2012 Equity Jeff Award nominations announced

Above: The nominated shows for Production—Play, Production—Musical and Production—Revue

Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Goodman Theatre lead the nominations for the 2012 Equity Jeff Awards with 18 each, the awards committee announced Tuesday; Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace follows closely with 17.

Among individual shows, Chicago Shakes's spectacular revival of Follies, Court Theatre's new adaptation of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and the House Theatre of Chicago's revamped remounting of its early hit Death and Harry Houdini top the list with seven nominations a piece. (The new Houdini was the first show under an Equity contract for the House, which opens its 11th season next month.)

The nominees for new work include three plays that premiered at Chicago Dramatists: Andrew Hinderaker's I Am Going to Change the World, Jon Steinhagen's Blizzard ’67 and Sarah Gubbins's The Kid Thing (the latter a coproduction with About Face Theatre). The other nominated new works are Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced (American Theater Company), John Conroy's My Kind of Town (TimeLine Theatre Company) and a pair of musicals: Michael Mahler and Aaron Thielen's Hero (Marriott Theatre) and Andrew White, Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman's Eastland (Lookingglass Theatre Company).

Nominated for new adaptation are Oren Jacoby for Invisible Man, Jessica Thebus and Frank Maugeri for The Feast: an intimate Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Redmoon), Calixto Bieito and Marc Rosich for their wild reimagining of Tennessee Williams's Camino Real (Goodman), Tracy Letts for his take on Chekhov's Three Sisters and Frank Galati for his new stage version of E.L. Doctorow's Civil War novel The March (both at Steppenwolf Theatre Company).

The Jeff Awards committee says it judged opening nights for 118 Equity productions between August 1, 2011 and July 31, 2012, representing 55 producing organizations. Of those, 96 were "Jeff recommended" by the opening-night judges, making them eligible for nomination; by my count, 69 of those shows went on to receive at least one nomination. The 2012 Jeff Awards ceremony will take place October 15 at Drury Lane. The complete list of nominees is after the jump.

 

PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE

Angels in America, Parts One and Two - Court Theatre

Clybourne Park - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

The Convert - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group and McCarter Theatre Center

Elizabeth Rex - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

In the Next Room or the vibrator play – Victory Gardens Theater

Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Oedipus el Rey - Victory Gardens Theater

 

PRODUCTION – PLAY – MIDSIZE

Blizzard ’67 - Chicago Dramatists

Chesapeake - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

Disgraced - American Theater Company in special arrangement with The Araca Group

Enron - TimeLine Theatre Company

Fish Men - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production

Freud’s Last Session - Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Robert Stillman, and Jack Thomas present the Barrington Stage Production

Immediate Family - Paul Boskind, Ruth Hendel and Stephen Hendel by special arrangement with Goodman Theatre, and in association with About Face Theatre Company

The Pitmen Painters - TimeLine Theatre Company

 

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE

Eastland: A New Musical - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

A Little Night Music - Writers’ Theatre

The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

The Sound of Music - Drury Lane Productions

Sweeney Todd - Drury Lane Productions

 

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE

A Catered Affair - Porchlight Music Theatre

The Christmas Schooner A Musical - The Mercury Theater

The Doyle & Debbie Show - lonesome road productions in association with Jim Jensen and Lisselan Productions

Rent - American Theater Company and About Face Theatre

 

PRODUCTION – REVUE

Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together - Porchlight Music Theatre

We’re All in This Room Together - The Second City e.t.c.

 

DIRECTOR – PLAY

Nathan Allen - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

J. Nicole Brooks - Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Robert Falls - The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

BJ Jones - The Pitmen Painters - TimeLine Theatre Company

Christopher McElroen - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

Amy Morton - Clybourne Park - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Charles Newell - An Iliad - Court Theatre

Ron OJ Parson - The Caretaker – Writers’ Theatre

Sandy Shinner - In the Next Room or the vibrator play - Victory Gardens Theater

Chay Yew - Oedipus el Rey - Victory Gardens Theater

 

DIRECTOR – MUSICAL

William Brown - A Little Night Music - Writers’ Theatre

Amanda Dehnert - Eastland: A New Musical - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Gary Griffin - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Tammy Mader - Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

Dominic Missimi - The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

Rachel Rockwell - The Sound of Music - Drury Lane Productions

Rachel Rockwell - Sweeney Todd - Drury Lane Productions

 

DIRECTOR – REVUE

Ryan Bernier - We’re All in This Room Together - The Second City e.t.c.

Brenda Didier - Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together - Porchlight Music Theatre

 

ENSEMBLE

Ameriville by Universes - Victory Gardens Theater

Clybourne Park - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting - Lookingglass Theatre Company

The Pitmen Painters - TimeLine Theatre Company

 

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

Usman Ally (Amir) - Disgraced - American Theater Company in special arrangement with The Araca Group

Teagle F. Bougere (Invisible Man) - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

William J. Norris (Davies) - The Caretaker - Writers’ Theatre

Martin Rayner (Sigmund Freud) - Freud’s Last Session - Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Robert Stillman, and Jack Thomas present the Barrington Stage Production

Steven Sutcliffe (Ned Lowenscroft) - Elizabeth Rex - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Larry Yando (Roy M. Cohn) - Angels in America, Parts One and Two - Court Theatre

 

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Adrian Aguilar (Jon) - tick…tick… BOOM! - Porchlight Music Theatre

Bruce Arntson (Doyle Mayfield) - The Doyle & Debbie Show - lonesome road productions in association with Jim Jensen and Lisselan Productions

Clarke Hallum (Ralphie) - A Christmas Story, The Musical - Gerald Goehring, Roy Miller, Michael F. Mitri, Pat Flicker Addiss, Peter Billingsley, Mariano Tolentino, Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Timothy Laczynski, Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment, Angela Milonas and Bradford W. Smith

Andrew Lupp (Phil Davis) - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical - Marriott Theatre

Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Jackie Wilson) - The Jackie Wilson Story (My Heart is Crying, Crying) - Black Ensemble Theater

Rashawn Thompson (Marvin Gaye) - The Marvin Gaye Story (Don’t Talk About My Father Because God is My Friend) - Black Ensemble Theater

 

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

Pascale Armand (Jekesai/Ester) - The Convert - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group and McCarter Theatre Center

Janet Ulrich Brooks (Anya Botvinnik) - A Walk in the Woods - TimeLine Theatre Company

Kate Buddeke (Tanya) - The North Plan - Theater Wit

Diane D’Aquila (Queen Elizabeth I) - Elizabeth Rex - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Kate Fry (Catherine Givings) - In the Next Room or the vibrator play - Victory Gardens Theater

Lia Mortensen (Lynn Fontanne) - Ten Chimneys - Northlight Theatre

Kelli Simpkins (Darcy) - The Kid Thing - Chicago Dramatists and About Face Theatre

 

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Jennifer Blood (Maria Rainer) - The Sound of Music - Drury Lane Productions

Lillian Castillo (Tracy Turnblad) - Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

Shannon Cochran (Desirée Armfeldt) - A Little Night Music - Writers’ Theatre

Rebecca Finnegan (Aggie Hurley) - A Catered Affair - Porchlight Music Theatre

Jenny Littleton (Debbie) - The Doyle & Debbie Show - lonesome road productions in association with Jim Jensen and Lisselan Productions

Liz McCartney (Mrs. Lovett) - Sweeney Todd - Drury Lane Productions

Caroline O’Connor (Phyllis Rogers Stone) - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 

ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE

Edgar Blackmon (Ensemble) - Who Do We Think We Are? - The Second City

McKinley Carter (Woman #1) - Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together - Porchlight Theatre Company

Mike Kosinski (Ensemble) - We’re All in This Room Together - The Second City e.t.c.

Adam Pelty (Man #1) - Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together - Porchlight Theatre Company

 

SOLO PERFORMANCE

Greg Matthew Anderson (Kerr) - Chesapeake - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Timothy Edward Kane (Poet) - An Iliad - Court Theatre

Deborah Staples (Performer) - The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead - Writers’ Theatre

 

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY

Brad Armacost (Phil Hogan) - A Moon for the Misbegotten - Seanachaí Theatre Company

Ian Barford (Arly Wilcox) - The March - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Brian Dennehy (Larry Slade) - The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

Alex Goodrich (Ellard Simms) - The Foreigner - Provision Theater

Harry Groener (General William Tecumseh Sherman) - The March - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Ron Orbach (Nick Bottom) - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Dan Waller (Oliver Kilbourn) - The Pitmen Painters - TimeLine Theatre Company

Howard Witt (Adam Kirchbaum AKA Ninety-Two) - Fish Men - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production

 

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL

Brandon Dahlquist (Count Carl-Magnus & Lieder Singer) - A Little Night Music - Writers’ Theatre

Alex Goodrich (Kirk) - HERO the Musical - Marriott Theatre

Kevin Earley (Pirate King) - The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

Ross Lehman (Major-General) - The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

Michael Aaron Lindner (Edna Turnblad) - Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

Rod Thomas (Orin Scrivello, Derelict, Customer, Radio Announcer, Bernstein, Mrs. Luce, Skip Snip, and Patrick Martin) - Little Shop of Horrors - Theatre at the Center

 

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY

Cheryl Lynn Bruce (Mai Tamba) - The Convert - Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group and McCarter Theatre Center

Hannah Gomez (Maribel) - Crooked - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Mary Cross and Sharon Furiya

Patrese D. McClain (The Folk) - Spunk - Court Theatre

Polly Noonan (Sabrina Daldry) - In the Next Room or the vibrator play - Victory Gardens Theater

MaryAnn Thebus, (Vera) - After the Revolution - Next Theatre Company

Kristina Valada-Viars (Mandy Bloom) - Time Stands Still - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Natalie West (Gail) - The Butcher of Baraboo - A Red Orchid Theatre

 

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL

Dara Cameron (Susan Schmitty) - HERO the Musical - Marriott Theatre

Patti Cohenour (The Mother Abbess) - The Sound of Music - Drury Lane Productions

Hollis Resnik (Carlotta Campion) - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Alene Robertson (Martha Watson) - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical - Marriott Theatre

Christine Sherrill (Paulette) - Legally Blonde The Musical - Marriott Theatre

 

NEW WORK – PLAY OR MUSICAL

Ayad Akhtar - Disgraced - American Theater Company in special arrangement with The Araca Group

John Conroy - My Kind of Town - TimeLine Theatre Company

Sarah Gubbins - The Kid Thing - Chicago Dramatists and About Face Theatre

Andrew Hinderaker - I Am Going to Change the World - Chicago Dramatists

Jon Steinhagen - Blizzard ’67 - Chicago Dramatists

Aaron Thielen and Michael Mahler - HERO the Musical - Marriott Theatre

Andrew White, Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman - Eastland: A New Musical - Lookingglass Theatre Company

 

NEW ADAPTATION – PLAY

Calixto Bieito and Marc Rosich - Camino Real - Goodman Theatre

Frank Galati - The March - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Oren Jacoby - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

Tracy Letts - Three Sisters - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Jessica Thebus and Frank Maugeri - The Feast: an intimate Tempest - Chicago Shakespeare Theater in association with Redmoon

 

CHOREOGRAPHY

Tammy Mader - Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

Matt Raftery - The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

Jessica Redish - Pippin - The Music Theatre Company

Marc Robin - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical - Marriott Theatre

Alex Sanchez - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC

Jenny Giering - Elizabeth Rex - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Andrew Hansen - A Walk in the Woods - TimeLine Theatre Company

Lindsay Jones - Timon of Athens - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Kevin O’Donnell - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

David Singer - Three Sisters - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 

MUSIC DIRECTION

Austin Cook - Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together - Porchlight Music Theatre

Roberta Duchak - The Sound of Music - Drury Lane Productions

Roberta Duchak - Sweeney Todd - Drury Lane Productions

Brad Haak - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Valerie Maze - A Little Night Music – Writers’ Theatre

Robert Reddrick - The Marvin Gaye Story (Don’t Talk about My Father Because God is My Friend) - Black Ensemble Theater

 

SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE

Ira Amyx and Merje Veski - A Moon for the Misbegotten - Seanachaí Theatre Company

John Iacovelli - Immediate Family - Paul Boskind, Ruth Hendel and Stephen Hendel by special arrangement with Goodman Theatre, and in association with About Face Theatre Company

Jack Magaw - Disgraced - American Theater Company in special arrangement with The Araca Group

Brian Prather - Freud’s Last Session - Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Robert Stillman, and Jack Thomas present The Barrington Stage Production

Chelsea M. Warren - The Kid Thing - Chicago Dramatists and About Face Theatre

 

SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE

Kevin Depinet - The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

Troy Hourie - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

Jack Magaw - The Caretaker - Writers’ Theatre

Jack Magaw - In the Next Room or the vibrator play - Victory Gardens Theater

Dan Ostling - Eastland: A New Musical - Lookingglass Theatre Company

Todd Rosenthal - Clybourne Park - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Todd Rosenthal - An Iliad - Court Theatre

Todd Rosenthal - Red - Goodman Theatre in association with Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater

Walt Spangler - Time Stands Still - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 

LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE

Jesse Klug - The Amish Project - American Theater Company

Jesse Klug - Fish Men - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production

JR Lederle - Chesapeake - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Michael McNamara - The Turn of the Screw - First Folio Theatre

Ben Wilhelm - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

 

LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE

John Culbert - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

James F. Ingalls - Camino Real - Goodman Theatre

Natasha Katz - The Iceman Cometh - Goodman Theatre

Jesse Klug - Sweeney Todd - Drury Lane Productions

Keith Parham - Red - Goodman Theatre in association with Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater

 

COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE

David Hyman - Rent - American Theater Company and About Face Theatre

Branimira Ivanova - Cloud 9 - The Gift Theatre

Lee Keenan - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

Kate Murphy - Absolute Hell - The Gift Theatre

Michael Alan Stein - The Nativity - Congo Square Theatre Company

 

COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE

Jacqueline Firkins - In the Next Room or the vibrator play - Victory Gardens Theater

Rachel Anne Healy - A Little Night Music - Writers’ Theatre

Virgil C. Johnson - Follies - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Nancy Missimi - The Pirates of Penzance - Marriott Theatre

Nancy Missimi - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical - Marriott Theatre

 

SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE

Victoria DeIorio - Falling: A Wake - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Mikhail Fiksel - Fish Men - Goodman Theatre presents the Teatro Vista production

Christopher Kriz - The Turn of the Screw - First Folio Theatre

Kevin O’Donnell and Harrison Adams - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago

Rick Sims - Chesapeake - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

 

SOUND DESIGN – LARGE

Mikhail Fiksel - Oedipus el Rey - Victory Gardens Theater

Joshua Horvath and Kevin O’Donnell - Angels in America, Parts One and Two - Court Theatre

Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen - The 39 Steps - Drury Lane Productions

Andre Pluess - An Iliad - Court Theatre

Josh Schmidt - The March - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 

PROJECTIONS / MEDIA DESIGN

Maya Ciarrocchi - Crowns - Goodman Theatre

Seth Henrikson & Oddmachine - Megacosm - A Red Orchid Theatre

Alex Koch - Invisible Man - Court Theatre in association with Christopher McElroen Productions

Mike Tutaj - I Am Going to Change the World - Chicago Dramatists

Mike Tutaj - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Mike Tutaj - A Walk in the Woods - TimeLine Theatre Company

 

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION

Kurt Alger - Wig Design - Hairspray - Drury Lane Productions

Jesse Mooney-Bullock - 3D Puppetry Design - The Feast: an intimate Tempest - Chicago Shakespeare Theater in association with Redmoon

Melissa Veal - Wig and Make-up Design - Elizabeth Rex - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Dennis Watkins - Magic Designer - Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago