Chicago's 2017 Equity Jeff Awards Nominees Announced

The nominations were announced today for the 49th annual Equity Jeff Awards, which honor excellence in professional theater produced within the immediate Chicago area. The award ceremony will take place Monday, November 6, at Drury Lane Theatre.

The list of nominees is as follows:

PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE
Blues for an Alabama Sky – Court Theatre
East Texas Hot Links – Writers Theatre
Hand to God – Victory Gardens Theater
Man in the Ring – Court Theatre
Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre

PRODUCTION – PLAY – MIDSIZE
Born Yesterday – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
The Columnist – American Blues Theater
End of the Rainbow – Porchlight Music Theatre
It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! – American Blues Theater
Silent Sky – First Folio Theatre

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE
Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions
Crazy for You – Drury Lane Productions
Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre
Parade – Writers Theatre
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
Disney’s Mary Poppins – Mercury Theater Chicago
In the Heights – Porchlight Music Theatre
The Scottsboro Boys – Porchlight Music Theatre

PRODUCTION – REVUE
Marry Me a Little – Porchlight Music Theatre
Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Spamilton – The Royal George Theatre

ENSEMBLE
Blizzard '6 – 16th Street Theater
East Texas Hot Links – Writers Theatre
It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! – American Blues Theater
The Scottsboro Boys – Porchlight Music Theatre
Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Spamilton – The Royal George Theatre

NEW PLAY
Michael Cristofer – Man in the Ring – Court Theatre
Selina Fillinger – Faceless – Northlight Theatre
Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon – Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley – Northlight Theatre
Ike Holter – The Wolf at the End of the Block – Teatro Vista
Antoinette Nwandu – Pass Over – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Madhuri Shekar – Queen – Victory Gardens Theater
Charles Smith – Objects in the Mirror – Goodman Theatre

DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
David Darlow – Born Yesterday – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Gary Griffin – Hand to God – Victory Gardens Theater
Charles Newell – Man in the Ring – Court Theatre
Ron O.J. Parson – Blues for an Alabama Sky – Court Theatre
Ron O.J. Parson – East Texas Hot Links – Writers Theatre
Chuck Smith – Objects in the Mirror – Goodman Theatre

DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE
Jim Corti – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre
Matthew Crowle – Crazy for You – Drury Lane Productions
Marcia Milgrom Dodge – Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Gary Griffin – Parade – Writers Theatre
William Osetek – Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions

PRINCIPAL ACTOR IN A PLAY
Allen Gilmore (Emile Griffith) – Man in the Ring – Court Theatre
Allen Gilmore (John Workolo) – Objects in the Mirror – Goodman Theatre
Erik Hellman (Arthur de Bourgh) – Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley – Northlight Theatre
Daniel Kyri (Shedrick Kennedy Yarkpai) – Objects in the Mirror – Goodman Theatre
Mike Nussbaum (Albert Einstein) – Relativity – Northlight Theatre
Alex Weisman (Jason/Tyrone) – Hand to God – Victory Gardens Theater

PRINCIPAL ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Clyde Alves (Bobby Child) – Crazy for You – Drury Lane Productions
Patrick Andrews (Leo Frank) – Parade – Writers Theatre
Alex Goodrich (Georg Nowack) – She Loves Me – Marriott Theatre
Paul-Jordan Jansen (Sweeney Todd) – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre
Nathaniel Stampley (Robert) – The Bridges of Madison County – Marriott Theatre

PRINCIPAL ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Cassandra Bissell (Henrietta Leavitt) – Silent Sky – First Folio Theatre
Chaon Cross (Hilary) – The Hard Problem – Court Theatre
Angela Ingersoll (Judy Garland) – End of the Rainbow – Porchlight Music Theatre
Elizabeth Ledo (Erica) – Bright Half Life – About Face Theatre
Eliza Stoughton (Billie Dawn) – Born Yesterday – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Lisa Tejero (Vivian Bearing) – Wit – The Hypocrites

PRINCIPAL ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kelly Felthous (Roxie Hart) – Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions
Bri Sudia (Mrs. Lovett) – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre
Bri Sudia (Ruth Sherwood) – Wonderful Town – Goodman Theatre
Kathy Voytko (Francesca) – The Bridges of Madison County – Marriott Theatre
Aerial "Mon'Aerie" Williams (Younger Josephine) – Black Pearl: A Tribute to Josephine Baker – Black Ensemble Theater

SOLO PERFORMANCE
Will Allan (Chester) – Circumference of a Squirrel – The Greenhouse Theater Center, in association with Forum Productions
Linda Reiter (Rose Kennedy) – Rose – The Greenhouse Theater Center, in association with Forum Productions
Simon Slater (Derek Eveleigh) – Bloodshot – The Greenhouse Theater Center and Ingenious Purpose Ltd., in association with Forum Productions
Gene Weygandt (Matty) – Uncle Phillip’s Coat – The Greenhouse Theater Center, in association with Forum Productions

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Marton Csokas (Astrov) – Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre
Keith Kupferer (Howard) – The Mystery of Love & Sex – Writers Theatre
Adam Poss (Arvind Patel) – Queen – Victory Gardens Theater
Tommy Rivera-Vega (Eli) – Parachute Men – Teatro Vista

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Larry Adams (Bela Zangler) – Crazy for You – Drury Lane Productions
Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Sebastian) – Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre
Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Jim Conley) – Parade – Writers Theatre
Alex Goodrich (Bud Frump) – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Marriott Theatre
James Earl Jones II (Ladislav Sipos) – She Loves Me – Marriott Theatre

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Kristen Bush (Yelena) – Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre
Kymberly Mellen (Susan Mary Alsop) – The Columnist – American Blues Theater
Lia Mortensen (Lucinda) – The Mystery of Love & Sex – Writers Theatre
Caroline Neff (Sonya) – Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Felicia Boswell (Mary Magdalene) – Jesus Christ Superstar – Paramount Theatre
E. Faye Butler (Matron Mama Morton) – Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions
Angela Ingersoll (Hedy La Rue) – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Marriott Theatre
Iris Lieberman (Fraulein Schneider) – Cabaret – Theatre at the Center
Meghan Murphy (Tanya) – Mamma Mia! – Marriott Theatre

ACTOR IN A REVUE
Austin Cook (The Man) – Marry Me a Little – Porchlight Music Theatre
Justin Keyes (Little Walter) – Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Yando Lopez (Ensemble) – Spamilton – The Royal George Theatre
Evan Tyrone Martin (Ensemble) – I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett – Mercury Theater Chicago

ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Michelle Lauto (Ensemble) – Spamilton – The Royal George Theatre
Donica Lynn (Willie Mae) – Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Meghan Murphy (Ruth) – Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Bethany Thomas (The Woman) – Marry Me a Little – Porchlight Music Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE
William Boles – Native Gardens – Victory Gardens Theater
Linda Buchanan – Blues for an Alabama Sky – Court Theatre
Jeffrey D. Kmiec – Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre
Jack Magaw – East Texas Hot Links – Writers Theatre
Courtney O’Neill – Harvey – Court Theatre
Todd Rosenthal – Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Angela Weber Miller – Captain Blood – First Folio Theatre
Greg Pinsoneault – In the Heights – Porchlight Music Theatre
Christopher Rhoton – End of the Rainbow – Porchlight Music Theatre
Grant Sabin – Born Yesterday – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Joe Schermoly – Naperville – Theater Wit

COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE
Theresa Ham – Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre
Theresa Ham – Mamma Mia! – Marriott Theatre
Rachel Healy – Blues for an Alabama Sky – Court Theatre
Susan E. Mickey – Shakespeare in Love – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Sully Ratke – Chicago The Musical – Drury Lane Productions

COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Kristy Leigh Hall – Pygmalion – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Izumi Inaba – A Comedical Tragedy for Mister Punch – The House Theatre of Chicago
Kate Setzer Kamphausen – In the Heights – Porchlight Music Theatre
Bill Morey – End of the Rainbow – Porchlight Music Theatre
Mieka van der Ploeg – The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz – The House Theatre of Chicago

SOUND DESIGN – LARGE
Mikhail Fiksel – The Hunter and the Bear – Writers Theatre
Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen – Julius Caesar – Writers Theatre
Andre Pluess – Man in the Ring – Court Theatre
Richard Woodbury – Uncle Vanya – Goodman Theatre

SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Joe Court – 10 Out of 12 – Theater Wit
Heath Hays – The Room – A Red Orchid Theatre
Grover Holloway – The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz – The House Theatre of Chicago
Jeffrey Levin – The River Bride – Halcyon Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
Nick Belley and Jesse Klug – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre
Bart Cortright – The Hunter and the Bear – Writers Theatre
Lee Fiskness – Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions
Greg Hofmann – Jesus Christ Superstar – Paramount Theatre
Jesse Klug – Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Erik Barry – Circumference of a Squirrel – The Greenhouse Theater Center, in association with Forum Productions
Christine Binder – Bright Half Life – About Face Theatre
Cat Davis – The River Bride – Halcyon Theatre
John Kelly – I Am My Own Wife – About Face Theatre
Michael Stanfill – Wit – The Hypocrites

CHOREOGRAPHY
Matthew Crowle – Crazy for You – Drury Lane Productions
Jane Lanier – Chicago the Musical – Drury Lane Productions
Ericka Mac – Mamma Mia! – Marriott Theatre
Tammy Mader – Singin’ in the Rain – Marriott Theatre
Alex Sanchez – Wonderful Town – Goodman Theatre

ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Neil Bartram – Shakespeare in Love – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Orbert Davis – Paradise Blue – TimeLine Theatre Company
Chirstopher Kriz – Silent Sky – First Folio Theatre
Ronnie Malley – Great Expectations – Silk Road Rising and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

MUSIC DIRECTION
Austin Cook – Marry Me a Little – Porchlight Music Theatre
Roberta Duchak – Smokey Joe’s Café – Drury Lane Productions
Michael Mahler – Parade – Writers Theatre
Doug Peck – Wonderful Town – Goodman Theatre
Tom Vendafreddo – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Paramount Theatre

PUPPET DESIGN
Jesse Mooney-Bullock – A Comedical Tragedy for Mister Punch – The House Theatre of Chicago
Jesse Mooney-Bullock – Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Paramount Theatre
Blair Thomas – Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth – Lookingglass Theatre Company

PROJECTION DESIGN
Christopher Ash – Mamma Mia! – Paramount Theatre
Paul Deziel – Beauty’s Daughter – American Blues Theater
Stephan Mazurek – The Fundamentals – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Mike Tutaj – Julius Caesar – Writers Theatre
Mike Tutaj – Objects in the Mirror – Goodman Theatre