6-8-09
Ubique Tops 2009 Jeff Award Winners
Don’t cry for Chris Damiano or Theo Ubique. Their production of Evita took home six non-Equity Jeff Awards Monday night, including best production of a musical. And Damiano won two Jeffs, one for principal actor in Evita and the other for his supporting turn in Ubique’s Jacques Brel’s Lonesome Losers of the Night. Fred Anzevino, who directed both shows, took home the musical directing award for Evita.
Sharing billing with the Perons was Thornton Wilder, or rather the staging of his play Our Town by The Hypocrites. The play took best production of a play and best director of a play for David Cromer. Cromer and company are tallying up those awards, having just won a couple of Lucille Lortel awards in New York.
The coveted ensemble award went to Steep Theatre Company’s production of In Arabia We’d All Be Kings. That was Steep’s only award of the night.
Also honored on Monday was Arlene Crewdson, Pegasus Players’ founder and longtime artistic director, for her lifelong contributions to Chicago theatre.
In total, 26 awards were given out in 24 categories. Both the set design and sound design categories had two winners.
The 2009 Non-Equity Jeff Winners are:
PRODUCTION – PLAY
Our Town - The Hypocrites
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
ENSEMBLE
In Arabia We’d All Be Kings – Steep Theatre Company
DIRECTOR – PLAY
David Cromer – Our Town – The Hypocrites
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Fred Anzevino – Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
NEW WORK
Ken Prestininzi – Beholder – Trap Door Theatre
NEW ADAPTATION
Katie McLean – The Mark of Zorro – Lifeline Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Maggie Portman – Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Laura Coover – Blue Surge – Eclipse Theatre Company
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Chris Damiano – Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Esteban Andres Cruz – Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train – Raven Theatre
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Janet Ulrich Brooks – Golda’s Balcony – Pegasus Players
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Amanda Hartley – The Robber Bridegroom – Griffin Theatre Company
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Mary Redmon – Enchanted April – Circle Theatre
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Chris Damiano – Jacques Brel’ s Lonesome Losers of the Night – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Nathaniel Swift – Blue Surge – Eclipse Theatre Company
SCENIC DESIGN (Tie)
Alan Donahue – Mariette in Ecstasy – Lifeline Theatre
Bob Knuth – Enchanted April – Circle Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN
Suzanne Mann – Hay Fever20– Circle Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN
Jared B. Moore – Touch – New Leaf Theatre
SOUND DESIGN (Tie)
Victoria DeIorio – The Mark of Zorro – Lifeline Theatre
Joshua Horvath – Rose and the Rime – The House Theatre of Chicago
CHOREOGRAPHY
Brenda Didier – Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Kevin O’Donnell – Rose and the Rime – The House Theatre of Chicago
MUSIC DIRECTION
Ryan Brewster – Evita – Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
Geoff Coates – The Mark of Zorro – Lifeline Theatre
SPECIAL AWARD
Arlene Crewdson
2009 NON-EQUITY STATISTICS AND MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS
In the Season ended March 31, 2009, the Jeff Awards Committee judged the opening nights of 130 non-Equity productions from 60 producing organizations. Of these, 54 productions were recommended by the opening night judges and became eligible for nominations.
Total Nominations for 2008 – 2009 Season – 114
Total Categories – 24
Total Producing Entities Receiving Nominations – 31
Total Number of Awards – 27 (including 2 ties and 1 Special Award)
MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS
INDIVIDUALS:
Chris Damiano (2)
THEATRES:
Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Michael James – 7
Lifeline Theatre – 4
Circle Theatre – 3
Eclipse Theatre Company – 2
The House Theatre of Chicago – 2
The Hypocrites – 2
Pegasus Players – 2
PRODUCTIONS:
Evita – 6
The Mark of Zorro – 3
Blue Surge – 2
Enchanted April – 2
Our Town – 2
Rose and the Rime – 2