Chicago's Jeff Awards Nominees Announced - Shoshana Bean, Megan McGinnis & More in the Running!
By: Christina Mancuso Aug. 21, 2015
Click Here for More on 2026 AWARDS SEASON
Chicago stage, TV and film star Michael Shannon did the honor of announcing the nominees for the 2014-2015 Equity Jeff Awards. A video of the presentation is available at www.JeffAwards.org.
Six world premiere plays, three world premiere musicals, and three new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving Jeff nominations by the Jeff Awards Committee. 187 nominations in 36 categories honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2014 and July 31, 2015. In its first year of Jeff Awards eligibility, Paramount Theatre led all theatres with 16 nominations, all for musicals in the Large Theatre category. "LES MISERABLES" and the rock opera "The Who's Tommy" received six each, and "Mary Poppins" garnered four. Drury Lane Productions received 13 nominations, including five for "Billy Elliot, the Musical", and three each for "Camelot" and "West Side Story". The Marriott Theatre had 12 nominations, with five for "The King and I" and three for "City of Angels". Nominations for plays at Large Theatres were led by Steppenwolf Theatre Company with 12, five were for "Airline Highway", and four for "Marie Antoinette"; and Chicago Shakespeare Theater received 11 nominations, including four for its new musical "Sense and Sensibility"."Airline Highway" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
"The Diary of Anne Frank" - Writers Theatre
"The Little Foxes" - Goodman Theatre
"Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors' Gymnasium
"Native Son" - Court Theatre and American Blues Theater PRODUCTION - PLAY - MIDSIZE
"All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
"The Downpour" - Route 66 Theatre Company
"The Royale" - American Theater Company
"Travesties" - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
"The White Road" - Irish Theatre of ChicagoPRODUCTION - MUSICAL - LARGE
"Billy Elliot, the Musical" - Drury Lane Productions
"City of Angels" - The Marriott Theatre
"The King and I" - The Marriott Theatre
"LES MISERABLES" - Paramount Theatre
"Mary Poppins" - Paramount Theatre
"The Who's Tommy" - Paramount TheatrePRODUCTION - MUSICAL - MIDSIZE
"The Addams Family" - Mercury Theater Chicago
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" - Porchlight Music Theatre
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Porchlight Music TheatrePRODUCTION - REVUE
"Men of Soul with a Tribute to Bill Withers" - Black Ensemble Theater
"Panic on Cloud 9" - The Second City
"Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" - Mercury Theater Chicago and
Theatre at the Center
"Sondheim on Sondheim" - Porchlight Music Theatre DIRECTOR - PLAY
Jaime Castañeda - "The Royale" - American Theater Company
David Catlin - "Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with
The Actors' Gymnasium
Sean Graney - "All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
Nick Sandys - "Travesties" - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Erica Weiss - "The Downpour" - Route 66 Theatre Company
Henry Wishcamper - "The Little Foxes" - Goodman TheatreDIRECTOR - MUSICAL
Nick Bowling - "City of Angels" - The Marriott Theatre
Nick Bowling - "The King and I" - The Marriott Theatre
Jim Corti - "LES MISERABLES" - Paramount Theatre
Jim Corti - "The Who's Tommy" - Paramount Theatre
Rachel Rockwell - "Billy Elliot, the Musical" - Drury Lane Productions
Rachel Rockwell - "Mary Poppins" - Paramount TheatreDIRECTOR - REVUE
Nick Bowling - "Sondheim on Sondheim" - Porchlight Music Theatre
Daryl Brooks - "Men of Soul with a Tribute to Bill Withers" - Black Ensemble Theater
Brian Russell - "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" - Mercury Theater Chicago and
Theatre at the Center ENSEMBLE
"Airline Highway" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
"All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
"The Apple Family Plays" - TimeLine Theatre Company
"The Humans" - American Theater Company
"The Project(s)" - American Theater Company
"A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
"Season on the Line" - The House Theatre of Chicago
"The White Road" - Irish Theatre of ChicagoACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Allen Gilmore (Vladimir) - "Waiting for Godot" - Court Theatre
Francis Guinan (Tommy) - "The Night Alive" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Francis Guinan (Ray) - "White Guy on the Bus" - Northlight Theatre
Jerod Haynes (Bigger) - "Native Son" - Court Theatre and American Blues Theater
Jerod Haynes (Jay) - "The Royale" - American Theater Company
Mark L. Montgomery (Anthony Reilly) - "Outside Mullingar" - Northlight Theatre
Larry Yando (King Lear) - "King Lear" - Chicago Shakespeare TheaterACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
Anthony Crivello (Louis Prima) - "Louis & Keely 'Live' at the Sahara" - HackFeld LLC
Nicholas Dantes (Billy) - "Billy Elliot, the Musical" - Drury Lane Productions
Devin DeSantis (Tommy) - "The Who's Tommy" - Paramount Theatre
Karl Hamilton (Gomez Addams) - "The Addams Family" - Mercury Theater Chicago
Bill Larkin (Prologus/Pseudolus) - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" -
Porchlight Music Theatre ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
Brenda Barrie (Robin) - "The Downpour" - Route 66 Theatre Company
Janet Ulrich Brooks (Sonia) - "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" - Goodman Theatre
Hillary Clemens (Crystal) - "Bethany" - The Gift Theatre
Kate Fry (Rosemary Muldoon) - "Outside Mullingar" - Northlight Theatre
Mariann Mayberry (Shelley) - "Grand Concourse" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Lia D. Mortensen (Julianna) - "The Other Place" - Profiles Theatre
Caroline Neff (Hazel) - "The Downpour" - Route 66 Theatre Company
Eileen Niccolai (Serafina Delle Rose) - "The Rose Tattoo" - Shattered Globe TheatreACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
Shoshana Bean (Cee Cee Bloom) - "Beaches, A New Musical" - Drury Lane Productions
in association with Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso
Rebecca Finnegan (Nellie Lovett) - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" -
Porchlight Music Theatre
Heidi Kettenring (Anna Leonowens) - "The King and I" - Marriott Theatre
Megan McGinnis (Marianne Dashwood) - "Sense and Sensibility" -
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Susie McMonagle (Mrs. Wilkinson) - "Billy Elliot, the Musical" - Drury Lane Productions ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Michael Monroe Goodman (Young Johnny) - "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" -
Mercury Theater Chicago and Theatre at the Center
Cory Goodrich (June Carter Cash) - "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" -
Mercury Theater Chicago and Theatre at the Center
John Hartman (Ensemble) - " Panic on Cloud 9" - The Second City
James Earl Jones II (Ensemble) - "Sondheim on Sondheim" - Porchlight Music Theatre
Kent M. Lewis (Johnny) - "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" -
Mercury Theater Chicago and Theatre at the CenterSOLO PERFORMANCE
Ronald Keaton (Winston Churchill) - "Churchill" - SoloChicago Theatre and
Greenhouse Theater Center
Linda Reiter (Mary) - "The Testament of Mary" - Victory Gardens Theater
Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Donny) - "Twisted Melodies" - Congo Square Theatre Company
Steven Strafford (Himself) - "Methtacular!" - About Face Theatre
in association with Justin Brill ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Greg Matthew Anderson (Tristan Tzara) - "Travesties" - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Behzad Dabu (Amit) - "Samsara" - Victory Gardens Theater
Anthony Fleming III (Queequeg/Ensemble) - "Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company
in association with The Actors' Gymnasium
K. Todd Freeman (Sissy Na Na) - "Airline Highway" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Nic Grelli (Alvaro Mangiacavallo) - "The Rose Tattoo" - Shattered Globe Theatre
Larry Yando (Benjamin Hubbard) - " The Little Foxes" - Goodman TheatreACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Matthew Crowle (Hysterium) - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" -
Porchlight Music Theatre
Devin DeSantis (Marius) - "LES MISERABLES" - Paramount Theatre
Sean Allan Krill (Colonel Brandon) - "Sense and Sensibility" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Ross Lehman (Moonface Martin) - "Anything Goes" - Marriott Theatre
Travis Taylor (Lancelot) - "Camelot" - Drury Lane ProductionsACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
Annabel Armour (Virginia) - "The Clean House" - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Dana Black (Actor 6) - "Abraham Lincoln Was a F*gg*t" - About Face Theatre
Kate Buddeke (Tanya) - "Airline Highway" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Kate Buddeke (Terry) - "Side Man" - American Blues Theater
Patrese D. McClain (Shatique) - "White Guy on the Bus" - Northlight Theatre
Cassidy Slaughter-Mason (Avery Willard) - "Rapture, Blister, Burn" - Goodman TheatreACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
Michelle Aravena (Anita) - "West Side Story" - Drury Lane Productions
Kristen Choi (Lady Thiang) - "The King and I" - Marriott Theatre
Marya Grandy (Hildy Esterhazy) - "On the Town" - Marriott Theatre
Meghan Murphy (Oolie/Donna) - "City of Angels" - Marriott Theatre
Colette Todd (Sandra Bloom) - "Big Fish" - Theatre at the CenterNEW WORK - PLAY
Bruce Graham - "White Guy on the Bus" - Northlight Theatre
Laura Jacqmin - "Look, we are breathing" - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Rohina Malik - "The Mecca Tales" - Chicago Dramatists
PJ Paparelli and Joshua Jaeger - "The Project(s)" - American Theater Company
Caitlin Parrish - "The Downpour" - Route 66 Theatre Company
Mat Smart - "The Royal Society of Antarctica" - The Gift TheatreNEW WORK - MUSICAL
Paul Gordon - "Sense and Sensibility" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran, Postell Pringle - "A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol" -
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Jessica Thebus, Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert - "Shining Lives: A Musical" -
Northlight TheatreNEW ADAPTATION
David Catlin - "Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with
The Actors' Gymnasium
Sean Graney - "All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
Nambi E. Kelley - "Native Son" - Court Theatre and American Blues TheaterCHOREOGRAPHY
Brock Clawson - "The Who's Tommy" - Paramount Theatre
Rhett Guter - "West Side Story" - Drury Lane Productions
Danny Herman - "All Shook Up" - Theatre at the Center
Rachel Rockwell - "Billy Elliot, the Musical" - Drury Lane Productions
Alex Sanchez - "On the Town" - Marriott TheatreORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY
Victoria Deiorio - "The White Road" - Irish Theatre of Chicago
Andrew Hansen - "My Name is Asher Lev" - TimeLine Theatre Company
Henry Marsh - "Pericles" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Richard Woodbury - "The Little Foxes" - Goodman TheatreMUSIC DIRECTION
Austin Cook - "Sondheim on Sondheim" - Porchlight Music Theatre
Paul Litteral - "Louis & Keely 'Live' at the Sahara" - HackFeld LLC
Doug Peck - "The Secret Garden" - Court Theatre
Malcolm Ruhl - "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" - Mercury Theater Chicago and
Theatre at the Center
Tom Vendafreddo - "LES MISERABLES" - Paramount TheatreSCENIC DESIGN - MIDSIZE
Ira Amyx and Merje Veski - "The White Road" - Irish Theatre of Chicago
John Holt - "Accidentally Like a Martyr" - A Red Orchid Theatre
Jeffrey D. Kmiec - "Watch on the Rhine" - The Artistic Home
Angela Weber Miller - "The Gravedigger" - First Folio Theatre
Sarah Ross - "The Rose Tattoo" - Shattered Globe Theatre
Grant Sabin - "Yankee Tavern" - American Blues TheaterSCENIC DESIGN - LARGE
Linda Buchanan - "Two Trains Running" - Goodman Theatre
Kevin Depinet - "The Game's Afoot" - Drury Lane Productions
Kevin Depinet and Jeffrey D. Kmiec - "LES MISERABLES" - Paramount Theatre
Jack Magaw - "The Diary of Anne Frank" - Writers Theatre
Scott Pask - "Airline Highway" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Todd Rosenthal - "The Little Foxes" - Goodman Theatre
Joey Wade - "Grand Concourse" - Steppenwolf Theatre CompanyLIGHTING DESIGN - MIDSIZE
Brian Sidney Bembridge - "The Royale" - American Theater Company
Maggie Fullilove-Nugent - "Endgame" - The Hypocrites
Lee Keenan - "The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King" -
The House Theatre of Chicago
Jared Moore - "All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
Julian Pike - "The White Road" - Irish Theatre of ChicagoLIGHTING DESIGN - LARGE
Lee Fiskness - "Camelot" - Drury Lane Productions
Greg Hofmann - "The Who's Tommy" - Paramount Theatre
Jesse Klug - "LES MISERABLES" - Paramount Theatre
Jesse Klug - "Pericles" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Marc Stubblefield - "Native Son" - Court Theatre and American Blues TheaterCOSTUME DESIGN - MIDSIZE
Mara Blumenfeld and Mieka Van Der Ploeg - "Mr. Burns: a post-electric play" - Theater Wit
Rachel Lambert - "Travesties" - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Frances Maggio - "The Addams Family" - Mercury Theater Chicago
Bill Morey - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Porchlight Music Theatre
Alison Siple - "All Our Tragic" - The HypocritesCOSTUME DESIGN - LARGE
Dede M. Ayite - "Marie Antoinette" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Theresa Ham - "Mary Poppins" - Paramount Theatre
Susan E. Mickey - "Sense and Sensibility" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Nancy Missimi - "The King and I" - Marriott Theatre
Nancy Missimi - "La Cage aux Folles" - Marriott TheatreSOUND DESIGN - MIDSIZE
John Corkill and Alex Monroe - "Macbeth" - The Artistic Home
Victoria Deiorio - "The White Road" - Irish Theatre of Chicago
Joshua Horvath - "The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King" -
The House Theatre of Chicago
Kevin O'Donnell - "All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
Rick Sims - "Side Man" - American Blues Theater
Rick Sims - "Twisted Melodies" - Congo Square Theatre CompanySOUND DESIGN - LARGE
Joshua Horvath - "Native Son" - Court Theatre and American Blues Theater
Lindsay Jones - "King Lear" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Lindsay Jones - "Marie Antoinette" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Andre Pluess - "Iphigenia in Aulis" - Court Theatre
Josh Schmidt - "The Diary of Anne Frank" - Writers Theatre
Rick Sims - "Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with
The Actors' GymnasiumPROJECTIONS/VIDEO DESIGN
Smooch Medina - "The White Road" - Irish Theatre of Chicago
Aaron Rhyne - "Pericles" - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Jeff Sugg - "Marie Antoinette" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Mike Tutaj - "Mary Poppins" - Paramount Theatre
Mike Tutaj - "Sondheim on Sondheim" - Porchlight Music Theatre
Mike Tutaj - "The Who's Tommy" - Paramount TheatreFIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
David Blixt - "Macbeth" - The Artistic Home
Ryan Bourque - "All Our Tragic" - The Hypocrites
Matt Hawkins - "West Side Story" - Drury Lane Productions
John Tovar - "Camelot" - Drury Lane ProductionsARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Dave Bova - Hair and Makeup Design - "Marie Antoinette" - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Jesse Mooney-Bullock - Puppet Design - "The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King" -
The House Theatre of Chicago
Marco Ramirez and Stephanie Paul - Rhythm and Percussion - "The Royale" -
American Theater Company
Isaac Schoepp - Rigging Design - "Moby Dick" - Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with
The Actors' Gymnasium
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
BY THEATRE COMPANY| Paramount Theatre | 16 | |
| Drury Lane Productions | 13 | (1 in association with Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso) |
| Marriott Theatre | 12 | |
| Steppenwolf Theatre Company | 12 | |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater | 11 | |
| Porchlight Music Theatre | 11 | |
| The Hypocrites | 9 | |
| Mercury Theater Chicago | 9 | (6 with Theatre at the Center) |
| American Blues Theater | 8 | (5 with Court Theatre) |
| American Theater Company | 8 | |
| Court Theatre | 8 | (5 with American Blues Theater) |
| Goodman Theatre | 8 | |
| Theatre at the Center | 8 | (6 with Mercury Theater Chicago) |
| Irish Theatre of Chicago | 7 | |
| Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors' Gymnasium |
6 | |
| Northlight Theatre | 6 | |
| Remy Bumppo Theatre Company | 5 | |
| Route 66 Theatre Company | 5 | |
| The House Theatre of Chicago | 4 | |
| The Artistic Home | 3 | |
| Shattered Globe Theatre | 3 | |
| Writers Theatre | 3 | |
| About Face Theatre | 2 | (1 in association with Justin Brill) |
| Black Ensemble Theater | 2 | |
| Congo Square Theatre Company | 2 | |
| The Gift Theatre | 2 | |
| Hackfeld, LLC | 2 | |
| The Second City | 2 | |
| TimeLine Theatre Company | 2 | |
| Victory Gardens Theater | 2 |
BY PRODUCTION
| "All Our Tragic" | 8 |
| "The White Road" | 7 |
| "LES MISERABLES" | 6 |
| "Moby Dick' " | 6 |
| "Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash" | 6 |
| "The Who's Tommy" | 6 |
| "Airline Highway" | 5 |
| "Billy Elliot, the Musical" | 5 |
| "The Downpour" | 5 |
| "The King and I" | 5 |
| "The Little Foxes" | 5 |
| "Native Son" | 5 |
| "The Royale" | 5 |
| "Sondheim on Sondheim" | 5 |
| "Marie Antoinette" | 4 |
| "Mary Poppins" | 4 |
| "Sense and Sensibility" | 4 |
| "Travesties" | 4 |
| "The Addams Family" | 3 |
| "Camelot" | 3 |
| "City of Angels" | 3 |
| "The Diary of Anne Frank" | 3 |
| "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" |
3 |
| "The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King" | 3 |
| "Pericles" | 3 |
| "The Rose Tattoo" | 3 |
| "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" |
3 |
| "West Side Story" | 3 |
| "White Guy on the Bus" | 3 |
| "Grand Concourse" | 2 |
| "King Lear" | 2 |
| "Louis & Keely 'Live' at the Sahara" | 2 |
| "Macbeth" | 2 |
| "Men of Soul with a Tribute to Bill Withers" | 2 |
| "On the Town" | 2 |
| "Outside Mullingar" | 2 |
| "Panic on Cloud 9" | 2 |
| "The Project(s)" | 2 |
| "A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol" | 2 |
| "Side Man" | 2 |
| "Twisted Melodies" | 2 |
BY INDIVIDUAL
| Nick Bowling | 3 | |
| Rachel Rockwell | 3 | |
| Rick Sims | 3 | |
| Mike Tutaj | 3 | |
| Kate Buddeke | 2 | |
| David Catlin | 2 | |
| Jim Corti | 2 | |
| Victoria Deiorio | 2 | |
| Kevin Depinet | 2 | (1 with Jeffrey D. Kmiec) |
| Devin DeSantis | 2 | |
| Sean Graney | 2 | |
| Francis Guinan | 2 | |
| Jerod Haynes | 2 | |
| Joshua Horvath | 2 | |
| Lindsay Jones | 2 | |
| Jesse Klug | 2 | |
| Jeffrey D. Kmiec | 2 | (1 with Kevin Depinet) |
| Nancy Missimi | 2 | |
| Andre Pluess | 2 | (1 with Jessica Thebus and Amanda Dehnert) |
| Larry Yando | 2 |

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