For over 40 years, Chicago’s Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson “Jeff” Awards have celebrated and promoted successes in the city’s thriving non-union theatre community. The nominees for the Jeff Awards are chosen by a carefully cultivated committee made up of 55 men and women of various backgrounds in the theatrical realm. Notably, the words “best” and “winner” are not used when choosing the recipients of the prestigious honor. Rather, those selected are given the award for Outstanding Achievement in their particular art in order to dissuade competitive notions within the tight-knit community.

The 2017 Non-Equity Jeff Awards will be held at The Athenaeum on June 5th and will be hosted by Alexis Roston and Lillian Castillo. Below is the full list of nominees.

Production – Play
At the Table – Broken Nose Theatre
How We Got On – Haven Theatre Company
Miss Holmes – Lifeline Theatre
Our Lady of 121st Street – Eclipse Theatre Company
Prowess – Jackalope Theatre Company
The North Pool – Interrobang Theatre Project

Production – Musical
High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
Urinetown – BoHo Theatre

Director – Play
James Yost – The North Pool – Interrobang Theatre Project
Jonathan L. Green – truth and reconciliation – Sideshow Theatre Company
Robert Kauzlaric – Cymbeline – Strawdog Theatre Company
Spenser Davis – At the Table – Broken Nose Theatre
Victor Quezada-Perez – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Trap Door Theatre

Director – Musical
Christopher Pazdernik – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
Elise Kauzlaric – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
Fred Anzevino – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Scott Weinstein – Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
Stephen Schellhardt – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre

Ensemble
At the Table – Broken Nose Theatre
Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
good friday – Kristiana Rae Colon and Tara Branham in collaboration with Oracle Productions
High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
How We Got On – Haven Theatre Company
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Trap Door Theatre
truth and reconciliation – Sideshow Theatre Company

Actor in a Principal Role – Play
Gage Wallace – Taste – Red Theater Chicago
George Seegebrecht – Hauptmann – City Lit Theater Company
John Henry Roberts – The Little Flower of East Orange – Eclipse Theatre Company
Kevin V. Smith – Taste – Red Theater Chicago
Ryan Hallahan – The Body of an American – Stage Left Theatre
Salar Ardebili – The North Pool – Interrobang Theatre Project

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Trap Door Theatre

Actor in a Principal Role – Musical
Henry McGinniss – Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
Henry McGinniss – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
Jordan Phelps – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays
Maxwell J. DeTogne – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
William Roberts – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Actress in a Principal Role – Play
Amy Johnson – Falling – Interrobang Theatre Project
Elaine Carlson – The Lion in Winter – Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Jeannie Affelder – The Little Flower of East Orange – Eclipse Theatre Company
Kat McDonnell – Once in a Lifetime – Strawdog Theatre Company
Kim Boler – Human Terrain – Broken Nose Theatre
Shayln Welch – The Kid Thing – Nothing Without a Company

Kat McDonnell – Once in a Lifetime, Strawdog Theatre Company

Actress in a Principal Role – Musical
Amanda Horvath – Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera – Underscore Theatre Company
Colette Todd – Next to Normal – BoHo Theatre
Molly Hernandez – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Stephanie Stockstill – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
Sydney Charles – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions

Actor in a Supporting Role – Play
Adam Bitterman – The Seedbed – Redtwist Theatre
D’Wayne Taylor – Jesus Hopped the ”A” Train – Eclipse Theatre Company
Justin Tsatsa – Falling – Interrobang Theatre Project
Matt Edmonds – Death of a Salesman – Redtwist Theatre
Robert Koon – Chagrin Falls – The Agency Theater Collective

Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical
Chuckie Benson – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
Joe Giovannetti – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Luke Meierdiercks – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays
Nick Druzbanski – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
Scott Danielson – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
Steven Perkins – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions

Actress in a Supporting Role – Play
Deanna Reed-Foster – Even Longer and Farther Away – The New Colony
Echaka Agba – At the Table – Broken Nose Theatre
JoAnn Montemurro – The Assembled Parties – Raven Theatre
Kelli Strickland – The House of Blue Leaves – Raven Theatre
Kendra Thulin – Wastwater – Steep Theatre Company

Actress in a Supporting Role – Musical
Anne Sheridan Smith – Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
Courtney Jones – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Honey West – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays
Jenifer Tyler – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
Nicole Michelle Haskins – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
Veronica Garza – Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera – Underscore Theatre Company

Actor or Actress in a Revue
Averis I. Anderson – An Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse Songbook – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Colette Todd – Honky Tonk Angels – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Graham Thomas Heacock – An Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse Songbook – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Ian Rigg – Oh, Coward! – Dead Writers Theatre Collective
Leryn Turlington – Honky Tonk Angels – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Leryn Turlington – Honky Tonk Angels, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Solo Performance
Philip Dawkins – The Happiest Place on Earth – Greenhouse Theater Center and Sideshow Theatre Company
Sarah Gise – The Amish Project – Interrobang Theatre Project

New Musical
Alex Higgin-Houser – Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Song – Underscore Theatre Company
Robert Kauzlaric and George Howe – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre

New Play
Alex Lubischer – Bobbie Clearly – Steep Theatre Company
Heather McNama and Nancy Nyman – Resolution – Pride Films and Plays
Ike Holter – Prowess – Jackalope Theatre Company
Jerre Dye – Distance – Strawdog Theatre Company
Philip Dawkins – The Happiest Place on Earth – Greenhouse Theater Center and Sideshow Theatre Company
Shepsu Aakhu – Feral – Ma’at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theater
Zeljko Djukic – Gentle – TUTA Theatre Chicago

Choreography
Aubrey Adams – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
Breon Arzell – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
Christopher Pazdernik – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
Jon Martinez – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays

High Fidelity: The Musical, Refuge Theatre Project

Fight Choreography
Matt Hawkins – Cymbeline – Strawdog Theatre Company
Ryan Bourque – Prowess – Jackalope Theatre Company

Music Direction
Charlotte Rivard-Hoster – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
Jeremy Ramey – The Most Happy Fella – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Jimmy Morehead – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions
Jon Schneidman – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project
Robert Ollis – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays

Original Music in a Play
Andrew Hansen – Cymbeline – Strawdog Theatre Company
Andrew Hansen – Miss Holmes – Lifeline Theatre
Ben Sutherland – The Lion in Winter – Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Natasha Bogojevich – Gentle – TUTA Theatre Chicago
Shawn Wallace – Rutherford’s Travels – Pegasus Theatre Chicago

Scenic Design
Ashley Ann Woods – Miss Holmes – Lifeline Theatre
Greg Pinsoneault – The North Pool – Interrobang Theatre Project
Jeffrey D. Kmiec – The Assembled Parties – Raven Theatre
Kevin Hagan – Our Lady of 121st Street – Eclipse Theatre Company
Kurtis Boetcher – Gentle – TUTA Theatre Chicago
Michelle Manni – High Fidelity: The Musical – Refuge Theatre Project

Lighting Design
Alexander Ridgers – Winterset – Griffin Theatre Company
Brandon Wardell – Bat Boy The Musical – Griffin Theatre Company
Erik Barry – Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Song – Underscore Theatre Company
G.”Max” Maxin IV – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
Kevin D. Gawley – A Wrinkle in Time – Lifeline Theatre

Costume Design
Aly Renee Amidei – Northanger Abbey – Lifeline Theatre
Elizabeth Wislar – Urinetown – BoHo Theatre
John Nasca – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – Pride Films and Plays
Rachel M. Sypniewski – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Trap Door Theatre
Virginia Varland – The Wiz – Kokandy Productions

Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Song, Underscore Theatre Company

Sound Design
Eric Backus – A Wrinkle in Time – Lifeline Theatre
Matt Reich – The Promise of a Rose Garden – Babes With Blades
Stephen Ptacek – How We Got On – Haven Theatre Company
Stephen Ptacek – In To America – Griffin Theatre Company
Thomas Dixon – Peerless – First Floor Theater
Thomas Dixon – Wastwater – Steep Theatre Company

Projection Design
Anthony Churchill – The Body of an American – Stage Left Theatre
Brock Alter – In To America – Griffin Theatre Company
Michael Stanfill – Prowess – Jackalope Theatre Company

Get a head start on next years Jeff Awards by checking out the powerful plays and musicals currently playing in Chicago! Be sure to check out the discounted tickets available through TodayTix.

Non-Union

2017 Non-Equity Jeff Award Nominations