More than 200 theater artists in 32 categories from acting to directing to scenic design to music scores and beyond have been nominated for 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards, it was announced Monday. The awards (Chicago’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards) recognize excellence in Equity theater productions across the Chicago area.
The Goodman Theatre earned 32 nominations from nine of its season productions, followed by the Paramount Theatre in Aurora with 18, and Mercury Theater Chicago with 15. Drury Lane Theatre, Teatro Vista and Marriott Theatre tied with 13 nominations each. Teatro Vista’s production of “The Dream King” garnered 10 nominations, the most for a single production.
Here’s the full list of nominations. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on Oct. 2 at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook.
2023 Equity Jeff Award Nominees:
Production — Play — Large
- “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
- “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
- “A Christmas Carol” - Goodman Theatre
- “Clyde’s” - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group
- “The Comedy of Errors” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
- “Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
- “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
Production — Play — Midsize
- “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” – First Folio Theatre
- “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
- “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
- “Fences” – American Blues Theater
- “Is God Is” – A Red Orchid Theatre
- “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- “The October Storm” – Raven Theatre
- “Right to Be Forgotten” – Raven Theatre
Production — Musical — Large
- “Cabaret” – Porchlight Music Theatre
- “A Chorus Line” – Drury Lane Productions
- “Damn Yankees” – Marriott Theatre
- “Fun Home” – Paramount Theatre
- “The Gospel at Colonus” – Court Theatre
- “Hello, Dolly!” – Marriott Theatre
- “Into the Woods” – Paramount Theatre
- “The Notebook” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- “Once” – Writers Theatre
- “The Sound of Music” – Paramount Theatre
- “The Who’s Tommy” – Goodman Theatre
Production — Musical — Midsize
- “Big River” – Mercury Theater Chicago
- “London Road” – Shattered Globe Theatre
- “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” – Mercury Theater Chicago
Ensemble — Play
- “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
- “Fences” – American Blues Theater
- “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
- “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord” – Steep Theatre
- “Toni Stone” – Goodman Theatre
Ensemble — Musical or Revue
- “A Chorus Line” – Drury Lane Productions
- “Don’t Quit Your Daydream” – The Second City
- “The Gospel at Colonus” – Court Theatre
- “London Road” – Shattered Globe Theatre
- “Once” – Writers Theatre
- “The Who’s Tommy” – Goodman Theatre
New Work
- Will Allan – “Campaigns, Inc.” – TimeLine Theatre Company
- Bekah Brunstetter and Ingrid Michaelson – “The Notebook” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Rebecca Gilman – “Swing State” – Goodman Theatre
- Lauren Gunderson and Margo Melcon – “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley “ –Northlight Theatre
- Lisa Langford – “How Blood Go” – Congo Square Theatre Company
- Paloma Nozicka – “Enough to Let the Light In” – Teatro Vista
- Marvin Quijada – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
- Tuckie White – “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- Will Wilhelm and Erin Murray – “Gender Play or What You Will” – About Face Theatre
- LaDarrion Williams – “Boulevard of Bold Dreams” – TimeLine Theatre Company
- Matthew C. Yee – “Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon” – Lookingglass Theatre Company
- Martin Yousif Zebari – “Layalina” – Goodman Theatre
Director — Play — Large
- Robert Falls - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
- Robert Falls - “Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
- Jessica Fisch - “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
- Barbara Gaines - “The Comedy of Errors” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Henry Godinez - “Measure for Measure” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Ron OJ Parson - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
- Ron OJ Parson - “Trouble in Mind” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Director — Play — Midsize
- Monty Cole – “Fences” – American Blues Theater
- Sarah Gitenstein – “Right to Be Forgotten” – Raven Theatre
- Marti Gobel – “Is God Is” – A Red Orchid Theatre
- Azar Kazemi – “Motherhouse” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- Sandra Marquez and Alice da Cunha – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
- Malkia Stampley – “The October Storm” – Raven Theatre
- L. Walter Stearns – “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
- Georgette Verdin – “Enough to Let the Light In” – Teatro Vista
Director — Musical — Large
- Jim Corti and Landree Fleming - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
- Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
- Denis Jones - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Des McAnuff - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- Katie Spelman - “Once” - Writers Theatre
- Michael Weber - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Director — Musical — Midsize
- Christopher Chase Carter - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Christopher Chase Carter - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Elizabeth Margolius - “London Road” - Shattered Globe Theatre
Performer in a Principal Role — Play
- Terry Bell (Bashir) - “Routes” - Remy Bummpo Theatre Company
- Kamal Angelo Bolden (Troy Maxson) - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
- Tracey N. Bonner (Toni Stone) - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
- Shanésia Davis (Rose) - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
- Mary Beth Fisher (Peg) - “Swing State” - Goodman Theatre
- Kevin Gudahl (Lord Brian Halifax/Dromio of Ephesus) - “The Comedy of Errors” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Rob Lindley (Andy Warhol) - “Andy Warhol in Iran” - Northlight Theatre
- Sarah Price (Louise) - “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” - Northlight Theatre
- Marvin Quijada (Actor) - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Shariba Rivers (Mrs. Elkins) - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre
- Shariba Rivers (Wiletta Mayer) - “Trouble in Mind” - TimeLine Theatre Company
- Larry Yando (Ebenezer Scrooge) - “A Christmas Carol” - Goodman Theatre
Performer in a Principal Role — Musical
- Curtis Bannister (Jim) - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Ali Louis Bourzgui (Tommy) - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- Ben Dow (Buddy) - “Elf The Musical” - Drury Lane Productions
- Alexander Gemignani (Edward Bloom) - “Big Fish” - Marriott Theatre
- Heidi Kettenring (Dolly Levi) - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Kieran McCabe (Buddy Holly) - “Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story” - Marriott Theatre
- Andrew Mueller (Ernest Shackleton) - “Ernest Shackleton Loves Me” - Porchlight Music Theatre
- Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Oedipus) - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
- Stephen Schellhardt (Bruce Bechdel) - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
- Erica Stephan (Sally Bowles) - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Solo Performance
- Alexis J. Roston (Billie Holiday) - “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Antonio Edwards Suarez (Antonio) - “Antonio’s Song / I Was Dreaming of a Son” - Goodman Theatre
- Will Wilhelm (Will) - “Gender Play or What You Will” - About Face Theatre
Performer in a Revue
- Felicia P. Fields (Performer) - “Pearl’s Rollin’ With the Blues” - Writers Theatre
- Evan Mills (Performer) - “Don’t Quit Your Daydream” - The Second City
Performer in a Supporting Role — Play
- Karen Aldridge (She) - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre
- Andrew Behling (Charlie Doyle) - “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” - First Folio Theatre
- Janet Ulrich Brooks (Helen Hubbard) - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” –Drury Lane Productions
- Brianna Buckley (Gayle/Young Chipper Ambitious Black Woman) - “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” - Goodman Theatre in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
- Meighan Gerachis (Aunt Weezie) - “Motherhouse” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- Francis Guinan (Firs) - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
- Chiké Johnson (Galileo) - “Galileo’s Daughter” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
- Felisha D. McNeal (Lucille) - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre
- Jon Hudson Odom (Millie) - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
- Jazzma Pryor (Lillian) - “Stew” - Shattered Globe Theatre
- Nick Sandys (Eustace Bassington-Bassington ) - “Jeeves Intervenes” - First Folio Theatre
Performer in a Supporting Role — Musical
- Sean Fortunato (Applegate) - “Damn Yankees” - Marriott Theatre
- Veronica Garza (Rosalie Mullins) - “School of Rock” - Paramount Theatre
- Alex Goodrich (Cornelius Hackl) - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Stanley Wayne Mathis (Harold Logan) - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
- Susan Moniz (Mother Abbess) - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
- Mary Robin Roth (Fräulein Schneider) - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
- Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (Curtis Taylor, Jr.) - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
- Elizabeth Stenholt (Medium Alison) - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
- Gregory Stewart Jr. (Philip Bailey) - “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth Wind and Fire” – Black Ensemble Theater
- Joy Woods (Middle Allie) - “The Notebook” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Costume Design — Large
- Raquel Adorno - “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley“ - Northlight Theatre
- Raquel Adorno - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
- Theresa Ham - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Izumi Inaba - “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
- Samantha C. Jones - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
- Ana Kuzmanic - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
- Bill Morey - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Costume Design — Midsize
- Gregory Graham - “Anna in the Tropics” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
- Marquecia Jordan - “Big River” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Marquecia Jordan - “Clue” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Robert Kuhn - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago
- Caitlin McLeod - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Alexia Rutherford - “The October Storm” - Raven Theatre
Choreography
- Brenda Didier - “Cabaret” - Porchlight Music Theatre
- Edgar Godineaux - “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” - The Hard Kill LLC
- Tyler Hanes - “Damn Yankees” - Marriott Theatre
- Denis Jones - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Lorin Latarro - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- Paul Stancato - “Grease” - Drury Lane Productions
Original Music in a Play
- Matthew Chapman, Marvin Quijada, Elliot Taggart and Ethan T. Parcell - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Orbert Davis and Jorge Amado Molina - “Measure for Measure” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Mikhail Fiksel and Jeffrey Levin - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” – Drury Lane Productions
- Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
- Christopher Kriz - “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley “ - Northlight Theatre
Music Direction
- Carolyn Brady - “A Chorus Line” - Drury Lane Productions
- Kory Danielson - “Fun Home” - Paramount Theatre
- Kory Danielson - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
- Matt Deitchman - “Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story” - Marriott Theatre
- Matt Deitchman - “Once” - Writers Theatre
- Rick Fox - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- Mark J.P. Hood - “The Gospel at Colonus” - Court Theatre
- Ryan T. Nelson - “Hello, Dolly!” - Marriott Theatre
- Robert Reddrick - “Blue Heaven” - Black Ensemble Theater
- Robert Reddrick - “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth Wind and Fire” - Black Ensemble Theater
Scenic Design — Large
- Andrew Boyce - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
- casaboyce - “Layalina” - Goodman Theatre
- John Culbert - “Arsenic and Old Lace” - Court Theatre
- Jeffrey D. Kmiec - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
- Jeffrey D. Kmiec - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
- Collette Pollard - “The Garbologists” - Northlight Theatre
Scenic Design — Midsize
- Bob Knuth – “Clue” – Mercury Theater Chicago
- Jack Magaw – “Andy Warhol’s Tomato” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
- Angela Weber Miller – “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” – First Folio Theatre
- Angela Weber Miller – “Jeeves Intervenes” – First Folio Theatre
- Lauren M. Nichols – “Anna in the Tropics” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
- Joe Schermoly – “The Dream King” – Teatro Vista
Sound Design — Large
- Mikhail Fiksel and Jeffrey Levin - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
- Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
- Ray Nardelli - “The 39 Steps” - Drury Lane Productions
- Gareth Owen - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- André Pluess - “Toni Stone” - Goodman Theatre
- Adam Rosenthal - “The Sound of Music” - Paramount Theatre
- Richard Woodbury - “The Cherry Orchard” - Goodman Theatre
Sound Design — Midsize
- Matthew Chapman - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Victoria DeIorio - “Motherhouse” - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
- Willow James - “How Blood Go” - Congo Square Theatre Company
- Stefanie M. Senior - “Enough to Let the Light In” - Teatro Vista
- Kurt Snieckus - “Clue” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Lighting Design — Large
- Yael Lubetzky - “Once” - Writers Theatre
- Julie Mack - “A Chorus Line” - Drury Lane Productions
- José Santiago - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
- Ben Stanton - “The Notebook” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Amanda Zieve - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
Lighting Design — Midsize
- Conchita Avitia - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Jared Gooding - “Fences” - American Blues Theater
- Gabrielle Strong - “Gender Play or What You Will” - About Face Theatre
- Eric Watkins - “Routes” - Remy Bummpo Theatre Company
- Levi Wilkins - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Projection Design
- John Boesche - “Galileo’s Daughter” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
- Anthony Churchill - “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” - Drury Lane Productions
- Reese Craig and Liviu Pasare - “Right to Be Forgotten” - Raven Theatre
- Smooch Medina - “Ernest Shackleton Loves Me” - Porchlight Music Theatre
- Peter Nigrini - “The Who’s Tommy” - Goodman Theatre
- Mike Tutaj - “Andy Warhol in Iran” - Northlight Theatre
Artistic Specialization
- Drew Dir - Puppet Design - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
- Drew Dir - Storyboards - “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” - Writers Theatre and Manual Cinema
- Rueben D. Echoles - Wig, Hair and Makeup Design - “Dreamgirls” - Paramount Theatre
- Jyrieka Guest - Fight Choreography - “Is God Is” - A Red Orchid Theatre
- Amanda Hermann and Yu Shibagaki - Properties Design - “Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon” -
- Lookingglass Theatre Company
- Cookie Jordan - Hair and Wig Design - “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” -
- Goodman Theatre in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
- Ian Merritt - Cinematography - “The Christians” - Citadel Theatre
- Jesse Mooney-Bullock - Puppet Design - “Into the Woods” - Paramount Theatre
- Mike Oleon - Puppet Design - “The Dream King” - Teatro Vista
- Keith Ryan - Wig Design - “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” - Mercury Theater Chicago
Short Run — Production
- “The Island” - Court Theatre
Short Run — Performer
- Kelly Anne Clark (The Actor) - “Being Seen” - RG Productions
- Ronald L. Conner (Winston) - “The Island” - Court Theatre
- Kai A. Ealy (John) - “The Island” - Court Theatre
For more information, visit jeffawards.org.
