After storming the nominations for the 2015 Equity Jeff Awards in each company's first year of eligibility, The Hypocrites and Paramount Theatre kept up their momentum at Monday night's awards ceremony, held at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.
The Hypocrites, which have taken home 31 Jeff Awards in the non-Equity wing over the years and these days make their home at the Den Theatre, made a fine showing in their first outing in the Equity awards. The company's 2014 production of All Our Tragic, which earned Readers' Choice wins for Best Ensemble and Best New Work last month in the Time Out Chicago Theater Awards, took home six Jeffs, the most of any single production or single company. The honors included best "midsize" production of a play, best new adaptation and direction for Sean Graney, awards for Alison Siple's costume design and Ryan Bourque's fight choreography, and the Actors' Equity Association–sponsored Ensemble award.
Paramount, in far west suburban Aurora, which became Jeff-eligible for the first time after the Jeff committee voted to expand its geographical boundaries from a 30-mile radius from downtown Chicago to 45 miles, reaped the benefits of that decision, taking home five Jeffs including best "large" production of a musical for its revival of Les Misérables.
Awards for new work included a twofer for new plays, with American Theater Company's The Project(s) taking a statue for the late PJ Paparelli and writing partner Joshua Jaeger, and another going to Mat Smart for The Royal Society of Antarctica, a world premiere at the Gift Theatre. Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of Paul Gordon's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility was named best new musical, edging out competitors I'd rate as far more memorable: A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol, at the same theater, and Shining Lives: A Musical at Northlight Theatre.
In acting-category quirks, Jerod Haynes took the Equity Jeff Award for best actor in a play for his tremendous work in Court Theatre and American Blues Theater's Native Son, though he's not yet an Equity member himself (he's currently back at Court and just as compelling in August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean). The award for best actor in a musical went to teenage Nicholas Dantes for Billy Elliot, The Musical at Drury Lane, a role in which he alternated with Kyle Halford. Kate Buddeke, one of the only cast members of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Airline Highway who didn't go with the show for its Broadway transfer, earned the Jeff for supporting actress in a play. (Her Broadway replacement, Julie White, was nominated for a Tony Award but didn't win.)
In addition to the competitive awards, special awards were presented to husband-and-wife actors John Reeger and Paula Scrofano for their multi-decade contributions to Chicago theater. The complete list of winners follows. Next up: the 2016 Non-Equity Jeff Awards, to be presented on June 6 at Park West.
Production—Play—Large
Moby Dick—Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
Production—Play—Midsize
All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Production—Musical—Large
Les Misérables—Paramount Theatre
Production—Musical—Midsize
The Addams Family—Mercury Theater Chicago
Production—Revue
Sondheim on Sondheim—Porchlight Music Theatre
Director—Play
Sean Graney—All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Director—Musical
Jim Corti—Les Misérables—Paramount Theatre
Director—Revue
Nick Bowling—Sondheim on Sondheim—Porchlight Music Theatre
Ensemble
All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Actor in a Principal Role—Play
Jerod Haynes—Native Son—Court Theatre and American Blues Theater
Actor in a Principal Role—Musical
Nicholas Dantes—Billy Elliot, the Musical—Drury Lane Productions
Actress in a Principal Role—Play
Kate Fry—Outside Mullingar—Northlight Theatre
Actress in a Principal Role—Musical
Heidi Kettenring—The King and I—Marriott Theatre
Actor or Actress in a Revue
Cory Goodrich—Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash—Mercury Theater Chicago and Theatre at the Center
Solo Performance
Ronald Keaton—Churchill—SoloChicago Theatre and Greenhouse Theater Center
Actor in a Supporting Role—Play
Anthony Fleming III—Moby Dick—Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
Actor in a Supporting Role—Musical
Matthew Crowle—A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum—Porchlight Music Theatre
Actress in a Supporting Role—Play
Kate Buddeke—Airline Highway—Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Actress in a Supporting Role—Musical
Michelle Aravena—West Side Story—Drury Lane Productions
New Work—Play
PJ Paparelli and Joshua Jaeger—The Project(s)—American Theater Company
Mat Smart—The Royal Society of Antarctica—The Gift Theatre
New Work—Musical
Paul Gordon—Sense and Sensibility—Chicago Shakespeare Theater
New Adaptation
Sean Graney—All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Choreography
Rachel Rockwell—Billy Elliot, the Musical—Drury Lane Productions
Original Music in a Play
Henry Marsh—Pericles—Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Music Direction
Austin Cook—Sondheim on Sondheim—Porchlight Music Theatre
Scenic Design—Large
Kevin Depinet and Jeffrey D. Kmiec—Les Misérables—Paramount Theatre
Scenic Design—Midsize
John Holt—Accidentally Like a Martyr—A Red Orchid Theatre
Lighting Design—Large
Greg Hofmann—The Who’s Tommy—Paramount Theatre
Lighting Design—Midsize
Brian Sidney Bembridge—The Royale—American Theater Company
Costume Design—Large
Dede M. Ayite—Marie Antoinette—Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Costume Design—Midsize
Alison Siple—All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Sound Design—Large
Rick Sims—Moby Dick—Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
Sound Design—Midsize
Victoria Deiorio—The White Road—Irish Theatre of Chicago
Projections/Video Design
Mike Tutaj—The Who’s Tommy—Paramount Theatre
Fight Choreography
Ryan Bourque—All Our Tragic—The Hypocrites
Artistic Specialization
Isaac Schoepp—Rigging Design—Moby Dick—Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium