57th Annual Jeff Award Winners

The 57th annual Jeff Awards ceremony brought together Chicago's vibrant theatre community to honor outstanding achievements in Equity theatre productions. The prestigious event recognized 44 winners from a competitive field of 214 nominees spanning 32 categories, representing work from 40 producing organizations throughout the region. The celebration showcased the depth and breadth of talent that continues to make Chicago one of the nation's premier theatre cities.

Award-winning Chicago entertainers Sean Fortunato and Alexis J. Roston served as co-hosts for the evening, with actor Janet Ulrich Brooks lending her voice as announcer. The celebration featured performances from seven nominated productions and showcased dozens of local theatre artists who took the stage as presenters. Johanna McKenzie Miller directed the awards program, with musical direction provided by Dr. Michael McBride.

Court Theatre emerged as the night's most decorated institution, claiming seven awards across three productions. The company's mounting of "Berlin" proved particularly successful, earning recognition for Production in the Play - Large category, Ensemble, and Director for Charles Newell, while also honoring playwright Mickle Maher for New Work. Newell received a second directing trophy for the Short Run Production "An Iliad," which also celebrated Timothy Edward Kane's performance. AnJi White earned the Performer in a Supporting Role award for "East Texas Hot Wings." Court Theatre's collaboration with TimeLine Theatre Company on "Falsettos" brought additional accolades, with Stephen Schellhardt winning Performer in a Principal Role and Sarah Bockel taking Performer in a Supporting Role for Musical.

Shattered Globe Theatre matched Court Theatre's seven-award haul across two productions. The company's "Lobby Hero" captured Production honors in the Play - Midsize category, along with directing recognition for Nate Santana and a principal performance award for Elliot Esquivel. Their production of "A Tale of Two Cities" dominated technical categories, with Mikael Burke winning for directing and additional awards going to Christopher Kriz for Original Music, Kotryna Hilko for Costume Design, and Eric Watkins for Lighting Design.

Writers Theatre's production of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" claimed the distinction of most-awarded single production with five honors. The ambitious mounting earned Production recognition in the Musical - Large category, Ensemble, and Director for Kate Spelman, while technical achievements were celebrated through Yael Lubetzky's Lighting Design and Raquel Adorno's Costume Design.

Drury Lane Productions collected six awards across multiple shows. "Always...Patsy Cline" swept the Revue category with wins for Production, Director Scott Weinstein, and principal performer Bri Sudia. The company's production of "Disney's The Little Mermaid" brought recognition to Sawyer Smith for supporting performance in a musical, while also earning an Artistic Specialization award for puppet design.

Individual performance excellence was recognized across several productions. Brittney Mack received acclaim for her work in "The Color Purple" at Goodman Theatre, while Rae Gray was honored for "Prayer for the French Republic" at Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit. Jean Claudio took home the Solo Performance award for "Memorabilia" at Teatro Vista.

The New Work category highlighted original voices in Chicago theatre, honoring Atra Asdou for "Iraq, But Funny" at Lookingglass Theatre Company, a production for which she also earned a principal performance award. Mickle Maher received dual recognition for his work on "Berlin."

Technical artistry received significant attention throughout the evening. Paramount Theatre's production of "Cats" earned three awards, including Choreography for Kasey Alfonso and Artistic Specialization honors for Katie Cordts in Wig, Hair and Makeup Design and Sylvia Hernandez DiStasi for Circus Choreography. Marriott Theatre's "Titanic The Musical" was recognized for Ryan T. Nelson's Music Direction and Michael Daly's Sound Design in the Large category. Teatro Vista's "Memorabilia" garnered technical awards for Lauren M. Nichols in Scenic Design - Midsize and Satya Chavez for Sound Design - Midsize. Shared honors were presented for Scenic Design - Large to Christopher Oram for "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Musical" at Goodman Theatre and Jeffrey D. Kmiec for "Million Dollar Quartet" at Paramount Theatre. Projection Design awards were split between Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj for "The Da Vinci Code" at Drury Lane Productions and Michael Salvatore Commendatore for "Iraq, But Funny" at Lookingglass Theatre Company.

The evening also celebrated institutional milestones through the 57th Equity Special Awards, which honored five theatres for their lasting impact on Chicago's theatrical landscape. Goodman Theatre received special recognition for its centennial anniversary as the city's largest non-profit theatre. Four additional institutions were celebrated for reaching their 50th anniversaries: Marriott Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. These organizations were acknowledged for their roles in nurturing talent, creating opportunities, engaging audiences, and establishing Chicago as a national theatre destination.

The ceremony introduced a new honor with Laura D. Glenn from Steppenwolf Theatre Company receiving the inaugural Equity Jeff Impresario Award. This newly established recognition celebrates excellence in stage management, a crucial discipline that operates behind the scenes. Theatre companies nominated candidates for this award, which acknowledges the essential contributions stage managers make to bringing productions to life throughout Chicago's theatre season.

In its 57th Anniversary season, July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, the Jeff Awards membership judged the opening nights of 93 productions. From these, 81 productions became "Jeff Recommended" which made them eligible for award nominations.

The 57th Anniversary Equity Award recipients are:

Production - Play - Large
"Berlin" - Court Theatre

Production - Play - Midsize
"Lobby Hero" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Production - Musical - Large - THE SUSAN AND HARLAN HAIMES AWARD
"Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" - Writers Theatre

Production - Revue
"Always...Patsy Cline" - Drury Lane Productions

Director - Play - Large - THE MICHAEL MAGGIO AWARD
Charles Newell - "Berlin" - Court Theatre

Director - Play - Midsize
Mikael Burke - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Shattered Globe Theatre
Nate Santana - "Lobby Hero" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Director - Musical - Large
Katie Spelman - "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" - Writers Theatre

Director - Revue
Scott Weinstein - "Always... Patsy Cline" - Drury Lane Productions

Ensemble - Play
"Berlin" - Court Theatre

Ensemble - Musical or Revue
"Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" - Writers Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role - Play
Atra Asdou - "Iraq, But Funny" - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Elliot Esquivel - "Lobby Hero" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role - Musical
Brittney Mack - "The Color Purple" - Goodman Theatre
Stephen Schellhardt - "Falsettos" - Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Performer in a Revue
Bria Sudia - "Always...Patsy Cline"- Drury Lane Productions

Solo Performance
Jean Claudio - "Memorabilia" - Teatro Vista

Performer in a Supporting Role - Play
Rae Gray - "Prayer for the French Republic" - Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit
AnJi White - "East Texas Hot Links" - Court Theatre

Performer in a Supporting Role - Musical
Sarah Bockel - "Falsettos" - Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company
Sawyer Smith - "Disney's The Little Mermaid" - Drury Lane Productions

New Work - THE LIBBY ADLER MAGES AWARD
Atra Asdou - "Iraq, But Funny" - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Mickle Maher - "Berlin" - Court Theatre

Choreography
Kasey Alfonso - "Cats" - Paramount Theatre

Original Music in a Play
Christopher Kriz - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Music Direction
Ryan T. Nelson - "Titanic The Musical" - Marriott Theatre

Scenic Design - Large
Jeffrey D. Kmiec - "Million Dollar Quartet" - Paramount Theatre
Christopher Oram - "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Musical" - Goodman Theatre

Scenic Design - Midsize
Lauren M. Nichols - "Memorabilia" - Teatro Vista

Lighting Design - Large
Yael Lubetzky - "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" - Writers Theatre

Lighting Design - Midsize
Eric Watkins - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Costume Design - Large
Raquel Adorno - "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" - Writers Theatre

Costume Design - Midsize
Kotryna Hilko - "A Tale of Two Cities" - Shattered Globe Theatre

Sound Design - Large
Michael Daly - "Titanic The Musical" - Marriott Theatre

Sound Design - Midsize
Satya Chavez - "Memorabilia" - Teatro Vista

Projection Design
Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj - "The Da Vinci Code" - Drury Lane Productions
Michael Salvatore Commendatore - "Iraq, But Funny" - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Artistic Specialization
Chicago Puppet Studio, Lead Designers Caitlin McLeod and Zachary Sun - Puppet Design - "Disney's The Little Mermaid" - Drury Lane Productions
Katie Cordts - Wig, Hair, and Makeup Design - "Cats" - Paramount Theatre
Sylvia Hernandez-DeStasi - Circus Choreography - "Cats" - Paramount Theatre

Short Run - Direction
Charles Newell - "An Iliad" - Court Theatre

Short Run - Performer
Timothy Edward Kane (The Poet) - "An Iliad" - Court Theatre