Jeff Award Winners Announced; HISTORY BOYS Dominate

Yesterday evening marked the 41st annual Jeff Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions and production companies for excellence in Chicago-area theater.  The ceremony took place at at the Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

The Jeff Awards had announced 179 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2008, and July 31, 2009. 

The TimeLine Theatre's production of The History Boys received tops honors with five wins, including best production by a mid-sized company. In no surprise to anyone, the Goodman Theatre's production and Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined, by Lynn Nottage, received a best production win among large scale theaters. 

The Court Theatre's production of Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline or Change received a won for best musical by a large scale company, while the independently produced Tomorrow Morning received the award for best midsize musical. Second City e.t.c.'s show Studs Terkel's Not Working was named best revue.

The complete list of Jeff Award recipients include:

PRODUCTION, PLAY (Large Theaters): (Tie)
"Ruined" (Goodman Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club)
"The Seafarer" (Steppenwolf Theatre Company).

 

PRODUCTION, PLAY (Midsize Theaters):
"The History Boys" (TimeLine Theatre Company).

PRODUCTION, MUSICAL (Large):
"Caroline, or Change" (Court Theatre).

PRODUCTION, MUSICAL (Midsize):
"Tomorrow Morning" (Hillary A. Williams, LLC, producer).

PRODUCTION, REVUE:
"Studs Terkel's Not Working" (The Second City e.t.c. ).

ENSEMBLE:
"The History Boys."

DIRECTOR, PLAY:
Nick Bowling, "The History Boys."

DIRECTOR, MUSICAL:
Charles Newell, "Caroline, or Change."

DIRECTOR, REVUE:
Matt Hovde, "Studs Terkel's Not Working."

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Max McLean, "Mark's Gospel" (Fellowship for the Performing Arts).

ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE, PLAY: (Tie)
William L. Petersen, "Blackbird" (Victory Gardens Theater)
Larry Neumann Jr., "A Moon for the Misbegotten" (First Folio Theatre).

ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE, MUSICAL:
Joseph Anthony Foronda, "Miss Saigon" (Drury Lane Oakbrook).

ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE, PLAY:
Saidah Arrika Ekulona, "Ruined."

ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE, MUSICAL:
E. Faye Butler, "Caroline, or Change."

ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE, PLAY:
Alex Weisman, "The History Boys."

ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE, MUSICAL:
Max Quinlan, "The Light in the Piazza" (Marriott Theatre).

ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE, PLAY:
Spencer Kayden, "Don't Dress for Dinner" (The British Stage Company).

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE, MUSICAL: (Tie)
Liz Baltes, "A Minister's Wife" (Writers' Theatre)
Summer Smart, "The Light in the Piazza."

ACTOR IN A REVUE:
Mark David Kaplan, "Forbidden Broadway: Dances with the Stars" (John Freedson, Harriet Yellin, Margaret Cotter).

ACTRESS IN A REVUE:
Amanda Blake Davis, "Studs Terkel's Not Working."

SCENIC DESIGN (Large):
Lucy Osborne, "Twelfth Night" (Chicago Shakespeare Theater).

SCENIC DESIGN (Midsize):
Brian Sidney Bembridge, "The History Boys."

COSTUME DESIGN (Large):
Mara Blumenfeld, "The Arabian Nights" (Lookingglass Theatre Company).

COSTUME DESIGN (Midsize):
Rachel Laritz, "The Voysey Inheritance" (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company).

LIGHTING DESIGN (Large):
Christopher Akerlind, "Rock 'n' Roll" (Goodman Theatre).

LIGHTING DESIGN (Midsize):
Jesse Klug, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (American Theater Company).

SOUND DESIGN (Large):
Ray Nardelli and Joshua Horvath, "Miss Saigon."

SOUND DESIGN (Midsize):
Lindsay Jones, "The K of D: An Urban Legend" (The Route 66 Theatre Company).

NEW WORK, PLAY:
Lynn Nottage, "Ruined."

NEW ADAPTATION, PLAY:
Seth Bockley, "Jon" (Collaboraction).

NEW ADAPTATION, MUSICAL:
Josh Schmidt, Jan Tranen and Austin Pendleton, "A Minister's Wife."

CHOREOGRAPHY:
David H. Bell, "The Boys from Syracuse" (Drury Lane Oakbrook).

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC:
Dominic Kanza, "Ruined."

MUSIC DIRECTION:
Doug Peck, "Caroline, or Change."

SPECIAL EFFECTS:
Steve Tolin, "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" (Northlight Theatre).

VIDEO DESIGN:
Mike Tutaj, "Tomorrow Morning."

TRIBUTE AWARD:
The Second City on its 50th anniversary .

SPECIAL AWARD:
William Pullinsi, director and producer, for outstanding achievement during 50 years in the theater.

 

 

The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 50 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors.

For more information, visit www.jeffawards.org.

 

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