Refracted Theatre Company's 'Tambo & Bones' tops list of 2024 Non-Equity Jeff Award winners

Refracted Theatre Company’s production of “Tambo & Bones” was the big winner at Monday night’s Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony at the Park West.

“Tambo & Bones” received eight awards overall at the gala, which marked the 50th anniversary honoring excellence in Chicago’s Non-Equity theater community. The play received honors for best production of a play, best director (Mikael Burke), best principal performers (Patrick Newson Jr. and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II) , best lighting design (Eric Watkins), best projection design (Eme Ospina-López), best sound design (Ethan Korvne), and best original music in a play (Ethan Korvne).

Kokandy Productions received six awards for musical productions including four for “American Psycho” including best production of a musical, best director (Derek Van Barham), best principal performer in a musical (Kyle Patrick) and best choreography (Breon Arzell); and two for “The SpongeBob Musical” including best supporting performer (Parker Guidry) and best artistic specialization for foley design (Ele Matelan). Rory Schrobilgen from Blank Theatre Company’s production of “Promises, Promises” was also honored for best principal performer in a musical.

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre was honored with three awards for its production of “Assassins” including best ensemble-musical, best performer in a supporting role (Jon Parker Jackson) and best musical direction (Heidi Joosten).

Shawna Franks was awarded best performer in a supporting role in a play for “Right Now” at Facility Theatre, as was Sarah Wsiterman for “Indoor Cats” at Red Theater.

This year’s Non-Equity Awards nominations recognized 144 theater artists across 24 categories and 32 companies.

Here is the full list of awards presented Monday night:

Evan Hanover

2024 Non-Equity Jeff Awards Recipients:

PRODUCTION – PLAY

• “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL

• “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
  

DIRECTOR – PLAY

• Mikael Burke – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
  

DIRECTOR – MUSICAL

• Derek Van Barham – “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
  

Evan Hanover

NEW WORK

• Mora V. Harris – “Indoor Cats” – Red Theater
• John Hildreth – “Cat’s Cradle” – Lifeline Theatre
• Shannon O’Neill – “The Kelly Girls” – The Factory Theater
  

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

• Patrick Newson Jr. (Bones) – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
• William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Tambo) – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

• Kyle Patrick (Patrick Bateman) – “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
• Rory Schrobilgen (Chuck Baxter) – “Promises, Promises” – Blank Theatre Company

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY

• Shawna Franks (Juliette) – “Right Now” – Facility Theatre
• Sarah Wisterman (Panda) – “Indoor Cats” – Red Theater

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL

• Parker Guidry (Sheldon J. Plankton) – “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions
• Jon Parker Jackson (Samuel Byck) – “Assassins” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ENSEMBLE – PLAY

• “Right Now” – Facility Theatre

ENSEMBLE – MUSICAL

• “Assassins” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

PRODUCTION – SHORT RUN

• “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” – Visión Latino Theatre Company
  

ENSEMBLE – SHORT RUN

• “Once on This Island” – PULSE Theatre Company
  

DIRECTOR – SHORT RUN

• Xavier M. Custodio – “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” – Visión Latino Theatre Company
  

PERFORMER – SHORT RUN

• Jack Hradecky (Mr. Peel) – “The Minutes” – Edge of the Wood Theatre
• Kris Tori (Alfonsina Storni) – “North & Sur” – Water People Theater

SCENIC DESIGN

• Kevin Hagan – “Dying For It” – The Artistic Home

COSTUME DESIGN

• Beth Laske-Miller & Rachel Sypniewski – “I Promised Myself to Live Faster” – Hell in a Handbag Productions
  

SOUND DESIGN

• Ethan Korvne – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN

• Eric Watkins – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company

PROJECTION DESIGN

• Eme Ospina-López – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
  

CHOREOGRAPHY

• Breon Arzell – “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
  

MUSIC DIRECTION

• Heidi Joosten – “Assassins” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY

• Ethan Korvne – “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION

• Ele Matelan (Foley Design) – “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions