52nd Anniversary Jeff Awards For Non-Equity Theaters Revealed
The Jeff Awards recognized 36 award recipients selected from among 157 nominees across 28 categories.
At the 52nd anniversary celebration of Non-Equity theater excellence, the Jeff Awards recognized 36 award recipients selected from among 157 nominees across 28 categories of excellence in theater production among shows from 27 producing entities. The awards show was co-hosted by award-winning Chicago entertainment power couple Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston, Jr., under the direction of Adrian Abel Azevedo with music direction under Dr. Michael McBride. Jeff Awards Non-Equity Wing Chair Brittany Chhutani produced the awards show program that featured performances from 10 nominated productions and dozens of local theater artists as presenters.
Two theaters tied for the most awards with eight each and top production (seven). Invictus Theatre Company received awards for two productions including “Angels in America” and “The House that Will Not Stand.” Its “Angels in America” was leading production of the season with seven awards including Production (Play), Ensemble, Director, Performers in a Principal Role and Supporting Role, and Projection Design. The theater also captured a scenic design award for “The House that Will Not Stand.” Recognized for their musicals, Kokandy Production took home awards for “Jekyll & Hyde” and “Amélie.” The “Jekyll & Hyde” team garnered awards for Production (Musical), Ensemble, Director and Musical Direction, Performer in a Principal and Supporting Role, and Lighting Design. “Amélie” was also awarded honors for Performer in a Principal Role rounding out the theater's recognition this past season.
The Jeff Awards New Work category recognized three authors including Zach Barr (“The Pilon” at Red Theater), Omer Abbas Salem (“One Party Consent” at First Floor Theater), and Chase Wheaton-Werle (“The Curious Circumstances of Louis Le Prince” at The Factory Theater) where his production also garnered an award for Artistic Specialization for Properties Design.
Among Short Run Productions, the Impostors Theatre Co. took four of the six honors in this category for its production “Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey” including Production, Direction, New Work, and Costume Design. Open Space Arts earned the remaining two awards for Performer in a Principal Role (“Mr. Parker”) and Performer in a Supporting Role (“Gangsta Baby”).
Performers in productions at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Story Theatre and Griffin Theatre received honors for Principal and Supporting Roles for “Diana: The Musical,” “At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen” and “Girls & Boys.”
Additional technical awards were presented to theater artists at Theo Ubique for Choreography (“Urinetown”), Costume Design (“Diana: The Musical”), along with Sound Design to the City Lit Theater Company in association with Black Button Eyes Productions team (“Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter”), and Artistic Specialization honors for Fight Choreography (“Superior Donuts” – The Artistic Home) and Wig Design (“The School for Scandal” – Idle Muse Theatre Company).
Kendyl Meyer, who has worked with First Floor Theater and Kokandy Productions, was the second recipient of the Non-Equity Jeff Impresario Award, honoring excellence in stage management. This award was based on nominations by theater companies to recognize this key role that has been a vital part of the behind-the-scenes work bringing Chicago productions to life over the past season.
The Non-Equity Special Award was presented to Kathy Scambiatterra, actor, director, theater co-founder and extraordinary educator who has shaped generations of artists. Scambiatterra is Artistic Director and co-founder of award-winning The Artistic Home where, for more than two decades she has overseen dozens of productions, festivals, workshops, acted and directed, and led a training program that has impacted nearly 1,000 students.
In its 52nd Anniversary season, January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Jeff Awards membership judged the opening nights of 102 productions. From these, 47 productions became “Jeff Recommended” which made them eligible for award nominations. In accordance with Jeff Awards criteria and policies, ballots compiled throughout the entire Non-Equity season are comparatively analyzed to determine the nominees who will be represented in each category, and the voting members of the Jeff Awards committee are unaffiliated with any theater companies or producing organizations to ensure awards integrity.
THE 2025 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Michael and Mona Heath Fund PRODUCTION – PLAY
“Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre
The Michael and Mona Heath Fund PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
“Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
ENSEMBLE – PLAY
“Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre Company
ENSEMBLE – MUSICAL
“Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
NEW WORK
Zach Barr – “The Pilon” – Red Theater
Omer Abbas Salem – “One Party Consent” – First Floor Theater
Chase Wheaton-Werle – “The Curious Circumstances of Louis Le Prince” – The Factory Theater
DIRECTOR – PLAY
Charles Askenaizer – “Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Derek Van Barham – “Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Terry Guest (Courtney / Anthony) – “At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen” – The Story Theatre
Ryan Hake (Prior Walter) – “Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
David Moreland (Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde) – “Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
Aurora Penepacker (Amélie Poulain) – “Amélie” – Kokandy Productions
SOLO PERFORMER
Cynthia Marker (Woman) – “Girls & Boys” – Griffin Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Michael D. Graham (Roy M. Cohn) – “Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre Company
Anne Trodden (Harper Amaty Pitt) – “Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Jacqueline Grandt (Queen / Barbara) – “Diana: The Musical” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris) – “Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
MUSIC DIRECTION
Nick Sula – “Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
SCENIC DESIGN
Kevin Rolfs – “The House That Will Not Stand” – Invictus Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN
Patty Halajian – “Diana: The Musical” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY
Brenda Didier – “Urinetown” – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
SOUND DESIGN
Joe Griffin – “Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter” – City Lit Theater Company in association with Black Button Eyes Productions
LIGHTING DESIGN
G. "Max" Maxin IV – “Jekyll & Hyde” – Kokandy Productions
PROJECTION DESIGN
G. "Max" Maxin IV – “Angels in America” – Invictus Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
David Blixt – Fight Choreography – “Superior Donuts” – The Artistic Home
Victoria Jablonski – Wig Design – “The School for Scandal” – Idle Muse Theatre Company
Rachel Livingston – Properties Design – “The Curious Circumstances of Louis Le Prince” – The Factory Theater
PRODUCTION – SHORT RUN
“Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey” – The Impostors Theatre Co.
DIRECTOR – SHORT RUN
Stefan Roseen – “Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey” – The Impostors Theatre Co.
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – SHORT RUN
Andrew Kain Miller (Terrence) – “Mr. Parker” – Open Space Arts
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – SHORT RUN
Josh Odor (Senior) – “Gangsta Baby” – Open Space Arts
NEW WORK – SHORT RUN
Dominick Alesia - “Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey” – The Impostors Theatre Co.
DESIGN – SHORT RUN
Toria Olivier, Costume Design – “Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey” – The Impostors Theatre Co.
IMPRESARIO AWARD – Excellence in Stage Management
Kendyl Meyer – First Floor Theater and Kokandy Productions
SPECIAL NON-EQUITY AWARD
Kathy Scambiatterra
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