CHICAGO: The 48th annual Equity Jeff Awards were held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, Oct. 17. The awards celebrate Equity theatre in the Chicago area. The most lauded productions were Porchlight Music Theatre‘s Dreamgirls and The Tempest at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, with four awards each.
And the individual who took home the most prizes was actor/playwright Brian Quijada, with two awards for his autobiographical one-person play Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, produced by Teatro Vista in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and Victory Gardens Theater.
A special award was presented to Michael Halberstam, artistic director of Writers Theatre. Halberstam founded the theatre in 1992 and recently oversaw the opening of its new performance space.
The evening was directed by Michael Weber, with music direction by Linda Madonia, and stage management by Colleen Tovar. Merril Prager served as producer for the evening. Actors Janet Ulrich Brooks and James Earl Jones II were the emcees.
The Jeff Awards has honored Chicago artists and institutions since 1968. Its 55 members evaluates 250 productions annually, and holds two awards ceremonies, one for Equity theatre and one for non-Equity. The non-Equity awards were held earlier this past summer.
The complete list of winners is below.
PRODUCTION—PLAY—LARGE
The Tempest, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
PRODUCTION—PLAY—MIDSIZE
United Flight 232, The House Theatre of Chicago
PRODUCTION—MUSICAL—LARGE
West Side Story, Paramount Theatre
PRODUCTION—MUSICAL—MIDSIZE
Dreamgirls, Porchlight Music Theatre
DIRECTOR—PLAY
Aaron Posner and Teller, The Tempest, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
DIRECTOR—MUSICAL
Rachel Rockwell, Ride the Cyclone, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ENSEMBLE
United Flight 232, The House Theatre of Chicago
ACTOR IN A PRINICPAL ROLE—PLAY
Dexter Zollicoffer, Charm, Northlight Theatre
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—MUSICAL
Nathaniel Stampley, Man of La Mancha, Marriott Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—PLAY
Mary Beth Fisher, Domesticated, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE—MUSICAL
Donica Lynn, Dreamgirls, Porchlight Music Theatre
ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Shari Addison, Dynamite Divas, Black Ensemble Theater
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Brian Quijada, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Teatro Vista in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and Victory Gardens Theater
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—PLAY
Mike Nussbaum, The Price, TimeLine Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—MUSICAL
Eric Lewis, Dreamgirls, Porchlight Music Theatre
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—PLAY
Jacqueline Williams, The House That Will Not Stand, Victory Gardens Theater
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—MUSICAL
Mary Antonini, West Side Story, Paramount Theatre
NEW WORK
Philip Dawkins, Charm, Northlight Theatre
John Reeger, Julie Shannon and Michael Mahler, The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes, Mercury Theater Chicago
NEW ADAPTATION
Robert Falls and Seth Bockley, 2666, Goodman Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY
William Carlos Angulo, West Side Story, Paramount Theatre
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Diego Colon and Christopher Kriz, The Grapes of Wrath, The Gift Theatre
MUSIC DIRECTION
Ryan T. Nelson, Man of La Mancha, Marriott Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN—LARGE
Jeffrey D. Kmiec, Deathtrap, Drury Lane Productions
SCENIC DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Sarah E. Ross, The Rainmaker, American Blues Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN—LARGE
Thom Weaver, The Tempest, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Mike Durst, Adding Machine: A Musical, The Hypocrites
COSTUME DESIGN—LARGE
Catherine Zuber, War Paint, Goodman Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Bill Morey, Dreamgirls, Porchlight Music Theatre
SOUND DESIGN—LARGE
André Pluess, Treasure Island, Lookingglass Theatre Company and
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
SOUND DESIGN—MIDSIZE
Brian Quijada, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Teatro Vista in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and Victory Gardens Theater
PROJECTIONS / VIDEO DESIGN
Shawn Sagady, 2666, Goodman Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Johnny Thompson, Magic Design, The Tempest, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
