CHICAGO: The 50th annual Equity Jeff Awards were held on Monday night at Drury Lane Oakbrook. The awards, which honor outstanding Chicago theatre artists, showered the biggest wins on American Blues Theater’s Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story, which received five awards, and Goodman Theatre, which won four awards for A View from the Bridge, The Wolves, and Support Group for Men.
Special awards were presented to four Chicago theatres that have collectively received more than 1,400 nominations and over 350 awards: Goodman Theatre, Drury Lane Productions, Court Theatre, and the Second City.
Hosting the evening were founder and artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater Barbara Gaines and founder and CEO of the Black Ensemble Theater Jackie Taylor. Porchlight Music Theatre’s artistic director Michael Weber directed and Merril Prager produced the event.
The Jeff Awards were established in 1968. Every year, awards evaluate 300 theatrical productions and hosts two awards ceremonies: the Equity and Non-Equity Jeff Awards.
The winners’ list is below.
PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE
A View from the Bridge; Goodman Theatre
PRODUCTION – PLAY – MIDSIZE
Traitor; A Red Orchid Theatre
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE
Ragtime; Marriott Theatre
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story; American Blues Theater
DIRECTOR – PLAY – LARGE
Ivo van Hove; A View from the Bridge; Goodman Theatre
DIRECTOR – PLAY – MIDSIZE
David H. Bell; Southern Gothic; Windy City Playhouse
Michael Shannon; Traitor; A Red Orchid Theatre
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL – LARGE
Nick Bowling; Ragtime; Marriott Theatre
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
Lili-Anne Brown; Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story; American Blues Theater
ENSEMBLE – PLAY
The Wolves; Goodman Theatre
ENSEMBLE – MUSICAL
Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story; American Blues Theater
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Tara Mallen; The Cake; Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Caroline Neff; Lettie; Victory Gardens Theater
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Jason Grimm; Murder For Two; Marriott Theatre
Zachary Stevenson; Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story; American Blues Theater
PERFORMER IN A REVUE
Lorenzo Rush, Jr.; Five Guys Named Moe; Court Theatre
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Kate Fry; The Belle of Amherst; Court Theatre
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Matt DeCaro; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Drury Lane Productions
Keith Kupferer; Cal in Camo; Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Matt Crowle; South Pacific; Drury Lane Productions
Gavin Rohrer; Million Dollar Quartet; Paramount Theatre
NEW WORK
Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis; Trevor the Musical; Writers Theatre
Ellen Fairey; Support Group for Men; Goodman Theatre
Boo Killebrew; Lettie; Victory Gardens Theater
NEW ADAPTATION
Jennifer Blackmer; Alias Grace; Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Brett Neveu; Traitor; A Red Orchid Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY
Jared Grimes; 42nd Street; Drury Lane Productions
ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Shawn Pfautsch and Matt Kahler; Hatfield & McCoy; the House Theatre of Chicago
MUSIC DIRECTION
Michael Mahler; Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story; American Blues Theater
SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE
Todd Rosenthal; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; Lookingglass Theatre Company
SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Scott Davis; Southern Gothic; Windy City Playhouse
LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
Thom Weaver; Macbeth; Chicago Shakespeare Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Nick Belley; Hair; Mercury Theater Chicago
COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE
Susan E. Mickey; The Taming of the Shrew; Chicago Shakespeare Theater
COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Paul Kim; The Explorers Club; Citadel Theatre
SOUND DESIGN – LARGE
André Pluess; Macbeth; Chicago Shakespeare Theater
SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Christopher Kriz; Mary’s Wedding; First Folio Theatre
PROJECTION DESIGN
Joseph A. Burke; Elf the Musical; Paramount Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Eleanor Kahn; Properties Design; Southern Gothic; Windy City Playhouse
