Theatre News Wire

The 2024 Non-Equity Jeff Awards nominations have been announced, marking a significant milestone in Chicago theater. This year celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Joseph Jefferson Awards, dedicated to honoring excellence in Chicago's non-union theater community. Leading the nominations, Kokandy Productions stands out with 17 nods across two productions, closely followed by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, which garnered 16 nominations. Invictus Theatre Company and Refracted Theatre Company also made a strong showing with 10 nominations each.

The most nominated single production was Refracted Theatre Company's "Tambo & Bones," capturing 10 nominations, highlighting its impact on the local theater scene. Other noteworthy productions include "American Psycho" and "The SpongeBob Musical" by Kokandy Productions, as well as "Assassins" and "The Threepenny Opera" by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre.

This year's nominations encompass a wide range of talent across 24 categories, celebrating 144 theater artists from 32 companies. The Jeff Awards committee attended 91 Non-Equity productions during the season running from January 1 to December 31, 2023, with 46 productions becoming "Jeff Recommended" and therefore eligible for award nominations.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 25 at Park West, offering a moment to reflect on the vibrant diversity and creative achievements of Chicago's non-Equity theater. This year's nominations not only recognize individual and collective artistic achievements but also underline the rich cultural fabric and enduring legacy of theater in Chicago.

2024 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES

PRODUCTION - PLAY
"Cat's Cradle" - Lifeline Theatre
"The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
"Dying For It" - The Artistic Home
"Indoor Cats" - Red Theater
"Right Now" - Facility Theatre
"Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
"We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915" - Theatre Y

PRODUCTION - MUSICAL
"American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
"Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
"The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
"The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
"tick, tick... BOOM!" - BoHo Theatre

ENSEMBLE - PLAY
"Cat's Cradle" - Lifeline Theatre
"The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
"Jane: Abortion and the Underground" - Idle Muse Theatre Company
"Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation" - Prop Thtr (i/a/w Perceptions Theatre)
"The Pragmatists" - Trap Door Theatre
"Right Now" - Facility Theatre
"We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915" - Theatre Y

ENSEMBLE - MUSICAL
"American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
"Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
"Promises, Promises" - Blank Theatre Company
"The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions

NEW WORK
India Nicole Burton - "Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation" - Prop Thtr (i/a/w Perceptions Theatre)
Tina Fakhrid-Deen - "Dandelions" - MPAACT (Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theater)
Mora V. Harris - "Indoor Cats" - Red Theater
John Hildreth - "Cat's Cradle" - Lifeline Theatre
Evan M. Jackson - "The Last Queen of Camelot" - Idle Muse Theatre Company
Shannon O'Neill - "The Kelly Girls" - The Factory Theater
Ed Rutherford & George Howe - "Murder, ReWrote" - Hell in a Handbag Productions
Micah Ariel Watson - "Alaiyo" - Definition Theatre

DIRECTOR - PLAY
Charles Askenaizer - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
Mikael Burke - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Heather Currie - "Cat's Cradle" - Lifeline Theatre
Dado - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
Wyatt Kent - "Indoor Cats" - Red Theater
Tyrone Phillips - "Fairview" - Definition Theatre
Kezia Waters - "We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915" - Theatre Y

DIRECTOR - MUSICAL
Fred Anzevino - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Derek Van Barham - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Daryl D. Brooks - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Bo Frazier - "tick, tick... BOOM!" - BoHo Theatre

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Brittney Brown (Regan Kelly) - "The Kelly Girls" - The Factory Theater
Laura Coover (The Woman) - "Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle" - Griffin Theatre Company
Ny'ajai Ellison (Camae) - "The Mountaintop" - Invictus Theatre Company
Julian Hester (Scratch) - "Witch" - The Artistic Home
Patrick Newson Jr. (Bones) - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Felicia Oduh (Ariel) - "Alaiyo" - Definition Theatre
Aila Ayilam Peck (Layla) - "Hatefuck" - First Floor Theater
Soleil Perez (Agnes) - "Agnes of God" - Redtwist Theatre
Mark Pracht (John Proctor) - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Tambo) - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
Neala Barron (John Wilkes Booth) - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Frankie Leo Bennett (SpongeBob SquarePants) - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
Britain Gebhardt (Bessica Feltcher) - "Murder, ReWrote" - Hell in a Handbag Productions
Carl Herzog (Macheath) - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Brandy Miller (Fran Kubelik) - "Promises, Promises" - Blank Theatre Company
Patrick O'Keefe (Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald) - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Kyle Patrick (Patrick Bateman) - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Alec Phan (Jonathan) - "tick, tick ... BOOM!" - BoHo Theatre
Rory Schrobilgen (Chuck Baxter) - "Promises, Promises" - Blank Theatre Company

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Kristin Collins (Elizabeth Sawyer) - "Witch" - The Artistic Home
Shawna Franks (Juliette) - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
Jada Jackson (Keisha) - "Fairview" - Definition Theatre
Patrick Newson Jr. (Kofi) - "Alaiyo" - Definition Theatre
Kathy Scambiaterra (Serafima) - "Dying For It" - The Artistic Home
Maria Stephens (Alice) - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
James Turano (Deputy Governor Danforth) - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
Michaela Voit (Abigail Williams) - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
Sarah Wisterman (Panda) - "Indoor Cats" - Red Theater
Korinne Yonan (Maleficunt) - "Sleeping with Beauty" - PrideArts

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Megan Elk (Mrs. Peachum) - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Parker Guidry (Sheldon J. Plankton) - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
Luke Halpern (Susan) - "tick, tick... BOOM!" - BoHo Theatre
Jon Parker Jackson (Samuel Byck) - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Chamaya Moody (Polly Peachum) - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Caleigh Pan-Kita (Evelyn Williams) - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Quinn Rigg (Squidward Q. Tentacles) - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
Amanda Rodriguez (Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme) - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Nathe Rowbotham (Lucy Brown) - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

PRODUCTION - SHORT RUN
"It's Only a Play" - Saint Sebastian Players
"The Minutes" - Edge of the Wood Theatre
"Once on This Island" - PULSE Theatre Company
"That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven" - Visión Latino Theatre Company

ENSEMBLE - SHORT RUN
"It's Only a Play" - Saint Sebastian Players
"The Minutes" - Edge of the Wood Theatre
"Once on This Island" - PULSE Theatre Company
"That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven" - Visión Latino Theatre Company

DIRECTOR - SHORT RUN
Xavier M. Custodio - "That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven" - Visión Latino Theatre Company
Melanie McNulty - "Cry It Out" - Theatre Above the Law
Janet Rourke - "The Minutes" - Edge of the Wood Theatre
Iraida Tapias - "North & Sur" - Water People Theater

PERFORMER - SHORT RUN
Manuel Duarte (Emcee) - "Lotería: Dichos, Proverbios, Albures" - Teatro Tariakuri
Jack Hradecky (Mr. Peel) - "The Minutes" - Edge of the Wood Theatre
Casey Huls (Frank Abagnale Jr.) - "Catch Me If You Can" - Surging Films and Theatrics
Gwen La Roka (Gwen La Roka) - "Mi Casa Es Tu Casa!" - UrbanTheater Company
Daniella Rukin (Lina) - "Cry It Out" - Theatre Above the Law
Carter Sherman (Amelia Carter) - "Miranda: A War-Torn Fable" - The Impostors Theatre Company
Billy Surges (Carl Hanratty) - "Catch Me If You Can" - Surging Films and Theatrics
Kris Tori (Alfonsina Storni) - "North & Sur" - Water People Theater
Allyson Womack (Jessie) - "Cry It Out" - Theatre Above the Law

SCENIC DESIGN
Kirk Anderson - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
Kevin Hogan - "Dying For It" - The Artistic Home
Rose Johnson - "Agnes of God" - Redtwist Theatre
Sydney Lynne - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Kevin Rolfs - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company

COSTUME DESIGN
Jakob Abderhalden - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
Natasha Vuchurovich Dukich - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
Jessie Gowens - "The Crucible" - Invictus Theatre Company
Kotryna Hilko - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Beth Laske-Miller & Rachel Sypniewski - "I Promised Myself to Live Faster" - Hell in a Handbag Productions
Cindy Moon - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Rachel Sypniewski - "Princess Ivona" - Trap Door Theatre

SOUND DESIGN
Hannah Foerschler - "The Kelly Girls" - The Factory Theater
Ethan Korvne - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Santiago Quintana - "Right Now" - Facility Theatre
Danny Rockett - "The Pragmatists" - Trap Door Theatre
Stefanie Senior - "Cat's Cradle" - Lifeline Theatre
Sebby Woldt - "Indoor Cats" - Red Theater

LIGHTING DESIGN
Mark Bracken Jr. - "Dying For It" - The Artistic Home
Ellie Fey - "Witch" - The Artistic Home
Maggie Fullilove-Nugent - "The Threepenny Opera" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
G. "Max" Maxin IV - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Eric Watkins - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company

PROJECTION DESIGN
DJ Douglass - "The Mountaintop" - Invictus Theatre Company
Alex Gendal - "Alaiyo" - Definition Theatre
Eme Ospina-López - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company

CHOREOGRAPHY
Breon Arzell - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Lauryn Schmelzer - "Promises, Promises" - Blank Theatre Company
Jenna Schoppe - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions

MUSIC DIRECTION
Harper Caruso - "tick, tick... BOOM!" - BoHo Theatre
Heidi Joosten - "American Psycho" - Kokandy Productions
Heidi Joosten - "Assassins" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Aaron Kaplan - "Promises, Promises" - Blank Theatre Company

ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Natasha Bogojevic - "The Pragmatists" - Trap Door Theatre
Przemysław Bosak - "Princess Ivona" - Trap Door Theatre
Ethan Korvne - "Tambo & Bones" - Refracted Theatre Company
Petter Wahlbäck - "Dying For It" - The Artistic Home

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Henry Bender (Properties Design) - "Wise Guys: The First Christmas Story" - The Factory Theater
David Blixt (Fight Choreography) - "Witch" - The Artistic Home
Lolly Extract/Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design) - "I Promised Myself to Live Faster" - Hell in a Handbag Productions
Ele Matelan (Foley Design) - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions
Patrick McGuire (Properties Design) - "The SpongeBob Musical" - Kokandy Productions