CHICAGO: The 46th annual Equity Jeff Awards, honoring Windy City theatre during the 2013–14 season, were held last night at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oatbrook Terrace, Ill. The biggest winners were American Blues Theater, Goodman Theatre and Writers Theatre, who each won five awards.
American Blues Theater was recognized for Hank Williams: Lost Highway, winning (among many awards) the midsize musical production award. The Goodman won prizes for its production of Brigadoon and Smokefall (the latter was a co-production with the Southern California–based South Coast Repertory). Writers Theatre won prizes for The Dance of Death and The Old Man and the Old Moon (a production from PigPen Theatre Company).
The evening contained live performances from all of the nominated musicals, and revues and video performances from the nominated plays. The ceremony also featured an In Memoriam segment honoring the 24 theatre artists who passed away during the season, underscored by a performance from the cast of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at Theatre at the Center.
The evening was overseen by masters of ceremony director Henry Godinez and actor Gene Weygandt. The ceremony was directed by Michael Weber, with music direction by Linda Madonia and stage management by Colleen Tovar. Merril Prager, Equity Wing chair of the Jeff Awards Committee, served as producer for the evening. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a lavish Drury Lane buffet and dancing.
The Jeff Awards, named after actor Joseph Jefferson, was established in 1968. It presents two awards ceremonies annually for Chicago-area theatre: one honoring Equity productions and the other honoring non-Equity.
2014 EQUITY JEFF AWARDS RECIPIENTS
PRODUCTION—PLAY—LARGE
The Dance of Death—Writers Theatre
PRODUCTION—PLAY—MIDSIZE
The Normal Heart—TimeLine Theatre Company
PRODUCTION—MUSICAL—LARGE
Brigadoon—Goodman Theatre
PRODUCTION—MUSICAL—MIDSIZE
Hank Williams: Lost Highway—American Blues Theater
PRODUCTION—REVUE
Ain’t Misbehavin’—Porchlight Music Theatre
DIRECTOR—PLAY
Nick Bowling—The Normal Heart—TimeLine Theatre Company
DIRECTOR—MUSICAL
William Osetek—The Normal Heart—Drury Lane Productions
DIRECTOR—REVUE
Brenda Didier—Ain’t Misbehavin’—Porchlight Music Theatre
ENSEMBLE
The Seafarer—Seanachaí Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A PRINICPAL ROLE—PLAY
Larry Yando—The Dance of Death—Writers Theatre
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—MUSICAL
Matthew Brumlow—Hank Williams: Lost Highway—American Blues Theater
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—PLAY
Shannon Cochran—The Dance of Death—Writers Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—MUSICAL
Susie McMonagle—Next to Normal—Drury Lane Productions
ACTOR IN A REVUE
John Hartman—Depraved New World—The Second City
ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Renee Matthews—Old Jews Telling Jokes—Daniel Okrent & Peter Gethers,
Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, and Marc Routh
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Gwendolyn Whiteside—Grounded—American Blues Theater
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—PLAY
Mike Nussbaum—Smokefall—Goodman Theatre and South Coast Repertory
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—MUSICAL
Mark David Kaplan—Les Misérables—Drury Lane Productions
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—PLAY
Sandra Marquez—A View From the Bridge—Teatro Vista
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—MUSICAL
Jessica Rush—Gypsy—Chicago Shakespeare Theater
NEW WORK
Rebecca Gilman—Luna Gale—Goodman Theatre
NEW ADAPTATION
John Mossman—The Goddess—The Artistic Home
CHOREOGRAPHY
Rachel Rockwell—Brigadoon—Goodman Theatre
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
PigPen Theatre Co.—The Old Man and the Old Moon—Writers Theatre
MUSIC DIRECTION
Malcolm Ruhl—Hank Williams: Lost Highway—American Blues Theater
SCENIC DESIGN—LARGE
Collette Pollard—In the Garden: A Darwinian Love Story—Lookingglass Theatre Company
SCENIC DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Katie-Bell Springmann—Cock—Profiles Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN—LARGE
William Kirkham—The Little Prince—Lookingglass Theatre Company
in association with The Actors Gymnasium
LIGHTING DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Rebecca A. Barrett and Lee Keenan—Dorian—The House Theatre of Chicago
COSTUME DESIGN—LARGE
Mara Blumenfeld—Brigadoon—Goodman Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Bill Morey—How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying–
Porchlight Music Theatre
SOUND DESIGN—LARGE
Mikhail Fiksel—The Old Man and the Old Moon—Writers Theatre
SOUND DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Lindsay Jones—Grounded—American Blues Theater
PROJECTIONS / MEDIA DESIGN
Sage Marie Carter—Les Misérables—Drury Lane Productions
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Austin Cook—Piano/Conductor—Ain’t Misbehavin’—Porchlight Music Theatre
Jeff Klapperich—Portrait Artist—Dorian—The House Theatre of Chicago
