Chicago’s theater marquis may be dark due to the shut-down of all non-essential businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the shortened 2019-2020 season was nonetheless filled with an array of first-rate productions at the area’s smaller/storefront houses.
To wit, the 2019-2020 Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations were announced Tuesday, recognizing the work of Chicago’s theater companies and artists in 21 categories.
Leading the pack this year 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).
A “virtual” awards ceremony will take place June 8 where the winners will be announced. Details about the event’s livestream free access will be announced at a later date.
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Here’s the list of the nominees:
PRODUCTION – PLAY
“All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
“First Love is the Revolution” — Steep Theatre Company
“Middle Passage” — Lifeline Theatre
“Mlima’s Tale” — Griffin Theatre Company
“P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
“The Undeniable Sound of Right Now” — Raven Theatre
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
“The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
“Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
“Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes Productions
“Head Over Heels” — Kokandy Productions
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
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ENSEMBLE
“All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
“The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
“Blue Stockings” — Promethean Theatre Ensemble
“Emma” — Lifeline Theatre
“Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes
“P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
NEW WORK
Larry Todd Cousineau and Cindy O’Connor: “All That He Was” — Pride Films and Plays
Matt Foss: “All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
Sam Kebede: “Ethiopian America” — Definition Theatre Company
Jillian Leff and Joe Lino: “Small World”– The New Colony
Kenneth Lin: “Life On Paper”– Jackalope Theatre Company
DIRECTOR – PLAY
Lili-Anne Brown: “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
Spenser Davis: “Blue Stockings” — Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Spenser Davis: “Labyrinth” — Broken Nose Theatre
Matt Foss: “All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
Jerrell L. Henderson: “Mlima’s Tale” — Griffin Theatre Company
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Donterrio Johnson: “A Man of No Importance”– Pride Films and Plays
Ed Rutherford: “Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes Productions
Stephen Schellhardt: “Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
Rusty Sneary: “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
Derek Van Barham and Elizabeth Swanson: “Head Over Heels” — Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Laura Berner Taylor: “Out of Love” — Interrobang Theatre Project
Dennis Bisto: “The Killer” — Trap Door Theatre
Elaine Carlson: “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” — Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Bailey Castle: “Iron Kisses” — Theatre Above the Law
Bilal Dardai: “Language Rooms” — Broken Nose Theatre
Eric Gerard: “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
David Goodloe: “Mlima’s Tale” — Griffin Theatre Company
Jacqueline Grandt: “Keely and Du” — Redtwist Theatre
Tracey Greenwood: “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”– Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Brookelyn Hebert: “Ada and the Engine” — The Artistic Home
Mary Williamson: “Life on Paper” — Jackalope Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Jeremiah Alsop: “Head Over Heels” — Kokandy Productions
Amanda Giles: “If/Then” — Brown Paper Box Co.
Ryan Lanning: “A Man of No Importance” — Pride Films and Plays
Will Lidke: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Amanda Raquel Martinez: “Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes Productions
Shea Pender: “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
Kyle Ryan: “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
Tommy Thurston: “Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
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SOLO PERFORMANCE
Scott Gryder: “Buyer and Cellar” — Pride Films and Plays
Scott Sawa: “Here Lies Henry” — Interrobang Theatre Project
Megan Wells: “Turn Here – Sweet Corn” — Saltbox Theatre Collective
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE — PLAY
Lynne Baker: “Beyond Therapy” — Eclipse Theatre Company
Shenise Brown: “Spoken Word” — MPAACT
Elaine Carlson: “Why Torture Is Wrong and the People Who Love Them” — Eclipse Theatre Company
Renee Lockett: “Sugar In Our Wounds” — First Floor Theater
Marika Mashburn: “For Services Rendered” — Griffin Theatre Company
John Mossman: “Ada and the Engine” — The Artistic Home
Krystal Ortiz: “For Services Rendered” — Griffin Theatre Company
Madeline Pell: “Emma” — Lifeline Theatre
Shariba Rivers: “Hoodoo Love” — Raven Theatre
Michael Turrentine: “Mlima’s Tale” — Griffin Theatre Company
Kevin Webb: “The Killer” — Trap Door Theatre
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PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Bridget Adams-King: “If/Then” — Brown Paper Box Co.
Kyrie Anderson: “Big Fish”– BoHo Theatre
Brittney Brown: “All That He Was” — Pride Films and Plays
Parker Guidry: “Head Over Heels” — Kokandy Productions
Parker Guidry: “If/Then” — Brown Paper Box Co.
Brian Huther: “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe” — Underscore Theatre Company
Jeff Pierpoint: “Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN
Alan Donahue: “Middle Passage” — Lifeline Theatre
Alan Donahue: “Whose Body?”– Lifeline Theatre
Jeffrey D. Kmiec: “The Undeniable Sound of Right Now” — Raven Theatre
Sotirios Livaditis: “For Services Rendered” — Griffin Theatre Company
Manuel Ortiz: “Last Night in Karaoke Town” — The Factory Theater
Sydney Lynne Thomas: “Hoodoo Love” — Raven Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN
Aly Renee Amidei: “For Services Rendered” — Griffin Theatre Company
Stefani Azores-Gococo: “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
Robert S. Kuhn: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Uriel Gomez: “Head Over Heels” — Kokandy Productions
Rachel M. Sypniewski: “Blue Stockings” — Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Mieka van der Ploeg: “First Love is the Revolution” — Steep Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN
Barry Bennett: “Middle Passage” — Lifeline Theatre
Sam Clapp: “Sugar In Our Wounds” — First Floor Theater
L.J. Luthringer: “Mlima’s Tale”– Griffin Theatre Company
Dan Poppen: “All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
Erik Siegling: “Small World”– The New Colony
LIGHTING DESIGN
Michelle Benda: “Out of Love” — Interrobang Theatre Project
Simean “Sim” Carpenter and Scott Tobin: “Middle Passage” — Lifeline Theatre
Jared Gooding: “Mlima’s Tale” — Griffin Theatre Company
Stephen Sakowski: “All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
Eric Watkins: “Sugar in Our Wounds” — First Floor Theater
CHOREOGRAPHY
Breon Arzell: “Head Over Heels”– Kokandy Productions
Megan Farley: “Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
Jesse Hoisington :”The Killer” — Trap Door Theatre
Jenna Schoppe: “The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe”– Underscore Theatre Company
Leah Urzendowski: “All Quiet on the Western Front” — Red Tape Theatre
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ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Ben Chang: “The Hound of the Baskervilles” — City Lit Theatre
Jeffrey Levin: “Hoodoo Love” — Raven Theatre
Jeffrey Levin: “Kiss” — Haven Theatre
Aaron Stephenson: “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle” — Jackalope Theatre Company
Shawn Wallace and Desta Sound: “Spoken Word” — MPAACT
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Michael McBride: “Big Fish” — BoHo Theatre
Robert Ollis: “A Man of No Importance” — Pride Films and Plays
Jeremy Ramey: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Jeremy Ramey: “Hello Again” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Nick Sula: “Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes Productions
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Rachel Flesher and Zack Payne: “First Love Is the Revolution” — Steep Theatre Company
Maya Vinice Prentiss: “Ethiopian America” — Definition Theatre Company
Maureen Yasko and Chris Smith: “Non-Player Character” — Red Theater Chicago
PROJECTION DESIGN
Clare Brennan, Aaron Sawyer, and Beth Wolf: “Non-Player Character” — Red Theater Chicago
Paul Deziel: “P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle”– Jackalope Theatre Company
Paul Deziel and Alex J. Gendal: “Middle Passage”– Lifeline Theatre
Yeaji Kim: “The Effect” — Strawdog Theatre Company
G. “Max” Maxin IV: “Ghost Quartet” — Black Button Eyes Productions
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Uriel Gomez (make-up design): “Small World” — The New Colony
Keith Ryan (wig design): “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Robert-Eric West (wig and makeup design): “Casa Valentina” — Pride Films and Plays
For more information, visit jeffawards.org.
