Jefferson Award Nominees Announced

Today, the Jefferson Awards announced the 150 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards is acknowledging the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements.

The 40th Annual Jeff Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, October 20, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Boulevard. A pre-show Appetizer Buffet will run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the Awards Ceremony, directed by Michael Weber, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Advance purchase tickets, which include the ceremony and the pre-show buffet, are $75 ($55 for Members of Actors' Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and the Dramatists Guild of America). The evening is black tie optional, and the public is invited to attend.

The list of nominees is as follows:

Production - Revue

Ain't Misbehavin'
Goodman Theatre

Campaign Supernova! Or How Many Democrats...
The Second City e.t.c.

Ella
Northlight Theatre

The Mistress Cycle
Apple Tree Theatre

Director - Play

Barbara Gaines
The Comedy of Errors
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Edward Sobel
Cadillac
Chicago Dramatists

Lou Contey
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Shattered Globe Theatre

Mark E. Lococo
The Miser
Northlight Theatre

PJ Paparelli
Speech and Debate
American Theater Company

Russ Tutterow
A Steady Rain
Chicago Dramatists

William Brown
As You Like It
Writers' Theatre

Director - Musical

Charles Newell
Carousel
Court Theatre

Dominic Missimi
Les Miserables
Marriott Theatre

Gary Griffin
Passion
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Jim Corti
Meet Me in St. Louis
Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook

Jim Corti
Sweet Charity
Drury Lane Oakbrook

Marc Robin
The Producers
Marriott Theatre

Director - Revue

Chuck Smith
Ain't Misbehavin'
Goodman Theatre

Jim Carlson
No Country for Old White Men
The Second City

Kurt Johns
The Mistress Cycle
Apple Tree Theatre

Rob Ruggiero
Ella
Northlight Theatre

Stafford Arima
Altar Boyz
Drury Lane Water Tower/Altar Boyz Chicago,L,LC

New Work

Bill Jepsen
Cadillac
Chicago Dramatists

Eric Rosen
Wedding Play
About Face Theatre

GQ and JQ
Funk It Up About Nothin'
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Joel Drake Johnson
Four Places
Victory Gardens Theater

Keith Huff
A Steady Rain
Chicago Dramatists

Tracy Letts
Superior Donuts
Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Yussef El Guindi
Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat
Silk Road Theatre Project

New Adaptation

Laura Eason
Around the World in Eighty Days
Lookingglass Theatre Company

Ron West
The Comedy of Errors
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Ensemble

Altar Boyz
Drury Lane Water Tower/Altar Boyz Chicago,L,LC

Around the World in Eighty Days
Lookingglass Theatre Company

Because They Have No Words
Piven Theatre

Campaign Supernova! Or How Many Democrats...
The Second City e.t.c.

Funk It Up About Nothin'
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Les Miserables
Marriott Theatre

Nine: The Musical
Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago

Sounds So Good Makes You Wanna Holler (Old School
Black Ensemble Theater

Actress in a Principal Role - Play

Alexandra Main
W;t
The Gift Theatre

Karen Aldridge
The Cook
The Goodman Theatre

Lois Smith
The Trip to Bountiful
The Goodman Theatre

Mary Ann Thebus
Four Places
Victory Gardens Theater

Mary Beth Fisher
The Little Dog Laughed
About Face Theatre

Shannon Cochran
The Lion in Winter
Writers' Theatre

Actor in a Principal Role - Play

D.J. Howard
Driving Miss Daisy
First Folio Shakespeare Festival

John Judd
Shining City
The Goodman Theatre

Jon Michael Hill
Superior Donuts
Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Nick Sandys
Much Ado About Nothing
First Folio Shakespeare Festival

Randy Steinmeyer
A Steady Rain
Chicago Dramatists

Sean Sullivan
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Shattered Globe Theatre