2024 Equity Jeff Awards: Marriott’s ‘Beautiful’ and Steppenwolf plays are big winners

Productions of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play “Purpose” and Samuel D. Hunter’s “Little Bear Ridge Road” emerged triumphant at Monday night’s Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremony, held at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.

This was the 56th year of the awards program, Chicago’s equivalent of the Tony Awards, with awards presented to the Chicago area’s union-affiliated Equity theaters by the all-volunteer Jeffs committee.

Such long-established companies as the Goodman and Steppenwolf Theatres did especially well, as did the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and the Drury Lane itself. Well-known winners included the actors Harry Lennix and Laurie Metcalf, and the director and choreographer Justin Peck. Special Jeff Awards went to two recent departees from long-held posts: Charles Newell from Court Theatre and Roche Schulfer from the Goodman.

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

Kaitlyn Davis and cast members in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. (Liz Lauren)

2024 Equity Jeff Award winners

PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (LARGE):  “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (MIDSIZE):

PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE): “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre

PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (MIDSIZE): “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago

PRODUCTION OF A REVUE: “Ain’t Misbehavin’” – Drury Lane Productions

ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY: “The Penelopiad” – Goodman Theatre

ENSEMBLE FOR A MUSICAL OR REVUE: “Ain’t Misbehavin’” – Drury Lane Productions

NEW WORK: 

  • Samuel D. Hunter – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
  • Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

DIRECTOR OF A PLAY (LARGE):

  • Joe Mantello – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
  • Phylicia Rashad – “Purpose” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

DIRECTOR OF A PLAY (MIDSIZE): Louis Contey – “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre

DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL (LARGE): Jessica Fisch – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre

DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL (MIDSIZE): L. Walter Stearns and Brenda Didier – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago

DIRECTOR OF A REVUE: E. Faye Butler – “Ain’t Misbehavin’” – Drury Lane Productions

Travis A. Knight, Michael Shannon and Lawrence Grimm in "Turret

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY:

  • Scott Aiello – “A View from the Bridge” – Shattered Globe Theatre
  • Laurie Metcalf – “Little Bear Ridge Road” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL:

  • Kaitlyn Davis – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre
  • Meghan Murphy – “Anything Goes” – Porchlight Music Theatre

SOLO PERFORMANCE: Hershey Felder – “Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin” – Writers Theatre

PERFORMER IN A REVUE: Lorenzo Rush, Jr. – “Ain’t Misbehavin’” – Drury Lane Productions

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY:

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL:

  • Adrian Aguilar – “Jersey Boys” – Mercury Theater Chicago
  • Andrew Mueller – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Marriott Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY: Justin Peck- “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY: Samuel Davis – “The Penelopiad” – Goodman Theatre

MUSIC DIRECTION: Nathan Koci – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Lorenzo Rush Jr. and Alexis J. Roston in "Ain't Misbehavin'" at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Justin Barbin)
James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Lorenzo Rush Jr. and Alexis J. Roston in “Ain’t Misbehavin'” at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Justin Barbin)

SCENIC DESIGN (LARGE):

  • Todd Rosenthal – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre
  • 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): Grant Sabin – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre

COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE): Ana Kuzmanic – “The Matchbox Magic Flute” – Goodman Theatre

COSTUME DESIGN (MIDSIZE): Aly Greaves Amidei – “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

SOUND DESIGN (LARGE): André Pluess – “The Lehman Trilogy” – Broadway in Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company

SOUND DESIGN (MIDSIZE): Jeffrey Levin – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN (LARGE): Cat Wilson – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Paramount Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN (MIDSIZE): Mike Durst – “Turret” – A Red Orchid Theatre

PROJECTION DESIGN: Mike Tutaj – “Gods and Monsters” – Frame of Reference Productions

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION: Timo Andres – music arrangements and orchestrations – “Illinoise” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

SHORT RUN – PRODUCTION: “Welcome to Matteson!” – Congo Square Theatre Company

SHORT RUN – PERFORMER: Harry Lennix – “How I Learned What I Learned” – Congo Square Theatre Company and Goodman Theatre

SPECIAL AWARD: Charles Newell, Roche Schulfer

Billy Rude with Tina Muñoz Pandya, Lauren Molina, Monica West and Russell Mernagh in "The Matchbox Magic Flute" in the Goodman's Owen Theatre. (Liz Lauren)
Billy Rude with Tina Muñoz Pandya, Lauren Molina, Monica West and Russell Mernagh in “The Matchbox Magic Flute” in the Goodman’s Owen Theatre. (Liz Lauren)

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