2023 Jeff Awards nominations announced

Francis Guinan (from left) Kate Fry and Christopher Donahue in “The Cherry Orchard” at the Goodman Theatre. The production is nominated for five Jeff Awards.

More than 200 theater artists in 32 categories from acting to directing to scenic design to music scores and beyond have been nominated for 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards, it was announced Monday. The awards (Chicago’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards) recognize excellence in Equity theater productions across the Chicago area.

The Goodman Theatre earned 32 nominations from nine of its season productions, followed by the Paramount Theatre in Aurora with 18, and Mercury Theater Chicago with 15. Drury Lane Theatre, Teatro Vista and Marriott Theatre tied with 13 nominations each. Teatro Vista’s production of “The Dream King” garnered 10 nominations, the most for a single production.

Here’s the full list of nominations. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on Oct. 2 at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook.

2023 Equity Jeff Award Nominees:

Production — Play — Large

Long-lost twins Dromio of Syracuse (Ross Lehman) and Dromio of Ephesus (Kevin Gudahl) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of “The Comedy of Errors.” — Long-lost twins Dromio of Syracuse (Ross Lehman) and Dromio of Ephesus (Kevin Gudahl) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of “The Comedy of Errors,” directed by Barbara Gaines.

“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
“The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
“A Christmas Carol” - Goodman Theatre
“Clyde’s” - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group
“The Comedy of Errors” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
“Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
“Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre

Production — Play — Midsize

Ashlie Rene Funches, Sherman Edwards, Aja Singletary, in “Is God Is” at A Red Orchid Theatre. 2023. — Ashlie Rene Funches (from left), Sherman Edwards and Aja Singletary star in “Is God Is” at A Red Orchid Theatre.

“And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” – First Folio Theatre
“Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
“The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
“Fences” – American Blues Theater
“Is God Is” – A Red Orchid Theatre
“Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
“The October Storm” – Raven Theatre
“Right to Be Forgotten” – Raven Theatre

Production — Musical — Large

A scene from The Who’s Tommy” at the Goodman Theatre spotlighting the character Tommy, played by Ali Louis Bourzgui. — Tommy (Ali Louis Bourzgui) confronts his inner demons in ‘The Who’s Tommy” at the Goodman Theatre.

“Cabaret” – Porchlight Music Theatre
“A Chorus Line” – Drury Lane Productions
“Damn Yankees” – Marriott Theatre
“Fun Home” – Paramount Theatre
“The Gospel at Colonus” – Court Theatre
“Hello, Dolly!” – Marriott Theatre
“Into the Woods” – Paramount Theatre
“The Notebook” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Once” – Writers Theatre
“The Sound of Music” – Paramount Theatre
“The Who’s Tommy” – Goodman Theatre

Production — Musical — Midsize

Eric Amundson stars as Huck Finn and Curtis Bannister stars as Jim in “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” at the Mercury Theater Chicago.

“Big River” – Mercury Theater Chicago
“London Road” – Shattered Globe Theatre
“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” – Mercury Theater Chicago

Ensemble — Play

Cindy Gold (left) stars as Martha Washington alongside Celeste M. Cooper and Sydney Charles in “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.” — Cindy Gold (left) stars as Martha Washington alongside Celeste M. Cooper and Sydney Charles in “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.

“Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
“Fences” – American Blues Theater
“The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
“Our Dear Dead Drug Lord” – Steep Theatre
“Toni Stone” – Goodman Theatre

Ensemble — Musical or Revue

Kiley Fitzgerald (from left), Evan Mills, Andy Bolduc, Jordan Stafford, Julia Morales and Claire McFadden star in “Don’t Quit Your Daydream” on Second City’s mainstage.

“A Chorus Line” – Drury Lane Productions
“Don’t Quit Your Daydream” – The Second City
“The Gospel at Colonus” – Court Theatre
“London Road” – Shattered Globe Theatre
“Once” – Writers Theatre
“The Who’s Tommy” – Goodman Theatre

New Work

Older Noah (John Beasley) and Older Allie (Maryann Plunkett) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s world premiere production of The Notebook—a new musical with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, book by Bekah Brunstetter, choreography by Katie Spelman, and directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams—presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, September 6–October 16, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. — Older Noah (John Beasley) and Older Allie (Maryann Plunkett) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s world premiere production of “The Notebook.”

Will Allan – “Campaigns, Inc.” – TimeLine Theatre Company
Bekah Brunstetter and Ingrid Michaelson – “The Notebook” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Rebecca Gilman – “Swing State” – Goodman Theatre
Lauren Gunderson and Margo Melcon – “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley “ –Northlight Theatre
Lisa Langford – “How Blood Go” – Congo Square Theatre Company
Paloma Nozicka – “Enough to Let the Light In” – Teatro Vista
Marvin Quijada – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
Tuckie White – “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Will Wilhelm and Erin Murray – “Gender Play or What You Will” – About Face Theatre
LaDarrion Williams – “Boulevard of Bold Dreams” – TimeLine Theatre Company
Matthew C. Yee – “Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon” – Lookingglass Theatre Company
Martin Yousif Zebari – “Layalina” – Goodman Theatre

Director — Play — Large

Robert Falls - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
Robert Falls - “Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
Jessica Fisch - “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
Barbara Gaines - “The Comedy of Errors” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Henry Godinez - “Measure for Measure” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Ron OJ Parson - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
Ron OJ Parson - “Trouble in Mind” - TimeLine Theatre Company

Director — Play — Midsize

Monty Cole – “Fences” – American Blues Theater
Sarah Gitenstein – “Right to Be Forgotten” – Raven Theatre
Marti Gobel – “Is God Is” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Azar Kazemi – “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Sandra Marquez and Alice da Cunha – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
Malkia Stampley – “The October Storm” – Raven Theatre
L. Walter Stearns – “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
Georgette Verdin – “Enough to Let the Light In” – Teatro Vista

Director — Musical — Large

Jim Corti and Landree Fleming - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
Denis Jones - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Des McAnuff - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Katie Spelman - “Once” - Writers Theatre
Michael Weber - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre

Director — Musical — Midsize

Christopher Chase Carter - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Christopher Chase Carter - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Elizabeth Margolius - “London Road” - Shattered Globe Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role — Play

Marvin Quijada stars in “The Dream King” at Teatro Vista.

Terry Bell (Bashir) - “Routes” - Remy Bummpo Theatre Company
Kamal Angelo Bolden (Troy Maxson) - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
Tracey N. Bonner (Toni Stone) - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
Shanésia Davis (Rose) - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
Mary Beth Fisher (Peg) - “Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
Kevin Gudahl (Lord Brian Halifax/Dromio of Ephesus) - “The Comedy of Errors” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Rob Lindley (Andy Warhol) - “Andy Warhol in Iran” - Northlight Theatre
Sarah Price (Louise) - “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
Marvin Quijada (Actor) - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Shariba Rivers (Mrs. Elkins) - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre
Shariba Rivers (Wiletta Mayer) - “Trouble in Mind” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Larry Yando (Ebenezer Scrooge) - “A Christmas Carol” - Goodman Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role — Musical

Kelvin Roston Jr. (center, with Shari Addison and Eric A. Lewis) plays Oedipus in the Court Theatre’s “The Gospel at Colonus.”Michael Brosilow — Kelvin Roston Jr. (center, with Shari Addison and Eric A. Lewis) plays Oedipus in the Court Theatre’s “The Gospel at Colonus.”

Curtis Bannister (Jim) - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Ali Louis Bourzgui (Tommy) - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Ben Dow (Buddy) - “Elf The Musical” - Drury Lane Productions
Alexander Gemignani (Edward Bloom) - “Big Fish” - Marriott Theatre
Heidi Kettenring (Dolly Levi) - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Kieran McCabe (Buddy Holly) - “Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story” - Marriott Theatre
Andrew Mueller (Ernest Shackleton) - “Ernest Shackleton Loves Me” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Oedipus) - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
Stephen Schellhardt (Bruce Bechdel) - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
Erica Stephan (Sally Bowles) - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre

Solo Performance

Alexis J. Roston stars in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” at the Mercury Theater.

Alexis J. Roston (Billie Holiday) - “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Antonio Edwards Suarez (Antonio) - “Antonio’s Song / I Was Dreaming of a Son” - Goodman Theatre
Will Wilhelm (Will) - “Gender Play or What You Will” - About Face Theatre

Performer in a Revue

Felicia P. Fields (Performer) - “Pearl’s Rollin’ With the Blues” - Writers Theatre
Evan Mills (Performer) - “Don’t Quit Your Daydream” - The Second City

Performer in a Supporting Role — Play

Jon Hudson Odom (left) and Tracey N. Bonner in “Toni Stone” at the Goodman Theatre.

Karen Aldridge (She) - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Andrew Behling (Charlie Doyle) - “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” - First Folio Theatre
Janet Ulrich Brooks (Helen Hubbard) - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” –Drury Lane Productions
Brianna Buckley (Gayle/Young Chipper Ambitious Black Woman) - “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” - Goodman Theatre in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Meighan Gerachis (Aunt Weezie) - “Motherhouse” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Francis Guinan (Firs) - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
Chiké Johnson (Galileo) - “Galileo’s Daughter” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Felisha D. McNeal (Lucille) - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre
Jon Hudson Odom (Millie) - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
Jazzma Pryor (Lillian) - “Stew” - Shattered Globe Theatre
Nick Sandys (Eustace Bassington-Bassington ) - “Jeeves Intervenes” - First Folio Theatre

Performer in a Supporting Role — Musical

Lloyd Price (Saint Aubyn, left) and his friend/business partner Harold Logan (Stanley Wayne Mathis) have much to talk about in “Personaity: The Lloyd Price Musical” at the Studebaker Theater.

Sean Fortunato (Applegate) - “Damn Yankees” - Marriott Theatre
Veronica Garza (Rosalie Mullins) - “School of Rock” - Paramount Theatre
Alex Goodrich (Cornelius Hackl) - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Stanley Wayne Mathis (Harold Logan) - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
Susan Moniz (Mother Abbess) - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
Mary Robin Roth (Fräulein Schneider) - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (Curtis Taylor, Jr.) - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
Elizabeth Stenholt (Medium Alison) - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
Gregory Stewart Jr. (Philip Bailey) - “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth Wind and Fire” – Black Ensemble Theater
Joy Woods (Middle Allie) - “The Notebook” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Costume Design — Large

Raquel Adorno - “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley“ - Northlight Theatre
Raquel Adorno - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
Theresa Ham - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Izumi Inaba - “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Samantha C. Jones - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
Ana Kuzmanic - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
Bill Morey - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre

Costume Design — Midsize

Wadsworth (Mark David Kaplan, from left), Mr. Green (Kelvin Roston Jr.), Mrs. White (McKinley Carter), Professor Plum (Andrew Jessop), Colonel Mustard (Jonah Winston), Mrs. Peacock (Nancy Wagner, and Miss Scarlet (Erica Stephan) gather in the library to discuss some nefarious goings-on in “Clue” at Mercury Theater Chicago.

Gregory Graham - “Anna in the Tropics” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Marquecia Jordan - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Marquecia Jordan - “Clue” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Robert Kuhn - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Caitlin McLeod - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Alexia Rutherford - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre

Choreography

Brenda Didier - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Edgar Godineaux - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
Tyler Hanes - “Damn Yankees” - Marriott Theatre
Denis Jones - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Lorin Latarro - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Paul Stancato - “Grease” - Drury Lane Productions

Original Music in a Play

Matthew Chapman, Marvin Quijada, Elliot Taggart and Ethan T. Parcell - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Orbert Davis and Jorge Amado Molina - “Measure for Measure” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Mikhail Fiksel and Jeffrey Levin - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” – Drury Lane Productions
Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
Christopher Kriz - “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley “ - Northlight Theatre

Music Direction

Carolyn Brady - “A Chorus Line” - Drury Lane Productions
Kory Danielson - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
Kory Danielson - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
Matt Deitchman - “Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story” - Marriott Theatre
Matt Deitchman - “Once” - Writers Theatre
Rick Fox - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Mark J.P. Hood - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
Ryan T. Nelson - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
Robert Reddrick - “Blue Heaven” - Black Ensemble Theater
Robert Reddrick - “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth Wind and Fire” - Black Ensemble Theater

Scenic Design — Large

Andrew Boyce - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
casaboyce - “Layalina” - Goodman Theatre
John Culbert - “Arsenic and Old Lace” - Court Theatre
Jeffrey D. Kmiec - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
Jeffrey D. Kmiec - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
Collette Pollard - “The Garbologists” - Northlight Theatre

Scenic Design — Midsize

Bob Knuth – “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
Jack Magaw – “Andy Warhol’s Tomato” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
Angela Weber Miller – “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” – First Folio Theatre
Angela Weber Miller – “Jeeves Intervenes” – First Folio Theatre
Lauren M. Nichols – “Anna in the Tropics” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Joe Schermoly – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista

Sound Design — Large

Mikhail Fiksel and Jeffrey Levin - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
Ray Nardelli - “The 39 Steps” - Drury Lane Productions
Gareth Owen - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
André Pluess - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
Adam Rosenthal - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
Richard Woodbury - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre

Sound Design — Midsize

Matthew Chapman - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Victoria DeIorio - “Motherhouse” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Willow James - “How Blood Go” - Congo Square Theatre Company
Stefanie M. Senior - “Enough to Let the Light In” - Teatro Vista
Kurt Snieckus - “Clue” - Mercury Theater Chicago

Lighting Design — Large

Yael Lubetzky - “Once” - Writers Theatre
Julie Mack - “A Chorus Line” - Drury Lane Productions
José Santiago - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
Ben Stanton - “The Notebook” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Amanda Zieve - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre

Lighting Design — Midsize

Conchita Avitia - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Jared Gooding - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
Gabrielle Strong - “Gender Play or What You Will” - About Face Theatre
Eric Watkins - “Routes” - Remy Bummpo Theatre Company
Levi Wilkins - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre

Projection Design

John Boesche - “Galileo’s Daughter” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Anthony Churchill - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
Reese Craig and Liviu Pasare - “Right to Be Forgotten” - Raven Theatre
Smooch Medina - “Ernest Shackleton Loves Me” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Peter Nigrini - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Mike Tutaj - “Andy Warhol in Iran” - Northlight Theatre

Artistic Specialization

Scrooge welcomes the day in “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol.”

Drew Dir - Puppet Design - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
Drew Dir - Storyboards - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
Rueben D. Echoles - Wig, Hair and Makeup Design - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
Jyrieka Guest - Fight Choreography - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Amanda Hermann and Yu Shibagaki - Properties Design - “Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon” -
Lookingglass Theatre Company
Cookie Jordan - Hair and Wig Design - “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” -
Goodman Theatre in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Ian Merritt - Cinematography - “The Christians” - Citadel Theatre
Jesse Mooney-Bullock - Puppet Design - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
Mike Oleon - Puppet Design - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
Keith Ryan - Wig Design - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago