – “Not for Sale” – UrbanTheater Company Kristiana Rae Colon – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company Spenser Davis – “Plainclothes” – Broken Nose Theatre Philip Dawkins – “The Gentleman Caller” – Raven Theatre Isaac Gomez – “The Displaced” – Haven Theatre Company Ike Holter – “Red Rex” – Steep Theatre Company Shannon O’Neill – “May the Road Rise Up” – The Factory Theater Kristine Thatcher – “The Safe House” – City Lit Theater Company Alex Higgin–Houser and David Kornfeld – “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company Cindy O’Connor and Larry Todd Cousineau – “Flies! The Musical!” –Pride Films and Plays MUSIC DIRECTION
Jermaine Hill – “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre Julie B. Nichols – “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre Robert Ollis – “Haymarket” – Underscore Theatre Company Jeremy Ramey – “The Bridges of Madison County” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Tom Vendafreddo – “A Little Night Music” – BoHo Theatre ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Coco Elysses – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company Jonathan Guillen – “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” – Promethean Theatre Ensemble Andrew Hansen – “Neverwhere” – Lifeline Theatre Christopher Kriz – “The Man Who Was Thursday” – Lifeline Theatre M. Anthony Reimer – “Melancholy Play” – Organic Theater Company CHOREOGRAPHY
Breon Arzell – “The Total Bent” – Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre Brenda Didier – “Grand Hotel” – Kokandy Productions Ericka Mac – “Bright Star” – BoHo Theatre Derek Van Barham – “Evil Dead the Musical” – Black Button Eyes Productions FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
SCENIC DESIGN
Kerry Lee Chipman – “The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia?” – Interrobang Theatre Project Ryan Emens – “Dutch Masters” – Jackalope Theatre Company Joanna Iwanicka – “Suddenly Last Summer” – Raven Theatre Jeffrey D. Kmiec – “The Gentleman Caller” – Raven Theatre Jacqueline Penrod – “Eclipsed” – Pegasus Theatre Chicago Samantha Rausch – “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” – Eclipse Theatre Company PROJECTION DESIGN
Tony Churchill – “How I Learned to Drive” – Raven Theatre Paul Deziel – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company Liviu Pasare – “Not for Sale” – UrbanTheater Company Michael Stanfill – “Ghosts of War” – Griffin Theatre Company Michelle Underwood – “Neverwhere” – Lifeline Theatre LIGHTING DESIGN
Erik S. Barry – “The Displaced” – Haven Theatre Company Claire Chrzan – “Fun Harmless Warmachine” – The New Colony Claire Chrzan – “Yen” – Raven Theatre Jared Gooding – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company Brandon Wardell – “Birdland” – Steep Theatre Company COSTUME DESIGN
Aly Renee Amidei – “Neverwhere” – Lifeline Theatre Leah Hummel – “The Revolutionists” – Strawdog Theatre Company Beth Laske–Miller – “Nightmares and Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier” – Black Button Eyes Productions Caitlin McLeod and Anna Wooden – “The Man Who Was Thursday” – Lifeline Theatre John Nasca – “Grand Hotel” – Kokandy Productions Rachel M. Sypniewski – “Monsieur D’Eon Is a Woman” – Trap Door Theatre SOUND DESIGN
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Jeremiah Barr (Puppet Design) – “Nightmares and Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier” – Black Button Eyes Productions Rachel Flesher (Rigging Design) – “The Displaced” – Haven Theatre Company Sam Hubbard (Violence and Intimacy Direction) – “Yen” – Raven Theatre John LaFlamboy (Makeup Design) – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home Adam McAleavey (Puppet Design) – “Flies! The Musical!” – Pride Films and Plays Mary O’Dowd (Properties Design) – “Rock ‘n’ Roll” – The Artistic Home
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