Nominees Announced for Chicago's 2016 Non-Equity Jeff Awards

The Jeff Awards Committee has announced this year's nominees for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards. The Chicago theater award's 24 categories include 121 nominations for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The ceremony, emceed by Chicago actors Karl Hamilton and Sarah Hayes, will be held on Monday, June 6 at Park West.

Theo Ubique leads the Chicago theaters in nominations with 15, followed by Kokandy Productions with 10 nominations and Griffin Theatre Company with eight. New Colony and Definition Theatre Company earned all six of its nominations for its production of Byhalia, Mississippi, tied with Bailiwick Chicago's Murder Ballad and Theo Ubique's Rent. Heathers: The Musical, which had it's off-Broadway premiere in 2014, earned five nominations as well for its Kokandy Productions mounting.

Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theater. The next Equity Awards ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on Monday, October 17, at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Oakbrook Terrace.

For the complete list of Non-Equity Jeff Award nominees, click here.