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The Jeff Awards Committee has announced 113 nominations for Non-Equity Jeff Awards in 23 categories for productions that opened during the 2007-08 season (April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008). The Committee judged the opening nights of 143 productions offered by 61 non-Equity producing organizations, and recommended 66 of them for further judging, which made these 66 eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Among producing organizations, Bailiwick Repertory Theatre and Circle Theatre led the nominees with 13 and 12, respectively. However, top-nominated productions were Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere adaptation of "The Island of Dr. Moreau" with 9, and the classic musical "Cabaret" (Theo Ubique Theatre Company in association with Beverle Bloch & Michael James) with 8, both performed in small spaces just a few steps from each other in the emerging Glenwood Avenue Arts District in the far north Rogers Park neighborhood. TimeLine Theatre Company, which recently signed a contract with Actors’ Equity Association, garnered 8 nominations during its last season as a non-Equity company.
Among individual nominees, Mike Tutaj received 3 nominations - one for Sound Design and two for Projections Design for his work on "columbinus" (Raven Theatre) and "Tesla’s Letters" (TimeLine Theatre Company). Vincent L. Lonergan was nominated twice - as Actor in a Principal Role - Play for his work in "Old Wicked Songs" and Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical for "1776" (both with Signal Ensemble Theatre). Also nominated twice was Jeremy Rill, as Actor in a Principal Role - Musical for "Can-Can" (Circle Theatre) and as Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical for his turn as the announcer turned devil in Bailiwick Repertory Theatre’s "Jerry Springer - The Opera." Additional double nominations were earned by Victoria DeIorio, Jared Moore, Kimberly G. Morris, and Kevin O’Donnell.
The 35th Anniversary Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Light buffet at 6:30 p.m. Presentation at 7:30 p.m. Cash bar. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Purchase tickets on line with a credit card at www.jeffawards.org or by mail. A downloadable mail-order form is also available at the Jeff Awards web site.
The Jeff Awards are given annually by The Jeff Awards Committee to honor excellence in professional theatre produced in the immediate Chicago area. The Committee, organized in 1968, consists of up to 50 men and women with varying backgrounds in theatre, but united by their commitment to Chicagoland’s theatre community. The Committee evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Committee established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre. The 40th Anniversary Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on October 20, 2008, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
2008 Non-Equity Jeff Award Nominees
Production - Play
"columbinus" - Raven Theatre
"Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
"An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
"The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
"Jitney" - Pegasus Players
"The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" - Steep Theatre Company
Production - Musical
"Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
"Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
"The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
"A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
"1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Director - Play
Paul S. Holmquist - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Jessica Hutchinson - "The Dining Room" - New Leaf Theatre
Greg Kolack - "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
Coya Paz - "Machos" - Teatro Luna
Jim Schneider - "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
Jonathan Wilson - "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
Director - Musical
Fred Anzevino - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Scott Ferguson - "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Ronan Marra - "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
David Zak - "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Ensemble
"columbinus" - Raven Theatre
"Jitney" - Pegasus Players
"Machos" - Teatro Luna
"The Dining Room" - New Leaf Theatre
"Waiting for Lefty" - BackStage Theatre Company
Actor in a Principal Role - Play
Matt Kelly - "The Collector" - LiveWire Chicago Theatre
Vincent L. Lonergan - "Old Wicked Songs" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Brian Parry - "Three Hotels" - redtwist theatre f/k/a Actors Workshop Theatre
Shawn Pfautsch - "Old Wicked Songs" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Alfred H. Wilson - "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
Sam Wootten - "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Actor in a Principal Role - Musical
Don Denton - "bare" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Kevin D. Mayes - "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Jeremy Rill - "Can - Can" - Circle Theatre
Jeremy Trager - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Philip Winston - "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Actress in a Principal Role - Play
Caren Blackmore - "MiLK" - MPAACT
Tien Doman - "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Vanessa Greenway - "The Constant Wife" - Griffin Theatre Company
Sabrina Kramnich - "Gidget" - City Lit Theater Company
Kelly O'Sullivan - "Mr. Marmalade" - Dog & Pony Theatre Company
Actress in a Principal Role - Musical
Elizabeth Lanza - "Can - Can" - Circle Theatre
Tawny Newsome - "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Rachel Quinn - "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
Dana Tretta - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Actor in a Supporting Role - Play
Hans Fleischmann - "In a Dark Dark House" - Profiles Theatre
Terry Hamilton - "Widowers' Houses" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Joel Stanley Huff - "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Bradford R. Lund - "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
John Henry Roberts - "Aristocrats" - Strawdog Theatre Company
Ron Wells - "A Prayer for My Daughter" - Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.
Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical
Vincent L. Lonergan - "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Rus Rainear - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Jeremy Rill - "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Janet Ulrich Brooks - "A Lie of the Mind" - Strawdog Theatre Company
Kate Harris - "The Constant Wife" - Griffin Theatre Company
Saren Nofs-Snyder - "An Ideal Husband ‘ - Circle Theatre
Kathleen Ruhl - "Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Nicolle Van Dyke - "A View from the Bridge" - The GreyZelda Theatre Group
Rebekah Ward-Hays - "Waiting for Lefty" - BackStage Theatre Company
Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical or Revue
Danielle Brothers - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Nancy Kolton - "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Bethany Thomas - "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
New Work
Mia McCullough - "Spare Change" - Stage Left Theatre
Mary Scruggs - "Missing Man" - Live Bait Theatre
Teatro Luna & Coya Paz - "Machos" - Teatro Luna
Teatro Luna & Tanya Saracho - "lunatic(a)s" - Teatro Luna
New Adaptation
Robert Kauzlaric - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Terry McCabe & Marissa McKown – “Gidget” – City Lit Theater Company
Terry McCabe - "The Hound of the Baskervilles" - City Lit Theatre Company
Jake Minton & Phillip C. Klapperich - "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago
Choreography
Kevin Bellie -"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
Brenda Didier - "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Lisa Johnson-Willingham - "Trouble the Water" - MPAACT
Maggie Portman - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
Original Music
Victoria DeIorio - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Gregor Mortis & Mikhail Fiksel - "A Lie of the Mind" - Strawdog Theatre Company
Kevin O'Donnell - "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago
Kevin O'Donnell - "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites
Music Direction
Joshua Stephen Kartes - "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
James Morehead - "bare" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Robert Ollis - "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Gary Powell - "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Jon Steinhagen - "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Scenic Design
Brian Sidney Bembridge - "Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Tom Burch - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Bob Knuth - "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
Timothy Mann - "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
Michael Menendian & Leif Olsen - "The Night of the Iguana" - Raven Theatre
Tracy Otwell - "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites
Grant Sabin - "Mr. Marmalade" - Dog & Pony Theatre Company
Lighting Design
Charles Cooper - "Sueño" - Greasy Joan & Co.
Kevin D. Gawley - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Lee Keenan - "Hope Springs Infernal" - The House Theatre of Chicago
Jared Moore - "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Jared Moore - "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites
Costume Design
Laura M. Dana - "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Rachel Anne Healy - "Widowers' Houses" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Jeff Jones - "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Kimberly G. Morris - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Jesus Perez - "Can - Can" - Circle Theatre
Elizabeth Shaffer - "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
Sound Design
Victoria DeIorio - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Michael Griggs - "Hope Springs Infernal" - The House Theatre of Chicago
Stephen Ptacek - "Faster" - the side project
Peter J. Storms - "The Night of the Iguana" - Raven Theatre
Mike Tutaj - "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
OTHER
Puppet Design - Allison Daniel - "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago
Mask Design - Kimberly G. Morris - "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
Projections Design - Mike Tutaj - "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
Projections Design - Mike Tutaj - "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Multiple Nominees
Individuals
Mike Tutaj - 3
Victoria DeIorio - 2
Vincent P. Lonergan - 2
Jared Moore - 2
Kimberly G. Morris - 2
Kevin O’Donnell - 2
Jeremy Rill - 2
Companies
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre - 13
Circle Theatre - 12
Lifeline Theatre - 9
Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James - 8
TimeLine Theatre Company - 8
Raven Theatre - 7
Signal Ensemble Theatre - 7
Bohemian Theatre Ensemble - 6
The House Theatre of Chicago - 5
Pegasus Players - 5
Teatro Luna - 4
City Lit Theater Company - 3
The Hypocrites - 3
Strawdog Theatre Company - 3
BackStage Theatre Company - 2
Dog & Pony Theatre Company - 2
Griffin Theatre Company - 2
MPAACT - 2
New Leaf Theatre - 2
Productions
"The Island of Dr. Moreau" - 9
"Cabaret" - 8
"An Ideal Husband" - 6
"Jerry Springer - The Opera" - 6
"columbinus"- 5
"Jitney" - 5
"The Life" - 5
"A Man of No Importance" - 5
"1776" - 5
"Can - Can" - 3
"Desire Under the Elms" - 3
"Dolly West’s Kitchen" - 3
"Machos" - 3
"The Nutcracker" - 3
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - 3
"Tesla’s Letters" - 3
"bare" - 2
"The Constant Wife" - 2
"The Dining Room" - 2
"Gidget" - 2
"Hope Springs Infernal" - 2
"A Lie of the Mind" - 2
"Mr. Marmalade" - 2
"The Night of the Iguana" - 2
"Old Wicked Songs" - 2
"Waiting for Lefty" - 2
"Widowers’ Houses" - 2