Refracted Theatre Company’s production of “Tambo & Bones” received 10 Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations — the most for a single production — it was announced Tuesday when the full list of 2023 nominees was released.
The accolades mark the 50th anniversary of the Chicago theater awards, which recognize excellence in non-Equity productions on stages across the Chicago area. The nominations include 144 artists across 24 categories from 32 companies.
Topping the overall list of nominations is Kokandy Productions, which earned 17 nods for two productions, “American Psycho” and “The SpongeBob Musical,” while Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre received 16 nominations for productions including “Assassins” and “The Threepenny Opera.”
Invictus Theatre Company received 10 nominations for productions including “The Crucible” and “The Mountaintop.”
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony at 7 p.m.. on March 25 at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage. Tickets are $71, are available at www.jeffawards.org.
Here are the 2024 Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations:
PRODUCTION – PLAY
- “Cat’s Cradle” — Lifeline Theatre
- “The Crucible” — Invictus Theatre Company
- “Dying For It” — The Artistic Home
- “Indoor Cats” — Red Theater
- “Right Now” — Facility Theatre
- “Tambo & Bones” — Refracted Theatre Company
- “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915” — Theatre Y
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
- “American Psycho” — Kokandy Productions
- “Assassins” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- “The SpongeBob Musical”— Kokandy Productions
- “The Threepenny Opera” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- “tick, tick… BOOM!” — BoHo Theatre
ENSEMBLE – PLAY
- “Cat’s Cradle” — Lifeline Theatre
- “The Crucible” — Invictus Theatre Company
- “Jane: Abortion and the Underground” — Idle Muse Theatre Company
- “Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation” — Prop Thtr (i/a/w Perceptions Theatre)
- “The Pragmatists” — Trap Door Theatre
- “Right Now” — Facility Theatre
- “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915” — Theatre Y
ENSEMBLE – MUSICAL
- “American Psycho” — Kokandy Productions
- “Assassins” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- “Promises, Promises” — Blank Theatre Company
- “The SpongeBob Musical” — Kokandy Productions
NEW WORK
- India Nicole Burton — “Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation” – Prop Thtr (i/a/w Perceptions Theatre)
- Tina Fakhrid-Deen — “Dandelions” – MPAACT (Ma’at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theater)
- Mora V. Harris — “Indoor Cats” – Red Theater
- John Hildreth — “Cat’s Cradle” – Lifeline Theatre
- Evan M. Jackson — “The Last Queen of Camelot” – Idle Muse Theatre Company
- Shannon O’Neill —“The Kelly Girls” – The Factory Theater
- Ed Rutherford & George Howe — “Murder, ReWrote” – Hell in a Handbag Productions
- Micah Ariel Watson — “Alaiyo” – Definition Theatre
DIRECTOR – PLAY
- Charles Askenaizer — “The Crucible” - Invictus Theatre Company
- Mikael Burke —“Tambo & Bones” - Refracted Theatre Company
- Heather Currie —“Cat’s Cradle” - Lifeline Theatre
- Dado —“Right Now” - Facility Theatre
- Wyatt Kent — “Indoor Cats” - Red Theater
- Tyrone Phillips — “Fairview” - Definition Theatre
- Kezia Waters — “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915” - Theatre Y
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
- Fred Anzevino — “The Threepenny Opera” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Derek Van Barham — “American Psycho” - Kokandy Productions
- Daryl D. Brooks — “Assassins” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Bo Frazier — “tick, tick… BOOM!” - BoHo Theatre
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
- Brittney Brown (Regan Kelly) — “The Kelly Girls” - The Factory Theater
- Laura Coover (The Woman) — “Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle” - Griffin Theatre Company
- Ny’ajai Ellison (Camae) — “The Mountaintop” - Invictus Theatre Company
- Julian Hester (Scratch) — “Witch” - The Artistic Home
- Patrick Newson Jr. (Bones) — “Tambo & Bones” - Refracted Theatre Company
- Felicia Oduh (Ariel) — “Alaiyo” - Definition Theatre
- Aila Ayilam Peck (Layla) — “Hate- - -” - First Floor Theater
- Soleil Pérez (Agnes) — “Agnes of God” - Redtwist Theatre
- Mark Pracht (John Proctor) — “The Crucible” - Invictus Theatre Company
- William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Tambo) — “Tambo & Bones” - Refracted Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
- Neala Barron (John Wilkes Booth) — “Assassins” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Frankie Leo Bennett (SpongeBob SquarePants) — “The SpongeBob Musical” - Kokandy Productions
- Britain Gebhardt (Bessica Feltcher) — “Murder, ReWrote” - Hell in a Handbag Productions
- Carl Herzog (Macheath) — “The Threepenny Opera” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Brandy Miller (Fran Kubelik) — “Promises, Promises” - Blank Theatre Company
- Patrick O’Keefe (Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald) — “Assassins” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Kyle Patrick (Patrick Bateman) — “American Psycho” - Kokandy Productions
- Alec Phan (Jonathan) — “tick, tick … BOOM!” - BoHo Theatre
- Rory Schrobilgen (Chuck Baxter) — “Promises, Promises” - Blank Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
- Kristin Collins (Elizabeth Sawyer) — “Witch” - The Artistic Home
- Shawna Franks (Juliette) — “Right Now” - Facility Theatre
- Jada Jackson (Keisha) — “Fairview” - Definition Theatre
- Patrick Newson Jr. (Kofi) — “Alaiyo” - Definition Theatre
- Kathy Scambiaterra (Serafima) v “Dying For It” - The Artistic Home
- Maria Stephens (Alice) — “Right Now” - Facility Theatre
- James Turano (Deputy Governor Danforth) — “The Crucible” - Invictus Theatre Company
- Michaela Voit (Abigail Williams) — “The Crucible” - Invictus Theatre Company
- Sarah Wisterman (Panda) — “Indoor Cats” - Red Theater
- Korinne Yonan (Maleficunt) — “Sleeping with Beauty” – PrideArts
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
- Megan Elk (Mrs. Peachum) — “The Threepenny Opera” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Parker Guidry (Sheldon J. Plankton) — “The SpongeBob Musical” - Kokandy Productions
- Luke Halpern (Susan) - “tick, tick… BOOM!” — BoHo Theatre
- Jon Parker Jackson (Samuel Byck) — “Assassins” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Chamaya Moody (Polly Peachum) — “The Threepenny Opera” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Caleigh Pan-Kita (Evelyn Williams) — “American Psycho” - Kokandy Productions
- Quinn Rigg (Squidward Q. Tentacles) — “The SpongeBob Musical” - Kokandy Productions
- Amanda Rodriguez (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme) — “Assassins” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Nathe Rowbotham (Lucy Brown) — “The Threepenny Opera” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
PRODUCTION – SHORT RUN
- “It’s Only a Play” — Saint Sebastian Players
- “The Minutes” — Edge of the Wood Theatre
- “Once on This Island” — Pulse Theatre Company
- “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” — Visión Latino Theatre Company
ENSEMBLE – SHORT RUN
- “It’s Only a Play” — Saint Sebastian Players
- “The Minutes” -— Edge of the Wood Theatre
- “Once on This Island” — Pulse Theatre Company
- “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” — Visión Latino Theatre Company
DIRECTOR – SHORT RUN
- Xavier M. Custodio — “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” - Visión Latino Theatre Company
- Melanie McNulty — “Cry It Out” - Theatre Above the Law
- Janet Rourke — “The Minutes” - Edge of the Wood Theatre
- Iraida Tapias — “North & Sur” - Water People Theater
PERFORMER – SHORT RUN
- Manuel Duarte (Emcee) — “Lotería: Dichos, Proverbios, Albures” - Teatro Tariakuri
- Jack Hradecky (Mr. Peel) — “The Minutes” - Edge of the Wood Theatre
- Casey Huls (Frank Abagnale Jr.) — “Catch Me If You Can” - Surging Films and Theatrics
- Gwen La Roka (Gwen La Roka) — “Mi Casa Es Tu Casa!” - UrbanTheater Company
- Daniella Rukin (Lina) — “Cry It Out” - Theatre Above the Law
- Carter Sherman (Amelia Carter) — “Miranda: A War-Torn Fable” - The Impostors Theatre Company
- Billy Surges (Carl Hanratty) -— “Catch Me If You Can” - Surging Films and Theatrics
- Kris Tori (Alfonsina Storni) — “North & Sur” - Water People Theater
- Allyson Womack (Jessie) — “Cry It Out” - Theatre Above the Law
SCENIC DESIGN
- Kirk Anderson — “Right Now” – Facility Theatre
- Kevin Hogan — “Dying For It” – The Artistic Home
- Rose Johnson — “Agnes of God” – Redtwist Theatre
- Sydney Lynne — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
- Kevin Rolfs — “The Crucible” – Invictus Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN
- Jakob Abderhalden — “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions
- Natasha Vuchurovich Dukich — “Right Now” – Facility Theatre
- Jessie Gowens — “The Crucible” – Invictus Theatre Company
- Kotryna Hilko — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
- Beth Laske-Miller & Rachel Sypniewski — “I Promised Myself to Live Faster” – Hell in a Handbag Productions
- Cindy Moon — “The Threepenny Opera” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Rachel Sypniewski — “Princess Ivona” – Trap Door Theatre
SOUND DESIGN
- Hannah Foerschler — “The Kelly Girls” – The Factory Theater
- Ethan Korvne — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
- Santiago Quintana— “Right Now” – Facility Theatre
- Danny Rockett — “The Pragmatists” – Trap Door Theatre
- Stefanie Senior – “Cat’s Cradle” – Lifeline Theatre
- Sebby Woldt — “Indoor Cats” – Red Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN
- Mark Bracken Jr. — “Dying For It” – The Artistic Home
- Ellie Fey – “Witch” — The Artistic Home
- Maggie Fullilove-Nugent — “The Threepenny Opera” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- G. “Max” Maxin IV — “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
- Eric Watkins — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
PROJECTION DESIGN
- DJ Douglass — “The Mountaintop” – Invictus Theatre Company
- Alex Gendal — “Alaiyo” – Definition Theatre
- Eme Ospina-López — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
CHOREOGRAPHY
- Breon Arzell — “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
- Lauryn Schmelzer— “Promises, Promises” – Blank Theatre Company
- Jenna Schoppe — “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions
MUSIC DIRECTION
- Harper Caruso — “tick, tick… BOOM!” – BoHo Theatre
- Heidi Joosten — “American Psycho” – Kokandy Productions
- Heidi Joosten — “Assassins” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
- Aaron Kaplan — “Promises, Promises” – Blank Theatre Company
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
- Natasha Bogojevic — “The Pragmatists” – Trap Door Theatre
- Przemysław Bosak — “Princess Ivona” – Trap Door Theatre
- Ethan Korvne — “Tambo & Bones” – Refracted Theatre Company
- Petter Wahlbäck — “Dying For It” – The Artistic Home
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
- Henry Bender (Properties Design) — “Wise Guys: The First Christmas Story” – The Factory Theater
- David Blixt (Fight Choreography) — “Witch” – The Artistic Home
- Lolly Extract/Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design) – “I Promised Myself to Live Faster” – Hell in a Handbag Productions
- Ele Matelan (Foley Design) — “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions
- Patrick McGuire (Properties Design) — “The SpongeBob Musical” – Kokandy Productions
