At its annual celebration of Chicago's dynamic and growing non-union theatre scene at the Park West recently, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee presented 38 Citations for excellence in Chicago productions during the 2006 – 2007 Season (April 1 to March 31). In addition, Lifeline Theatre and Stage Left Theatre received Special Awards for their bodies of work. The Citations Awards are non-competitive and multiple recipients were named in some of the categories at a ceremony emceed by actor-composer-music director Jon Steinhagen.
The Jeff Awards are given annually by The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee to honor excellence in professional theatre produced in the immediate Chicago area. The committee, organized in 1968, consists of up to 45 men and women with varying backgrounds in theatre, but united by an active interest and concern. They come to the committee with an academic background in theatre, significant professional experience, a history of theatre involvement, and/or years of consistent theatre attendance in Chicago and in the other major theatre capitals of the world.
The committee evaluates approximately 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the committee established the Citations (non-Equity) wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre. The next Equity awards ceremony will be held on October 29, 2007, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
The design award recipients are as follows:
Scenic Design
Courtney O'Neill: Mud
The Hypocrites
Lighting Design
Jared Moore: Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika
The Hypocrites in association with Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Costume Design
Jesus Perez: Mack & Mabel
Circle Theatre
Sound Design
Michael Griggs and Mikhail Fiksel: Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika
The Hypocrites in association with Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Object Design
The Object Design Team: The Golden Truffle
Redmoon Theater
Projections Design
Lucas Merino: The Sparrow
The House Theatre of Chicago
Fight Design
Matt Hawkins: Hatfield & McCoy
The House Theatre of Chicago
Puppet Design
Kass Copeland: Once Upon a Time (or the Secret Language of Birds)
Redmoon Theater