Nominations are in for the 2023-24 Equity Jeff Awards, with the Goodman Theatre scoring the most nominations with 20. Mercury Theater Chicago, the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare and Drury Lane Productions also had very good years. Nominees for the annual awards for Chicago’s union-affiliated Equity theaters were announced Tuesday morning by the all-volunteer Jeff committee.
The Steppenwolf Theatre, meanwhile, saw two of its hit spring productions nominated for best production: Samuel D. Hunter’s “Little Bear Ridge Road” and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Purpose,” which likely is headed to Broadway next season. Mercury Theater dominated the “midsize” category of musicals with its productions of “Jersey Boys,” “Rock of Ages” and “Young Frankenstein.
” And Susan V. Booth, the new Goodman artistic director, scored a nod for her production of of “The Penelopiad.” Famous names on the list include Sufjan Stevens and Justin Peck, both nominated for “Illinoise,” Joe Mantello, nominated for directing “Little Bear Ridge Road,” Phylicia Rashad, nominated for directing “Purpose” at Steppenwolf, Jason Alexander, nominated for his work in “Judgment Day” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Hershey Felder for “Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin” at Writers Theatre, and Laurie Metcalf, the star of “Little Bear Ridge Road.
” The most nominated productions in the past year were “Turret” by A Red Orchid Theatre, tied with “Young Frankenstein” at Mercury, followed by “The Music Man” at Marriott Theatre. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.
com The ceremony to present the 56th anniversary Equity Jeff Awards will take place Sept. 30 at Drury Lane Theatre (100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace), hosted by Lillian Castillo, Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Janet Ulrich Brooks; more at www.
jeffawards.org 2023 Equity Jeff Award nominees PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (LARGE) “Birthday Candles” – Northlight Theatre “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” – Goodman Theatre “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years” – Goodman Theatre “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Paramount Theatre “Twelfth Night” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Goodman Theatre/HANDOUT Tyla Abercrumbie, E. Faye Butler, Sharriese Hamilton, Ora Jones, Demetra Dee, Felicia Oduh, Eric Gerard and Jaye Ladymore in “The Nacirema Society” by Pearl Cleage at the Goodman Theatre.
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (MIDSIZE) “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions “Silent Sky” – Citadel Theatre “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE) “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre “Guys and Dolls” – Drury Lane Productions “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre “Next to Normal” – Paramount Theatre KJ Hippensteel and cast in “The Music Man” at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. (Liz Lauren) PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (MIDSIZE) “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago “Rock of Ages” – Mercury Theater Chicago “She Loves Me” – Citadel Theatre “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago PRODUCTION OF A REVUE “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions “A Taste of Soul” – Black Ensemble Theater “The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80s” – Black Ensemble Theater ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY “English” – Goodman Theatre with the Guthrie Theatre “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years” – Goodman Theatre “The Penelopiad” – Goodman Theatre “POTUS: or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Harry Lennix, Ayanna Bria Bakari and Tamara Tunie in “Purpose” at Steppenwolf Theatre. (Michael Brosilow) ENSEMBLE FOR A MUSICAL OR REVUE “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre “A Taste of Soul” – Black Ensemble Theater “The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80s” – Black Ensemble Theater NEW WORK Levi Holloway – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Samuel D.
Hunter – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Nambi E. Kelley – “Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution” – Court Theatre Brett Neveu – “Revolution” – A Red Orchid Theatre Sufjan Stevens, Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Mary Zimmerman – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre The company of “Illinoise” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. (Liz Lauren) DIRECTOR OF A PLAY (LARGE) Susan V.
Booth – “The Penelopiad” – Goodman Theatre Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling – “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company Lili-Anne Brown – “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years” – Goodman Theatre Joe Mantello – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Tyrone Phillips – “Twelfth Night” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Phylicia Rashad – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company DIRECTOR OF A PLAY (MIDSIZE) Mikael Burke – “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Louis Contey – “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre Levi Holloway – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Chuck Smith – “The Reclamation of Madison Hemings” – American Blues Theater Paul Oakley Stovall – “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions Beth Wolf – “Silent Sky” – Citadel Theatre Travis A. Knight, Michael Shannon and Lawrence Grimm in “Turret” by A Red Orchid Theatre at Chopin Theatre. (Jesus Santos/Fadeout Media) DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL (LARGE) Jim Corti – “Next to Normal” – Paramount Theatre Jessica Fisch – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre Katie Spelman – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre Michael Weber – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre Mary Zimmerman – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL (MIDSIZE) Matthew Silar – “She Loves Me” – Citadel Theatre L.
Walter Stearns – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago L. Walter Stearns and Brenda Didier – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago DIRECTOR OF A REVUE Daryl D. Brooks – “The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80s” – Black Ensemble Theater E.
Faye Butler – “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions Deidre Goodwin – “Beehive: The 60’s Musical” – Marriott Theatre Dudley Owens in “Ain’t Misbehavin'” at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Justin Barbin) PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY Scott Aiello (Eddie) – “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre Jason Alexander (Sammy Campo) – “Judgment Day” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Bryan Burke (Gunner) – “The Outgoing Tide” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Kate Fry (Ernestine Ashworth) – “Birthday Candles” – Northlight Theatre Jon Michael Hill (Nazareth “Naz” Jasper) – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Anthony Irons (Stokely Carmichael) – “Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution” – Court Theatre Travis A. Knight (Rabbit) – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Laurie Metcalf (Sarah) – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Jon Hudson Odom (Madison Hemings) – “The Reclamation of Madison Hemings” – American Blues Theater Michael Shannon (Green) – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Rebecca Spence (Eleanor of Aquitaine) – “The Lion in Winter” – Court Theatre Bethany Thomas (Sister Rosetta Tharpe) – “Marie and Rosetta” – Northlight Theatre PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL Kaitlyn Davis (Carole King) – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre Lissa deGuzman (Ella) – “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” – Drury Lane Productions Sean Fortunato (Dr.
Frederick Frankenstein) – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago KJ Hippensteel (Harold Hill) – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre Mark David Kaplan (Tevye) – “Fiddler on the Roof” – Drury Lane Productions Donna Louden (Diana) – “Next to Normal” – Paramount Theatre Sophie Madorsky (Dina) – “The Band’s Visit” – Writers Theatre and TheatreSquared Michael Metcalf (Frankie Valli) – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago David Moreland (Drew) – “Rock of Ages” – Mercury Theater Chicago Meghan Murphy (Reno Sweeney) – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre SOLO PERFORMANCE Hershey Felder (Monsieur Chopin) – “Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin” – Writers Theatre David Kwong (performer) – “The Enigmatist” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater PERFORMER IN A REVUE Leila Gorstein (performer) – “Oh, The Places You’ll Glow” – The Second City e.t.c.
Thee Ricky Harris (Head Chef Ricky) – “A Taste of Soul” – Black Ensemble Theater James T. Lane (performer) – “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions Leah Morrow (performer) – “Beehive: The 60’s Musical” – Marriott Theatre Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (performer) – “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY Breon Arzell (Guy) – “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Daniel Breaker (Father Michael) – “Judgment Day” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater E.
Faye Butler (Grace Dubose Dunbar) – “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years” – Goodman Theatre Alexandra Chopson (Beth) – “In Quietness” – A Red Orchid Theatre Mitchell J. Fain (Henry Lehman) – “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company Mildred Marie Langford (Actor 1) – “Notes from the Field” – TimeLine Theatre Company Eileen Niccolai (Beatrice) – “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre Tim Rhoze (Bynum Walker) – “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” – Goodman Theatre Shariba Rivers (Actor 2) – “Notes from the Field” – TimeLine Theatre Company Paul Oakley Stovall (Malvolio) – “Twelfth Night” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Natalie West (Georgia) – “Revolution” – A Red Orchid Theatre PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL Adrian Aguilar (Tommy DeVito) – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago McKinley Carter (Marie) – “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” – Drury Lane Productions Lillian Castillo (Elizabeth Benning) – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Jackson Evans (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh) – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre Alex Goodrich (Mayor Shinn) – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre Andrew MacNaughton (The Monster) – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Steve McDonagh (Moonface Martin) – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre Andrew Mueller (Gerry Goffin) – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre Ron E. Rains (Dad) – “Billy Elliot” – Paramount Theatre Mary Robin Roth (Frau Blücher) – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Ryan Stajmiger (Igor) – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Erica Stephan (Cynthia Weil) – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre SCENIC DESIGN (LARGE) Linda Buchanan – “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” – Goodman Theatre Angela Weber Miller – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Paramount Theatre Lauren M.
Nichols – “The Hot Wing King” – Writers Theatre Todd Rosenthal – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre Todd Rosenthal – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Arnel Sancianco – “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years” – Goodman Theatre SCENIC DESIGN (MIDSIZE) Bob Knuth – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Caitlin McLeod – “Lavender Men” – About Face Theatre Lauren M. Nichols – “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Grant Sabin – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Jessica Kuehnau Wardell – “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE) Raquel Adorno – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre Gregg Barnes – “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” – iTheatrics and Broadway & Beyond Theatricals Theresa Ham – “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” – Drury Lane Productions Ana Kuzmanic – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre Ryan Park – “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” – Paramount Theatre COSTUME DESIGN (MIDSIZE) Sarah Albrecht – “¡Bernarda!” – Teatro Vista Aly Greaves Amidei – “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Rachel Boylan – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago Gregory Graham – “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Bob Kuhn – “Rock of Ages” – Mercury Theater Chicago SOUND DESIGN (LARGE) Pornchanok Kanchanabanca – “Richard III” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Jeffrey Levin – “Eurydice” – Writers Theatre Jeffrey Levin – “Selling Kabul” – Northlight Theatre André Pluess – “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company André Pluess – “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” – Court Theatre SOUND DESIGN (MIDSIZE) Forrest Gregor – “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” – The Gift Theatre Christopher Kriz – “The Outgoing Tide” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Jeffrey Levin – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre André Pluess – “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions Rick Sims – “The Reclamation of Madison Hemings” – American Blues Theater LIGHTING DESIGN (LARGE) Brandon Stirling Baker – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Reza Behjat – “Sanctuary City” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Lee Fiskness – “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions Jason Lynch – “Lucha Teotl” – Goodman Theatre with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance and National Museum of Mexican Art Cat Wilson – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Paramount Theatre LIGHTING DESIGN (MIDSIZE) Conchita Avitia – “The Brightest Thing in the World” – About Face Theatre Mike Durst – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre G. “Max” Maxin IV – “Young Frankenstein” – Mercury Theater Chicago Gabrielle Strong – “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” – The Gift Theatre Levi Wilkins – “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions CHOREOGRAPHY William Carlos Angulo – “In the Heights” – Marriott Theatre Christopher Chase Carter – “The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80s” – Black Ensemble Theater Dan Knechtges – “Guys and Dolls” – Drury Lane Productions Tammy Mader – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre Justin Peck- “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Katie Spelman – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY Satya Chavez – “¡Bernarda!” – Teatro Vista Samuel Davis – “The Penelopiad” – Goodman Theatre Christopher Kriz – “The Outgoing Tide” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Jeffrey Levin – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre Jon Trenchard – “Richard III” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater MUSIC DIRECTION Amanda Dehnert – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre Eugene Dizon and Linda Madonia – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago Nathan Koci – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater William Foster McDaniel – “Ain’t Misbehavin'” – Drury Lane Productions Ryan T.
Nelson – “The Music Man” – Marriott Theatre Nick Sula – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre PROJECTION DESIGN Anthony Churchill – “Black Sunday” – TimeLine Theatre Company Anthony Churchill – “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company Paul Deziel – “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” – Paramount Theatre Mike Tutaj – “Fiddler on the Roof” – Drury Lane Productions Mike Tutaj – “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION Timo Andres – music arrangements and orchestrations – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Miguel A. Armstrong – wig design – “Beehive: The 60’s Musical” – Marriott Theatre Puppeteer Ensemble – puppeteering – “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” – iTheatrics and Broadway & Beyond Theatricals Luis “Aski” Palomino – wrestling coordination – “Lucha Teotl” – Goodman Theatre with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance and National Museum of Mexican Art Puppeteer Ensemble – puppeteering – “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” – iTheatrics and Broadway & Beyond Theatricals Keith Ryan – wig design – “A Taste of Soul” – Black Ensemble Theater SHORT RUN – PRODUCTION “How I Learned What I Learned” – Congo Square Theatre Company and Goodman Theatre “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago” – American Blues Theater “Welcome to Matteson!” – Congo Square Theatre Company SHORT RUN – PERFORMER Brandon Dahlquist (George Bailey) – “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago” – American Blues Theater Anthony Irons (performer) – “Welcome to Matteson!” – Congo Square Theatre Company Harry Lennix (August Wilson) – “How I Learned What I Learned” – Congo Square Theatre Company and Goodman Theatre Alexis J. Roston (performer) – “Welcome to Matteson!” – Congo Square Theatre Company.
