Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony postponed

The 2020 Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony, honoring the work of the Chicago area’s smaller/storefront houses, theater companies and artists, has been postponed, according to an official announcement Wednesday.

This year’s event was slated for June 8 as a free live-streamed awards presentation due to the shutdown of all theaters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The rescheduled date will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Jeff Awards committee cited its intent to join other arts industry groups “to pause events during this time of unrest throughout the country” as the reason for the postponement.

In the official statement released Wednesday, the organization said:

“The Jeff Awards stand with our colleagues in the Chicago theater community struggling through the impact of COVID-19 and the rising voices calling for an end to racial injustice. We support and promote inclusivity in the arts, business and everyday life. As the storytellers, we know what an important role theater plays in bringing diverse perspectives to life and helping people better understand each other’s journeys. Black lives and opportunity, and those of all people of color, matter. To keep hearts and minds open to the best possibilities for our world, we must continue to listen and learn from the experiences of others. And when we do see injustice, we must speak up to ensure those stories are told. We stand in solidarity with the theater community as they engage audiences and challenge our thinking on these and other important topics.”

Leading the pack of this year’s nominees is Griffin Theatre, with 10 nominations, followed closely by Jackalope Theatre Company with 9 and Lifeline Theatre with 8.

Shows receiving the most nominations with 7 apiece include: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Red Tape Theatre), “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” (Underscore Theatre Company), “Big Fish” (BoHo Theatre) and “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” (Jackalope Theatre Company).

You can see the full list of nominations here.