Jeff Awards Announces New Honor For Theater Stage Managers Beginning In 2025

The Jeff Impresario Award celebrating an outstanding Chicago theater stage manager will become a new annual award presented by the Joseph Jefferson Awards. 

Nominations will be made by theater companies to recognize excellence of a stage manager who has been a vital part of the behind-the-scenes work bringing Chicago productions to life over the last season. Individual awards will be presented for both Equity and Non-Equity theater at the annual Jeff Awards ceremonies. The inaugural award will be launched at the upcoming Non-Equity ceremony in March 2025.

Given the importance and understanding of the role, stage manager nominations will be accepted from Chicago area theater companies exclusively. Nominations from individuals will not be eligible for consideration. All nominations for Non-Equity stage managers are due by Monday, February 17, 2025 by 5pm (CST). A separate call for Equity stage managers will be announced this summer and the award will be presented at the Equity Awards ceremony in the fall.

Theater company representatives can use the following link to make their nominations: https://forms.gle/xPq4AinE4UDU1XuA8

For more information, theater companies can contact Jeff Awards Non-Equity Wing Chair Brittany Chhutani at nonequityawards@gmail.com.

To continue its mission to promote theater excellence, the Jeff Awards looks for opportunities to support the theater community and celebrate artistic and technical excellence. Today, the organization evaluates excellence in more than 30 categories. The Impresario Award is the fourth expansion of recognition that the Jeff Awards has added in the last four years, including Short Runs and World Language Productions, as well as the Jeff Impact Fellowship (a cash award to emerging artists of color).

"Stage management is one of the most integral parts of every production. Audiences never truly see what goes into a successful production and the vital behind-the-scenes roles that are part of theater excellence," said Jeff Awards Chair John Glover. "We are already hearing from the theater community about their excitement for this new award, which is one small way for our organization to bring more recognition to this under-appreciated role."

The 51st Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theater will be held Monday, March 24, 2025.  Event details and ticket sales will be announced shortly. Nominations for the annual awards will be announced by January 31st. 

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