Was last season really this good? There are nine nominees in both the large and midsize play categories. Nine!
Not to take anything away from the nominees, but having seen most of the nominations, it would appear the Jeff Awards are on the verge of descending into what one normally sees on the little league circuit: everyone gets an award just for participating.
Where there snubs? You betcha. Two that come immediately to mind: Nathan Lane ("The Iceman Cometh") and Susan Moniz ("Follies"). Given how generous the nomination committee seemed to be this year, these two omissions are particularly glaring. Lane managed to breath life into a show that most theatergoers are already familiar with.
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| Nathan Lane (right) in the Goodman's production of "The Iceman Cometh" |
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| Susan Moniz in "Follies" |
Here's hoping the committee hires a speed reader to announce the nominees at the awards show on Oct. 15. Otherwise, it's going to be a long night.
2012 EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE
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| "Angels in America" |
“Clybourne Park” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“The Convert” - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group and
McCarter Theatre Center
“Elizabeth Rex” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
“In the Next Room or the vibrator play” – Victory Gardens Theater
“Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen
Productions
“Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
“Oedipus el Rey” - Victory Gardens Theater
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| "Death and Harry Houdini" |
“Blizzard ‘67” - Chicago Dramatists
“Chesapeake” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
“Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
“Disgraced” - American Theater Company in special arrangement with The Araca
Group
“Enron” - TimeLine Theatre Company
“Fish Men” - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production
“Freud’s Last Session” - Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Robert Stillman, and Jack Thomas
present the Barrington Stage Production
“Immediate Family” - Paul Boskind, Ruth Hendel and Stephen Hendel by special
arrangement with Goodman Theatre, and in association with About Face
Theatre Company
“The Pitmen Painters” - TimeLine Theatre Company
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| "Eastland: A New Musical" |
“Eastland: A New Musical” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
“Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
“A Little Night Music” - Writers’ Theatre
“The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
“The Sound of Music” - Drury Lane Productions
“Sweeney Todd” - Drury Lane Productions
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| "The Doyle & Debbie Show" |
“A Catered Affair” - Porchlight Music Theatre
“The Christmas Schooner A Musical” - The Mercury Theater
“The Doyle & Debbie Show” - lonesome road productions in association with Jim
Jensen and Lisselan Productions
“Rent” - American Theater Company and About Face Theatre
PRODUCTION – REVUE
“Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together” - Porchlight Music Theatre
“We’re All in This Room Together” - The Second City e.t.c.
DIRECTOR – PLAY
Nathan Allen - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
J. Nicole Brooks - “Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Robert Falls - “The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
BJ Jones - “The Pitmen Painters” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Christopher McElroen - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with
Christopher McElroen Productions
Amy Morton - “Clybourne Park” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Charles Newell - “An Iliad” - Court Theatre
Ron OJ Parson - “The Caretaker” - Writers’ Theatre
Sandy Shinner - “In the Next Room or the vibrator play” - Victory Gardens Theater
Chay Yew - “Oedipus el Rey” - Victory Gardens Theater
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
William Brown - “A Little Night Music” - Writers’ Theatre
Amanda Dehnert - Eastland: A New Musical - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Gary Griffin - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Tammy Mader - “Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
Dominic Missimi - “The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
Rachel Rockwell - “The Sound of Music” - Drury Lane Productions
Rachel Rockwell - “Sweeney Todd” - Drury Lane Productions
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| "Clybourne Park" |
“Ameriville by Universes” - Victory Gardens Theater
“Clybourne Park” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
“Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
“The Pitmen Painters” - TimeLine Theatre Company
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| Martin Rayner (left) as Sigmund Freud with Mark H. Dold as C.S. Lewis in "Freud's Last Session." |
Usman Ally (Amir) - “Disgraced” - American Theater Company in special
arrangement with The Araca Group
Teagle F. Bougere (Invisible Man) - “Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association
with Christopher McElroen Productions
William J. Norris (Davies) - “The Caretaker” - Writers’ Theatre
Martin Rayner (Sigmund Freud) - “Freud’s Last Session” - Carolyn Rossi Copeland,
Robert Stillman, and Jack Thomas present the Barrington Stage Production
Steven Sutcliffe (Ned Lowenscroft) - “Elizabeth Rex” - Chicago Shakespeare
Theater
Larry Yando (Roy M. Cohen) - “Angels in America, Parts One and Two” - Court
Theatre
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| Adrian Aguilar (Jon) in "tick...tick...BOOM!" |
Adrian Aguilar (Jon) - “tick…tick… BOOM!” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Bruce Arntson (Doyle Mayfield) - “The Doyle & Debbie Show” - lonesome road
productions in association with Jim Jensen and Lisselan Productions
Clarke Hallum (Ralphie) - “A Christmas Story, The Musical” - Gerald Goehring, Roy
Miller, Michael F. Mitri, Pat Flicker Addiss, Peter Billingsley, Mariano Tolentino,
Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Timothy Laczynski,
Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment, Angela Milonas and Bradford W. Smith
Andrew Lupp (Phil Davis) - “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical” - Marriott
Theatre
Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Jackie Wilson) - “The Jackie Wilson Story (My Heart is Crying,
Crying)” - Black Ensemble Theater
Rashawn Thompson (Marvin Gaye) - “The Marvin Gaye Story (Don’t Talk About My
Father Because God is My Friend)” - Black Ensemble Theater
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| Diane D'Aquila as Queen Elizabeth I in "Elizabeth Rex" |
Pascale Armand (Jekesai/Ester) - “The Convert” - Goodman Theatre in association
with Center Theatre Group and McCarter Theatre Center
Janet Ulrich Brooks (Anya Botvinnik) - “A Walk in the Woods” - TimeLine Theatre
Company
Kate Buddeke (Tanya) - “The North Plan” - Theater Wit
Diane D’Aquila (Queen Elizabeth I) - “Elizabeth Rex” - Chicago Shakespeare
Theater
Kate Fry (Catherine Givings) - “In the Next Room or the vibrator play” - Victory
Gardens Theater
Lia Mortensen (Lynn Fontanne) - “Ten Chimneys” - Northlight Theatre
Kelli Simpkins (Darcy) - “The Kid Thing” - Chicago Dramatists and About Face
Theatre
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| Liz McCartney as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd" |
Jennifer Blood (Maria Rainer) - “The Sound of Music” - Drury Lane Productions
Lillian Castillo (Tracy Turnblad) - “Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
Shannon Cochran (Desirée Armfeldt) - “A Little Night Music” - Writers’ Theatre
Rebecca Finnegan (Aggie Hurley) - “A Catered Affair” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Jenny Littleton (Debbie) - “The Doyle & Debbie Show” - lonesome road productions
in association with Jim Jensen and Lisselan Productions
Liz McCartney (Mrs. Lovett) - “Sweeney Todd” - Drury Lane Productions
Caroline O’Connor (Phyllis Rogers Stone) - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Edgar Blackmon (Ensemble) - “Who Do We Think We Are?” - The Second City
McKinley Carter (Woman #1) - “Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together” -
Porchlight Music Theatre
Mike Kosinski (Ensemble) - “We’re All in This Room Together” -
The Second City e.t.c.
Adam Pelty (Man #1) - “Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together” -
Porchlight Music Theatre
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Greg Matthew Anderson (Kerr) - “Chesapeake” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Timothy Edward Kane (Poet) - “An Iliad” - Court Theatre
Deborah Staples (Performer) - “The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful
Redhead” - Writers’ Theatre
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| Ron Orbach (right) with Tracy Michelle Arnold in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" |
Brad Armacost (Phil Hogan) - “A Moon for the Misbegotten” - Seanachaí Theatre
Company
Ian Barford (Arly Wilcox) - “The March” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Brian Dennehy (Larry Slade) - “The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
Alex Goodrich (Ellard Simms) - “The Foreigner” - Provision Theater
Harry Groener (General William Tecumseh Sherman) - “The March” - Steppenwolf
Theatre Company
Ron Orbach (Nick Bottom) - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - Chicago Shakespeare
Theater
Dan Waller (Oliver Kilbourn) - “The Pitmen Painters”- TimeLine Theatre Company
Howard Witt (Adam Kirchbaum AKA Ninety-Two) - “Fish Men” - Goodman Theatre
presents the Teatro Vista production
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| Rod Thomas (right) with Jonathan Lee Cunningham in "Little Shop of Horrors" |
Brandon Dahlquist (Count Carl-Magnus & Lieder Singer) - “A Little Night Music” -
Writers’ Theatre
Alex Goodrich (Kirk) - “HERO the Musical” - Marriott Theatre
Kevin Earley (Pirate King) - “The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
Ross Lehman (Major-General) - “The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
Michael Aaron Lindner (Edna Turnblad) - “Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
Rod Thomas (Orin Scrivello, Derelict, Customer, Radio Announcer, Bernstein,
Mrs. Luce, Skip Snip, and Patrick Martin) - “Little Shop of Horrors” - Theatre
at the Center
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| Natalie West in "The Butcher of Baraboo" |
Cheryl Lynn Bruce (Mai Tamba) - “The Convert” - Goodman Theatre in association
with Center Theatre Group and McCarter Theatre Center
Hannah Gomez (Maribel) - “Crooked” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Mary Cross and
Sharon Furiya
Patrese D. McClain (The Folk) -”Spunk” - Court Theatre
Polly Noonan (Sabrina Daldry) - “In the Next Room or the vibrator play” - Victory
Gardens Theater
MaryAnn Thebus, (Vera) - “After the Revolution” - Next Theatre Company
Kristina Valada-Viars (Mandy Bloom) - “Time Stands Still” - Steppenwolf Theatre
Company
Natalie West (Gail) - “The Butcher of Baraboo” - A Red Orchid Theatre
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| Christinie Sherrill (left) with Chelsea Packard in "Legally Blonde: The Musical" |
Dara Cameron (Susan Schmitty) - “HERO the Musical” - Marriott Theatre
Patti Cohenour (The Mother Abbess) - “The Sound of Music” - Drury Lane
Productions
Hollis Resnik (Carlotta Campion) - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Alene Robertson (Martha Watson) - “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical” -
Marriott Theatre
Christine Sherrill (Paulette) - “Legally Blonde The Musical” - Marriott Theatre
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| Jon Steinhagen's "Blizzard '67" |
Ayad Akhtar - “Disgraced” - American Theater Company in special arrangement
with The Araca Group
John Conroy - “My Kind of Town” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Sarah Gubbins - “The Kid Thing” - Chicago Dramatists and About Face Theatre
Andrew Hinderaker - “I Am Going to Change the World” - Chicago Dramatists
Jon Steinhagen - “Blizzard ‘67” - Chicago Dramatists
Aaron Thielen and Michael Mahler - “HERO the Musical” - Marriott Theatre
Andrew White, Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman - “Eastland: A New Musical” -
Lookingglass Theatre Company
NEW ADAPTATION – PLAY
Calixto Bieito and Marc Rosich - “Camino Real” - Goodman Theatre
Frank Galati - “The March” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Oren Jacoby - “Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association with Christopher
McElroen Productions
Tracy Letts - “Three Sisters” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Jessica Thebus and Frank Maugeri - “The Feast: an intimate Tempest” - Chicago
Shakespeare Theater in association with Redmoon
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| The cast of Drury Lane Productions' "Hairspray" |
Tammy Mader - “Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
Matt Raftery - “The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
Jessica Redish - “Pippin” - The Music Theatre Company
Marc Robin - “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical” - Marriott Theatre
Alex Sanchez - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Jenny Giering - “Elizabeth Rex” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Andrew Hansen - “A Walk in the Woods” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Lindsay Jones - “Timon of Athens” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - Chicago
Shakespeare Theater
Kevin O’Donnell - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
David Singer - “Three Sisters” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
MUSIC DIRECTION
Austin Cook - “Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Roberta Duchak - “The Sound of Music” - Drury Lane Productions
Roberta Duchak - “Sweeney Todd” - Drury Lane Productions
Brad Haak - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Valerie Maze - “A Little Night Music” – Writers’ Theatre
Robert Reddrick - “The Marvin Gaye Story (Don’t Talk about My Father Because
God is My Friend)” - Black Ensemble Theater
SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Ira Amyx and Merje Veski - “A Moon for the Misbegotten” - Seanachaí Theatre
Company
John Iacovelli - “Immediate Family” - Paul Boskind, Ruth Hendel and Stephen
Hendel by special arrangement with Goodman Theatre, and in association with
About Face Theatre Company
Jack Magaw - “Disgraced” - American Theater Company in special arrangement
with The Araca Group
Brian Prather - “Freud’s Last Session” - Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Robert Stillman,
and Jack Thomas present The Barrington Stage Production
Chelsea M. Warren - “The Kid Thing” - Chicago Dramatists and About Face Theatre
 |
| The Goodman Theatre's production of "Red" |
Kevin Depinet - “The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
Troy Hourie - “Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association with
Christopher McElroen Productions
Jack Magaw - “The Caretaker” - Writers’ Theatre
Jack Magaw - “In the Next Room or the vibrator play” - Victory Gardens Theater
Dan Ostling - “Eastland: A New Musical” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Todd Rosenthal - “Clybourne Park” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Todd Rosenthal - “An Iliad” - Court Theatre
Todd Rosenthal - “Red” - Goodman Theatre in association with Arena Stage at
the Mead Center for American Theater
Walt Spangler - “Time Stands Still” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Jesse Klug - “The Amish Project” - American Theater Company
Jesse Klug - “Fish Men” - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production
JR Lederle - “Chesapeake” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Michael McNamara - “The Turn of the Screw” - First Folio Theatre
Ben Wilhelm - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
John Culbert - “Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association with Christopher
McElroen Productions
James F. Ingalls - “Camino Real” - Goodman Theatre
Natasha Katz - “The Iceman Cometh” - Goodman Theatre
Jesse Klug - “Sweeney Todd” - Drury Lane Productions
Keith Parham - “Red” - Goodman Theatre in association with Arena Stage at
the Mead Center for American Theater
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| Jay Worthington (front) and Kenny Mihlfried in The Gift Theatre's "Cloud 9" |
David Hyman - “Rent” - American Theater Company and About Face Theatre
Branimira Ivanova - “Cloud 9” - The Gift Theatre
Lee Keenan - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
Kate Murphy - “Absolute Hell” - The Gift Theatre
Michael Alan Stein - “The Nativity” - Congo Square Theatre Company
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| Chicago Shakespear Theatre's "Follies" |
Jacqueline Firkins - “In the Next Room or the vibrator play” - Victory Gardens
Theater
Rachel Anne Healy - “A Little Night Music” - Writers’ Theatre
Virgil C. Johnson - “Follies” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Nancy Missimi - “The Pirates of Penzance” - Marriott Theatre
Nancy Missimi - “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical” - Marriott Theatre
SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Victoria DeIorio - “Falling: A Wake” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Mikhail Fiksel - “Fish Men” - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista
production
Christopher Kriz - “The Turn of the Screw” - First Folio Theatre
Kevin O’Donnell and Harrison Adams - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House
Theatre of Chicago
Rick Sims - “Chesapeake” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN – LARGE
Mikhail Fiksel - “Oedipus el Rey” - Victory Gardens Theater
Joshua Horvath and Kevin O’Donnell - “Angels in America, Parts One and Two” -
Court Theatre
Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen - “The 39 Steps” - Drury Lane Productions
Andre Pluess - “An Iliad” - Court Theatre
Josh Schmidt - “The March” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
PROJECTIONS / MEDIA DESIGN
Maya Ciarrocchi - “Crowns” - Goodman Theatre
Seth Henrikson & Oddmachine - “Megacosm” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Alex Koch - “Invisible Man” - Court Theatre in association with
Christopher McElroen Productions
Mike Tutaj - “I Am Going to Change the World” - Chicago Dramatists
Mike Tutaj - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Mike Tutaj - “A Walk in the Woods” - TimeLine Theatre Company
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| Samuel Taylor (left) and Adrian Danzig in "The Feast: an intimate Tempest" |
Kurt Alger - Wig Design - “Hairspray” - Drury Lane Productions
Jesse Mooney-Bullock - 3D Puppetry Design - “The Feast: an intimate Tempest” -Chicago Shakespeare Theater in association with Redmoon
Melissa Veal - Wig and Make-up Design - “Elizabeth Rex” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Dennis Watkins - Magic Designer - “Death and Harry Houdini” - The House Theatre of Chicago
The 44th Annual Jeff Awards ceremony honoring excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area will be held on Monday, October 15, at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Advance purchase tickets, which include the ceremony and buffets, are $75 ($55 for members of Actors' Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Stage Managers’ Association, The Dramatists Guild of America, and American Federation of Musicians). The evening is black tie optional and the public is cordially invited to attend.
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