Nominations have been announced for the 51st annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards, with Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre and Kokandy Productions earning the most nominations for their off-Loop musicals.
The Evanston company also known simply as Theo received 22 nominations for three productions, including “The Secret Garden” (with 10), “A Little Night Music” (with 8) and “Sondheim Tribute Revue” (with 4 nominations across the awards’ 23 categories.)
Chicago’s Kokandy Productions received 14 nominations, with most going to its holiday production of Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” which was staged in the basement of the Chopin Theatre (10 nominations).
According to the announcement Thursday by the all-volunteer Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, Invictus Theatre Company and City Lit Theater Company also earned 12 and 11 nominations, respectively, for multiple productions in the past year.
The Non-Equity Jeff Awards are for the most recent season of theater productions by the Chicago area’s non-union theaters. Eligible productions for the 51st annual awards opened between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, and the nominations cast a wide net, recognizing some 138 artists in shows from 29 companies.
The ceremony for the 51st Anniversary Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theater will be 7 p.m. March 24 at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. at Millennium Park; tickets are $73.60, on sale Feb. 17 at www.jeffawards.org
NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
“Attempts on Her Life” – TUTA Theatre
“August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theatre
“Coronation” – Refracted Theatre
“Native Son” – Lifeline Theatre
“Pro-Am” – First Floor Theater
“Topdog/Underdog” – Invictus Theatre Company
PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE
“A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
“On the Twentieth Century” – Blank Theatre Company
“Sondheim Tribute Revue” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY
“Attempts on Her Life” – TUTA Theatre
“August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theatre
“Dogs” – Red Theater
“Pro-Am” – First Floor Theater
“The Singularity Play” – Jackalope Theatre Company
ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE
“A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“Alice by Heart” – Kokandy Productions
“Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
“Sondheim Tribute Revue” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
NEW WORK
Brynne Frauenhoffer – “Pro-Am” – First Floor Theater
Erik Gernand – “The Totality of All Things” – Redtwist Theatre
George Howe and William Massolia – “The House Without a Christmas Tree” – Griffin Theatre Company
Hanna Kime – “Dogs” – Red Theater
Mark Pracht – “The House of Ideas” – City Lit Theatre
Jay Stull – “The Singularity Play” – Jackalope Theatre Company
Loy A. Webb – “Judy’s Life’s Work” – Definition Theatre
Laura Winters – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Aaron Reese Boseman – “Topdog/Underdog” – Invictus Theatre Company
Manny Buckley – “August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theatre
Aileen Wen McGroddy – “Attempts on Her Life” – TUTA Theatre
Max Truax – “Mother Courage and Her Children” – Trap Door Theatre
Georgette Verdin – “The Singularity Play” – Jackalope Theatre Company
Rebecca Willingham – “Pro-Am” – First Floor Theater
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Fred Anzevino – “Sondheim Tribute Revue” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Danny Kapinos – “On the Twentieth Century” – Blank Theatre Company
Christopher Pazdernik – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
L. Walter Stearns – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Derek Van Barham – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Derek Van Barham and Brittney Brown – “Alice by Heart” – Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (PLAY)
Bide Akande (Berenger) – “Rhinoceros” – Theatre Y
Mikha’el Amin (Lincoln) – “Topdog/Underdog” – Invictus Theatre Company
DeMorris Burrows (Booth) – “Topdog/Underdog” – Invictus Theatre Company
Holly Cerney (Mother Courage) – “Mother Courage and Her Children” – Trap Door Theatre
Peter Ferneding (Ned Weeks) – “The Normal Heart” – Redtwist Theatre
Jacqueline Grandt (Judith) – “The Totality of All Things” – Redtwist Theatre
Tamarus Harvell (Bigger) – “Native Son” – Lifeline Theatre
Claudia Quesada (Alba Guerrero) – “An Educated Guess”– Definition Theatre
Ana Santos (Electra Casados) – “Adverses” – Aguijón Theater Company
Katherine Schwartz (Agnes Eggling) – “A Bright Room Called Day” – Blank Theatre Company
James Sparling (Thomas Becket) – “Murder in the Cathedral” – City Lit Theater Company
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (MUSICAL)
Patrick Byrnes (Frederik Egerman) – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Caitlyn Cerza (Alice) – “Alice by Heart” – Kokandy Productions
Joryhebel Ginorio (Mary Lennox) – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Madison Kauffman (Cinderella) – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Will Koski (Lord Archibald Craven) – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Julia Limoncelli (Addie Mill) – “The House Without a Christmas Tree” – Griffin Theatre Company
Tyler Anthony Smith (Hedwig) – “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” – Haven Theatre
Colette Todd (Desiree Armfeldt) – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Karylin Veres (Lily Garland) – “On the Twentieth Century” – Blank Theatre Company
Kevin Webb (Baker) – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (PLAY)
Cereyna Jade Bougouneau (Charli) – “Judy’s Life’s Work” – Definition Theatre
Grant Carriker (Gregor Bazwald) – “A Bright Room Called Day” – Blank Theatre Company
Kason Chesky (Micah) – “The Totality of All Things” – Redtwist Theatre
Callahan Romen Crnich (Hal) – “Proof” – BlueBird Arts
Justice Ford (Lotte/Carmen) – “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” – The Artistic Home
Jodi Gage (Actor 1) – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre Company
Robert Howard (Hedley) – “August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theater Company
Zachary Linnert (Felix Turner) – “The Normal Heart” – Redtwist Theatre
Stephanie Shum (Two) – “Dogs” – Red Theater
Jarvell Williams (Canewell) – “August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theater Company
Michael B. Woods (Macduff) – “The Tragedy of Macbeth” – Invictus Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL)
Lexi Alioto (Susan) – “[Title of Show]” – PrideArts
Alicia Berneche (Letitia Peabody Primrose) – “On the Twentieth Century” – Blank Theatre Company
August Forman (Narrator/Mysterious Man) – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Shea Hopkins (Cinderella’s Prince, Wolf) – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Dakota Hughes (Martha Sowerby) – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Brennan Martinez (Lily Craven) – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Shannon McEldowney (Heidi) – “[Title of Show]” – PrideArts
Maya Rowe (Charlotte Malcolm) – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Anne Sheridan Smith (Beverly) – “The Mad Ones” – Blank Theatre Company
Kevin Webb (Carl–Magnus Malcolm) – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
PRODUCTION (SHORT RUN)
“Cock” – Open Space Arts
“The Drowsy Chaperone” – Surging Films and Theatrics
“The Language Archive” – Edge of the Wood Theatre
“Light Switch” – Open Space Arts
“Pilot Island and Her Keepers” – The Impostors Theatre Co.
“The Smuggler” – Jackalope Theatre Company
DIRECTOR (SHORT RUN)
Michael D. Graham – “Light Switch” – Open Space Arts
Stacey Lind – “The Language Archive” – Edge of the Wood Theatre
Billy Surges – “The Drowsy Chaperone” – Surging Films and Theatrics
Iraida Tapias – “The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon” – Water People Theatre
Wren Wesner – “Cock” – Open Space Arts
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (SHORT RUN)
Rebeca Alemán (Paulina) – “The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon” – Water People Theatre
Seth E. Harman (Man in Chair) – “The Drowsy Chaperone” – Surging Films and Theatrics
Philip Andrew Monnett (Henry) – “Light Switch” – Open Space Arts
Mafer Roussell (Helen of Troy) – “Juicio a Una Zorra” – Repertorio Latino Theater Company
Andrew Burden Swanson (Tim Finnegan) – “The Smuggler” – Jackalope Theatre Company
Phil Timberlake (Jacob Marley) – “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” – Lifeline Theatre
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (SHORT RUN)
Jeff Broitman (Resten) – “The Language Archive” – Edge of the Wood Theatre
Yahdina U–Deen (Grandma Betty) – “Beneath the Willow Tree” – Pulse Theatre Company
Sonya Robinson (W) – “Cock” – Open Space Arts
Ellen Shaw (Emma) – “The Language Archive” – Edge of the Wood Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION (SHORT RUN)
Dominick Alesia (original music) – “Pilot Island and Her Keepers” – The Imposters Theatre Co.
Diane Fairchild (lighting design) – “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” – Lifeline Theatre
Madeline Felauer (costume design) – “The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush” – Hell in a Handbag Productions
Tim Huggenberger (choreography) – “The Drowsy Chaperone” – Surging Films and Theatrics
Stefan Roseen (sound design) – “Pilot Island and Her Keepers” – The Imposters Theatre Co.
SCENIC DESIGN
Rose Johnson – “Bottle Fly” – Redtwist Theatre
Manuel Ortiz – “The Tragedy of Macbeth” – Invictus Theatre Company
Samantha Anna Rausch – “Proof”– BlueBird Arts
Kevin Rolfs – “Network” – Invictus Theatre Company
Kevin Rolfs – “Topdog/Underdog” – Invictus Theatre Company
Marvin Tate – “Rhinoceros” – Theatre Y
COSTUME DESIGN
Gregory Graham – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre Company
Rachel Lambert – “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” – The Artistic Home
Lucy Elkin – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Rachel S. Parent – “August Wilson’s Seven Guitars” – City Lit Theater Company
Patti Roeder – “Murder in the Cathedral” – City Lit Theater Company
SOUND DESIGN
Ethan Korvne – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre Company
Christopher Kriz – “The Singularity Play” – Jackalope Theatre Company
L.J. Luthringer – “The Tempest” – Idle Muse Theatre Company
Kimberly A. Sutton – “Rhinoceros” – Theatre Y
Petter Wahlbäck – “The Tragedy of Macbeth” – Invictus Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN
Garrett Bell – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre Company
Keith Parham – “Attempts on Her Life” – TUTA Theatre
G “Max” Maxin IV – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Hannah Wien – “The Tragedy of Macbeth” – Invictus Theatre Company
Levi J. Wilkins – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
PROJECTION DESIGN
DJ Douglass – “Network” – Invictus Theatre Company
Abboye Lawrence – “Coronation” – Refracted Theatre Company
G. “Max” Maxin IV – “The House of Ideas” – City Lit Theater Company
MUSIC DIRECTION
Carolyn Brady – “Sondheim Tribute Review” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Carolyn Brady – “The Secret Garden” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Eugene Dizon – “A Little Night Music” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Heidi Joosten – “Alice by Heart” – Kokandy Productions
Aaron Kaplan – “On the Twentieth Century” – Blank Theatre Company
Nick Sula – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Violent Delights (Amber Wuttke & Jay Donley) (fight choreography) – “The Tragedy of Macbeth” – Invictus Theatre Company
Jillian Leff (fight choreography) – “Die Hard 4 Your Luv” – Factory Theater
Ariana Miles, Evelyn Ryan and Nick Sula (orchestrations) – “Into the Woods” – Kokandy Productions
Philip Seward (original music) – “Murder in the Cathedral” – City Lit Theater Company
dgeorge@chicagotribune.com
