The nominations for the 46th annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards, recognizing the best in Chicago-area non-Equity stage productions, were announced Monday.
Raven Theatre, whose season included critically acclaimed productions of “Yen,” “How I Learned to Drive” and “Crumbs from the Table of Joy” among others, leads the pack with 12 nominations, followed by 11 for BoHo Theatre, nominated for its critically acclaimed productions of “Bright Star,” “110 in the Shade” and “A Little Night Music.”
Close behind in total nominations are Haven Theatre Company with 10, and Steep Theatre and Artistic Home, each with 9.
Artistic Home’s “Requiem for a Heavyweight” and Sideshow Theatre Company’s “Tilikum” each received 7 nominations, the most for individual productions.
Fifty-one productions, representing the work of 33 companies from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019, received at least one nomination for the awards, which recognize outstanding work in Chicago-area, non-union productions.
The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on June 3 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Veteran actor/choroegrapher Breon Arzell will host. Tickets, $45-$50, are available at the Athenaeum.
Here is this year’s list of nominees:
Erik Pearson (center) plays activist Albert Parsons, one of five men sentenced to death after an 1886 bombing in Chicago, in Underscore Theatre Company and The Den Theatre’s new musical “Haymarket.” | MICHAEL BROSILOW
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
Francesca (Kelli Harrington) and Robert (Tommy Thurston cannot contain their passion in “The Bridges of Madison County” at Theo Ubique. | Cody Jolly Photography
Cody Jolly Photography
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
“Birdland” – Steep Theatre Company
“Dutch Masters” – Jackalope Theatre Company
“Eclipsed” – Pegasus Theatre Chicago
“Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies” – First Floor Theater
“Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home
“Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company
“Yen” – Raven Theatre
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
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
Sam Krey (Ryan Smithson) – “Ghosts of War” – Griffin Theatre Company
Matt Fletcher (left) and Gregory Geffrard star in Sideshow Theatre’s world premiere of “Tilikum.” | Jonathan L. Green
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
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
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
Samantha Kaufman – “The Lady Demands Satisfaction” –
Babes With Blades Theatre Company
John Mossman – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home
Almanya Narula – “Monsieur D’Eon Is a Woman” – Trap Door Theatre
Jaq Seifert – “Not One Batu” – Nothing Without a Company and Aloha Center Chicago
John Tovar – “Girl in the Red Corner” – Broken Nose Theatre
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
John Mossman and Elizabeth Birnkrant
in Artistic Home’s production of “How I Learned to Drive. ” | Joe Mazza/Brave Lux.
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 Amedei – “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
Victoria Deiorio – “Tilikum” – Sideshow Theatre Company
Sarah D. Espinoza – “The Displaced” – Haven Theatre Company
Robert Hornbostel – “Nightmares and Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier” –
Black Button Eyes Productions
Steve Labedz – “Dutch Masters” – Jackalope Theatre Company
Peter Wahlback – “Requiem for a Heavyweight” – The Artistic Home
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
