STAGE TUBE: 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards Nominees Are Announced - HEATHERS, BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI, LONDON WALL and More!

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 121 nominations in 24 categories for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 148 productions offered by 67 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 65 of those shows (or 44%), making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 65 Jeff Recommended productions, a record 53 (or 82%) received nominations, representing 32 theatre companies.

In the Production-Musical category, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, presenting two musicals and two revues over the season, earned 15 nominations, including six for "Rent" and four for "A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook." Kokandy Productions presented two musicals this season and earned 10 nominations, including five each for "Heathers: The Musical" and "Loving Repeating". Bailiwick Chicago scored six nominations for "Murder Ballad".

In the Production-Play category, "Byhalia, Mississippi," produced by The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company, had six nominations, the most for any play this season. Griffin Theatre Company finished strong with five nominations for "Pocatello" and three nominations for "London Wall". Raven Theatre scored four nominations for "Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" and Steep Theatre Company's "Posh" earned three nominations, rounding out this year's slate of nominees.

The 2015-2016 season also rewarded the efforts of Non-Equity theaters producing New Works and New Adaptations in Chicago, citing 11 nominations for world premieres. Seven new plays were nominated, including Peter Gwinn and Jody Shelton's "The Story of a Story (The Untold Story)" at Underscore Theatre Company (a newly-eligible company this year), Hansol Jung's "No More Sad Things" at Sideshow Theatre Company, Evan Linder's "Byhalia, Mississippi" at The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company, Cody Lucas' "Truth in Context" at The Agency Theater Collective, Carla Stillwell's "Lawd the CVS Is Burning...A Gospel Musical Stage Play" at MPAACT, Isaiah Werner's "Scissortail" at Adapt Theatre Productions in association with Redtwist Theatre, and Calamity West's "Rolling" at Jackalope Theatre Company. New Adaptation nominations recognized Zachary Baker-Salmon's "This House Believes the American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro" at Oracle Theatre, Christine Calvit's "Miss Buncle's Book" at Lifeline Theatre, Elizabeth Lovelady's "D.O.A." at Strawdog Theatre Company, and Aaron Todd Douglas' "Upstate" at MPAACT.

The coveted Ensemble nominations were spread among six productions: "Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" at Raven Theatre, "The Drowning Girls" at Signal Ensemble Theatre, "The Hairy Ape" at Oracle Theatre, "Incident at Vichy" at Redtwist Theatre, "Posh" at Steep Theatre Company, and "Rent" at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre.

The 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, June 6, 2016, at Park West, located at 322 W. Armitage in Chicago. Emceeing the festivities are Karl Hamilton, well-known Chicago actor and Jeff Award nominee who has performed with a myriad of companies, including Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Porchlight Music Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Marriott Theatre, Mercury Theater Chicago, and First Folio Theatre; and Sarah Hayes, a talented Chicago actress, Jeff Award nominee and an Artistic Associate at Porchlight Music Theatre, who has appeared with several non-Equity companies, including Bailiwick, City Lit, Theo Ubique, Griffin, Strawdog and Kokandy Productions.

Doors open with a cash bar at 6 p.m., light buffet at 6:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. A group rate of $35 is available for parties of 10 or more. Festive cocktail attire is suggested, and the public is cordially invited. Tickets are purchased online with a credit card atwww.jeffawards.org or by mail with the downloadable mail-order form, also found at www.jeffawards.org. For more information, contact John D. Glover, Non-Equity Wing Chair, at nonequitywing@jeffawards.org. Follow live twitter feeds from the ceremony and behind the scenes at #josephjefferson.

The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 55 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards are committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors. The Jeff Awards fosters the artistic growth of area theatres and theatre artists and promote educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theatre community. Each year the Jeff Awards evaluate over 250 theatrical productions and host two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre. The next Equity Awards ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on Monday, October 17, 2016, at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Oakbrook Terrace.

2016 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES

PRODUCTION - PLAY

"Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

"Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" - Raven Theatre

"London Wall" - Griffin Theatre Company

"Pocatello" - Griffin Theatre Company

"Posh" - Steep Theatre Company

PRODUCTION - MUSICAL OR REVUE

"Heathers: The Musical" - Kokandy Productions

"Loving Repeating" - Kokandy Productions

"A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

"Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

"Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ENSEMBLE

"Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" - Raven Theatre

"The Drowning Girls" - Signal Ensemble Theatre

"The Hairy Ape" - Oracle Theatre

"Incident at Vichy" - Redtwist Theatre

"Posh" - Steep Theatre Company

"Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

DIRECTOR - PLAY

Jonathan Berry - "Pocatello" - Griffin Theatre Company

Jonathan Berry - "Posh" - Steep Theatre Company

Monty Cole - "The Hairy Ape" - Oracle Theatre

Michael Menendian - "Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" - Raven Theatre

Tyrone Phillips - "Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

Robin Witt - "London Wall" - Griffin Theatre Company

DIRECTOR - MUSICAL OR REVUE

Fred Anzevino - "Blood Brothers" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

James Beaudry - "Heathers: The Musical" - Kokandy Productions

James Beaudry - "Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

Courtney Crouse - "A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Allison Hendrix - "Loving Repeating" - Kokandy Productions

Scott Weinstein - "Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY

Travis Delgado (the Foundling Father) - "The America Play" - Oracle Theatre

Michael McKeogh (Eddie) - "Pocatello" - Griffin Theatre Company

Julian Parker (Yank) - "The Hairy Ape" - Oracle Theatre

Brian Parry (George) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Redtwist Theatre

Mike Tepeli (Raleigh) - "Last Train to Nibroc" - Haven Theatre

Stephen Walker (Teach) - "American Buffalo" - Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL

Matt Frye (Hunter) - "[title of show]" - The Brown Paper Box Co.

Quinton Guyton (Mama) - "Lawd the CVS is Burning...A Gospel Musical Stage Play" - MPAACT

Christopher Logan (Peter Allen) - "The Boy From Oz" - Pride Films and Plays

Tommy Novak (Max Bialystock) - "The Producers" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company

Patrick Rooney (Roger) - "Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY

Amanda Drinkall (May) - "Last Train to Nibroc" - Haven Theatre

Jacqueline Grandt (Margie) - "Good People" - Redtwist Theatre

Jacqueline Grandt (Martha) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Redtwist Theatre

Liz Sharpe (Laurel) - "Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

Eliza Stoughton (Lila Green) - "A Loss of Roses" - Raven Theatre

Jenifer Tyler (Miss Buncle) - "Miss Buncle's Book" - Lifeline Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL

Kyrie Anderson (Mrs. Johnstone) - "Blood Brothers" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Amanda Giles (Young Gertrude) - "Loving Repeating" - Kokandy Productions

Emily Goldberg (Rose) - "Dogfight" - BoHo Theatre

Courtney Mack (Veronica) - "Heathers: The Musical" - Kokandy Productions

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY

Stephen Cefalu, Jr. (Nick) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Redtwist Theatre

Dennis Grimes (Sam) - "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" - Eclipse Theatre Company

Steve Love (Helen) - "Miracle!" - Hell in a Handbag Productions

JP Pierson (Mendy) - "The Lisbon Traviata" - Eclipse Theatre Company

Michael Woods (Trigorin) - "The Seagull" - Eclectic Full Contact Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL OR REVUE

Justin Adair (Performer) - "Fugitive Songs" - BoHo Theatre

Carl Herzog (Ensemble) - "My Way" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Christopher Logan (Tom) - "Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

Aubrey McGrath (Angel) - "Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jordan Phelps (Narrator) - "Blood Brothers" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY

Marzena Bukowska (Babushka/Baba Yaga/Yaroslava) - "The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls" - Trap Door Theatre

Simina Contras (Masha) - "The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls" - Trap Door Theatre

Ann James (Janet) - "Rolling" - Jackalope Theatre Company

Becca Savoy (Becky) - "Pocatello" - Griffin Theatre Company

Cecelia Wingate (Celeste) - "Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL OR REVUE

Cara Chumbley (Ulla) - "The Producers" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company

Emily Goldberg (Alice B. Toklas) - "Loving Repeating" - Kokandy Productions

Stephanie Hansen (Featured Singer) - "A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Amanda Horvath (Sara) - "Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

Michelle Lauto (Liza Minnelli) - "The Boy From Oz" - Pride Films and Plays

SOLO PERFORMANCE

Anna Dauzvardis (April, et al.) - "Liberty City" - eta Creative Arts Foundation

Charlie Irving (Daisy Fay) - "The Summer of Daisy Fay" - New American Folk Theatre i/a/w Redtwist Theatre

Nelson Rodriguez (Man on the Verge) - "Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown" - Pride Films and Plays

NEW WORK

Peter Gwinn and Jody Shelton - "The Story of a Story (The Untold Story)" - Underscore Theatre Company

Hansol Jung - "No More Sad Things" - Sideshow Theatre Company

Evan Linder - "Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

Cody Lucas - "Truth in Context" - The Agency Theater Collective

Carla Stillwell - "Lawd the CVS is Burning...A Gospel Musical Stage Play" - MPAACT

Isaiah Werner - "Scissortail" - Adapt Theatre Productions i/a/w Redtwist Theatre

Calamity West - "Rolling" - Jackalope Theatre Company

NEW ADAPTATION

Zachary Baker-Salmon - "This House Believes the American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro" - Oracle Theatre

Christina Calvit - "Miss Buncle's Book" - Lifeline Theatre

Elizabeth Lovelady - "D.O.A." - Strawdog Theatre Company

Aaron Todd Douglas - "Upstate" - MPAACT

CHOREOGRAPHY

Kim Green and Jenna Schoppe - "The Producers" - NightBlue Performing Arts Company

Christopher Logan - "A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Stephen Schellhardt - "Dogfight" - BoHo Theatre

Sawyer Smith - "Heathers: The Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Cameron Turner - "The Boy From Oz" - Pride Films and Plays

ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY

Leif Olsen - "Beast on the Moon" - Raven Theatre

Danny Rockett - "How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients" - Trap Door Theatre

Andrew Rovner - "The December Man" - Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.

MUSIC DIRECTION

Kory Danielson - "Heathers: The Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Kory Danielson - "Loving Repeating" - Kokandy Productions

Nicholas Davio - "Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

Jeremy Ramey - "My Way" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jeremy Ramey - "Rent" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN

William Boles - "Barefoot in the Park" - Step Up Productions

Jeffrey D. Kmiec - "A Loss of Roses" - Raven Theatre

Kevin Hagan - "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" - Eclipse Theatre Company

Mike Mroch - "After Miss Julie" - Strawdog Theatre Company

Joe Schermoly - "Pocatello" - Griffin Theatre Company

John Wilson - "Byhalia, Mississippi" - The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN

Michael C. Smith - "The Drowning Girls" - Signal Ensemble Theatre

Charles Cooper - "Murder Ballad" - Bailiwick Chicago

Diane D. Fairchild - "No More Sad Things" - Sideshow Theatre Company

John Kelly - "D.O.A." - Strawdog Theatre Company

Eric Watkins - "Porcelain" - Prologue Theatre Company

COSTUME DESIGN

Raquel Adorno - "D.O.A." - Strawdog Theatre Company

John Nasca - "The Boy From Oz" - Pride Films and Plays

John Nasca - "Design for Living" - Pride Films and Plays

Kate Setzer Kamphausen - "Miracle!" - Hell in a Handbag Productions

Rachel M. Sypniewski - "London Wall" - Griffin Theatre Company

SOUND DESIGN

Joe Court - "Last Train to Nibroc" - Haven Theatre

Cooper Forsman - "A Perfect Ganesh" - Eclipse Theatre Company

Jeffrey Levin - "The Hairy Ape" - Oracle Theatre

Jeffrey Levin - "The Long Christmas Ride Home" - Strawdog Theatre Company

Danny Rockett - "The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls" - Trap Door Theatre

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION

Breon Arzell - Step Master - "The Hairy Ape" - Oracle Theatre

R&D Choreography - Violence Design - "D.O.A." - Strawdog Theatre Company

Stephanie Diaz - Puppet Design - "The Long Christmas Ride Home" - Strawdog Theatre Company

David Knezz - Mask Design - "Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys" - Raven Theatre

MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS

BY THEATRE

Theo Ubique	15
Kokandy Productions	10
Griffin Theatre Company	8
Oracle Productions	7
Raven Theatre	7
Redtwist Theatre	7 *
Strawdog Theatre Company	7
Bailiwick Chicago	6
New Colony and Definition Theatre	6
Pride Films and Plays	6
Eclipse Theatre Company	4
Trap Door Productions	4
BoHo Theatre	3
Haven Theatre Company	3
Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theater (MPAACT)	3
NightBlue Performing Arts	3
Steep Theatre Company	3
Lifeline Theatre	2
Mary-Arrchie Theater Company Sideshow Theatre Company Signal Ensemble Theatre	2 2 2

* 1 in association with Adapt Theatre; 1 in association with New American Folk Theatre

BY PRODUCTION

Byhalia, Mississippi	6
Murder Ballad	6
Rent	6
Heathers: The Musical	5
Loving Repeating	5
Pocatello	5
The Hairy Ape	5
A Marvin Hamlisch Songbook	4
Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys	4
D.O.A.	4
The Boy From Oz	4
Blood Brothers	3
Last Train to Nibroc	3
London Wall	3
Posh	3
The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls	3
The Producers	3
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	3
A Loss of Roses	2
Dogfight	2
Lawd the CVS is Burning...A Gospel Musical Stage Play	2
Lips Together, Teeth Apart	2
Miracle!	2
Miss Buncle's Book	2
My Way	2
No More Sad Things Rolling The Drowning Girls The Long Christmas Ride Home	2 2 2 2

BY ARTIST

Christopher Logan	3
James Beaudry	2
Jonathan Berry	2
Kory Danielson	2
Emily Goldberg	2
Jacqueline Grandt	2
Jeffrey Levin	2
John Nasca	2
Jeremy Ramey	2
Danny Rockett	2

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