The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 113 nominations for Non-Equity Jeff Awards in 23 categories for productions that opened during the 2007-08 season (April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008). The Committee judged the opening nights of 143 productions offered by 61 Non-Equity producing organizations, and recommended 66 of them for further judging, which made these 66 eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations.
The 35th Anniversary Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL.
Among individual nominees, Mike Tutaj received 3 nominations – one for Sound Design and two for Projections Design for his work on columbinus (Raven Theatre) and Tesla’s Letters (TimeLine Theatre Company).
2008 Non-Equity Jeff Award Nominees (Design Categories):
Scenic Design
Brian Sidney Bembridge – Dolly West's Kitchen - TimeLine Theatre Company
Tom Burch – The Island of Dr. Moreau - Lifeline Theatre
Bob Knuth – An Ideal Husband - Circle Theatre
Timothy Mann – Jitney - Pegasus Players
Michael Menendian & Leif Olsen - The Night of the Iguana - Raven Theatre
Tracy Otwell – Desire Under the Elms - The Hypocrites
Grant Sabin – Mr. Marmalade - Dog & Pony Theatre Company
Lighting Design
Charles Cooper – Sueño - Greasy Joan & Co.
Kevin D. Gawley – The Island of Dr. Moreau - Lifeline Theatre
Lee Keenan – Hope Springs Infernal - The House Theatre of Chicago
Jared Moore – Jerry Springer - The Opera - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Jared Moore – Desire Under the Elms - The Hypocrites
Costume Design
Laura M. Dana – 1776 - Signal Ensemble Theatre
Rachel Anne Healy – Widowers' Houses - TimeLine Theatre Company
Jeff Jones – Jerry Springer - The Opera - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Kimberly G. Morris – The Island of Dr. Moreau - Lifeline Theatre
Jesus Perez – Can – Can - Circle Theatre
Elizabeth Shaffer – An Ideal Husband - Circle Theatre
Sound Design
Victoria DeIorio – The Island of Dr. Moreau - Lifeline Theatre
Michael Griggs – Hope Springs Infernal - The House Theatre of Chicago
Stephen Ptacek – Faster - the side project
Peter J. Storms - The Night of the Iguana - Raven Theatre
Mike Tutaj – columbinus - Raven Theatre
The Jeff Awards are given annually by The Jeff Awards Committee to honor excellence in professional theatre produced in the immediate Chicago area. The Committee, organized in 1968, consists of up to 50 men and women with varying backgrounds in theatre, but united by their commitment to Chicagoland’s theatre community. The Committee evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Committee established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre. The 40th Anniversary Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on October 20, 2008, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
OTHER
Puppet Design – Allison Daniel – “The Nutcracker” - The House Theatre of Chicago
Mask Design - Kimberly G. Morris – “The Island of Dr. Moreau” - Lifeline Theatre
Projections Design – Mike Tutaj – “columbinus” - Raven Theatre
Projections Design – Mike Tutaj – “Tesla's Letters” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Multiple Nominees
Individuals
Mike Tutaj – 3
Victoria DeIorio – 2
Vincent P. Lonergan – 2
Jared Moore - 2
Kimberly G. Morris – 2
Kevin O’Donnell – 2
Jeremy Rill – 2
Companies
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre – 13
Circle Theatre – 12
Lifeline Theatre – 9
Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James – 8
TimeLine Theatre Company – 8
Raven Theatre - 7
Signal Ensemble Theatre – 7
Bohemian Theatre Ensemble – 6
The House Theatre of Chicago – 5
Pegasus Players – 5
Teatro Luna – 4
City Lit Theater Company – 3
The Hypocrites - 3
Strawdog Theatre Company – 3
BackStage Theatre Company – 2
Dog & Pony Theatre Company – 2
Griffin Theatre Company – 2
MPAACT - 2
New Leaf Theatre – 2
Productions
“The Island of Dr. Moreau” – 9
“Cabaret” – 8
“An Ideal Husband” - 6
“Jerry Springer – The Opera” – 6
“columbinus”- 5
“Jitney” – 5
“The Life” – 5
“A Man of No Importance” – 5
“1776” – 5
“Can – Can” – 3
“Desire Under the Elms” – 3
“Dolly West’s Kitchen” – 3
“Machos” – 3
“The Nutcracker” - 3
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” – 3
“Tesla’s Letters” – 3
“bare” – 2
“The Constant Wife” – 2
“The Dining Room” - 2
“Gidget” – 2
“Hope Springs Infernal” – 2
“A Lie of the Mind” - 2
“Mr. Marmalade” – 2
“The Night of the Iguana” - 2
“Old Wicked Songs” – 2
“Waiting for Lefty” – 2
“Widowers’ Houses” - 2