Press Release

The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee Announces 2008 Nominations for Non-Equity Jeff Awards

Bailiwick Repertory and Circle Theatres Lead Nominees, Lonergan and Rill Each Nominated in 2 Acting Categories

May 2, 2008 - Chicago, IL.The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 113 nominations for Non-Equity Jeff Awards in 23 categories for productions that opened during the 2007-08 season (April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008). The Committee judged the opening nights of 143 productions offered by 61 non-Equity producing organizations, and recommended 66 of them for further judging, which made these 66 eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Among producing organizations, Bailiwick Repertory Theatre and Circle Theatre led the nominees with 13 and 12, respectively. However, top-nominated productions were Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere adaptation of "The Island of Dr. Moreau" with 9, and the classic musical "Cabaret" (Theo Ubique Theatre Company in association with Beverle Bloch & Michael James) with 8, both performed in small spaces just a few steps from each other in the emerging Glenwood Avenue Arts District in the far north Rogers Park neighborhood. TimeLine Theatre Company, which recently signed a contract with Actors’ Equity Association, garnered 8 nominations during its last season as a non-Equity company.

The 35th Anniversary Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Light buffet at 6:30 p.m. Presentation at 7:30 p.m. Cash bar. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Purchase tickets on line with a credit card at www.jeffawards.org or by mail. A downloadable mail-order form is available here. For more information, contact Glenn Hering, Non-Equity Wing Chair, at nonequitywing@jeffawards.org.

Among individual nominees, Mike Tutaj received 3 nominations – one for Sound Design and two for Projections Design for his work on "columbinus" (Raven Theatre) and "Tesla’s Letters" (TimeLine Theatre Company). Vincent L. Lonergan was nominated twice - as Actor in a Principal Role – Play for his work in "Old Wicked Songs" and Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical for "1776" (both with Signal Ensemble Theatre). Also nominated twice was Jeremy Rill, as Actor in a Principal Role – Musical for "Can-Can" (Circle Theatre) and as Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical for his turn as the announcer turned devil in Bailiwick Repertory Theatre’s "Jerry Springer – The Opera." Additional double nominations were earned by Victoria DeIorio, Terry McCabed, Jared Moore, Kimberly G. Morris, and Kevin O’Donnell.

The Jeff Awards are given annually by The Jeff Awards Committee to honor excellence in professional theatre produced in the immediate Chicago area. The Committee, organized in 1968, consists of up to 50 men and women with varying backgrounds in theatre, but united by their commitment to Chicagoland’s theatre community. The Committee evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Committee established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre. The 40th Anniversary Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on October 20, 2008, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

2008 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES

PRODUCTION - PLAY
• "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
• "Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
• "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
• "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" - Steep Theatre Company

PRODUCTION - MUSICAL
• "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
• "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
• "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre

DIRECTOR – PLAY
• Paul S. Holmquist – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Jessica Hutchinson – "The Dining Room" - New Leaf Theatre
• Greg Kolack – "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
• Coya Paz – "Machos" - Teatro Luna
• Jim Schneider – "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
• Jonathan Wilson – "Jitney" - Pegasus Players

DIRECTOR - MUSICAL
• Fred Anzevino – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• Scott Ferguson – "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Ronan Marra – "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
• David Zak – "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre

ENSEMBLE
• "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
• "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
• "Machos" - Teatro Luna
• "The Dining Room" - New Leaf Theatre
• "Waiting for Lefty" - BackStage Theatre Company

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
• Matt Kelly – "The Collector" - LiveWire Chicago Theatre
• Vincent L. Lonergan – "Old Wicked Songs" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
• Brian Parry – "Three Hotels" - redtwist theatre f/k/a Actors Workshop Theatre
• Shawn Pfautsch – "Old Wicked Songs" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
• Alfred H. Wilson – "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
• Sam Wootten – "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
• Don Denton – "bare" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Kevin D. Mayes – "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Jeremy Rill – "Can – Can" - Circle Theatre
• Jeremy Trager – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• Philip Winston – "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
• Caren Blackmore – "MiLK" - MPAACT
• Tien Doman – "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Vanessa Greenway – "The Constant Wife" - Griffin Theatre Company
• Sabrina Kramnich – "Gidget" - City Lit Theater Company
• Kelly O'Sullivan – "Mr. Marmalade" - Dog & Pony Theatre Company

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
• Elizabeth Lanza – "Can – Can" - Circle Theatre
• Tawny Newsome – "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
• Rachel Quinn – "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
• Dana Tretta – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
• Hans Fleischmann – "In a Dark Dark House" - Profiles Theatre
• Terry Hamilton – "Widowers' Houses" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Joel Stanley Huff – "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Bradford R. Lund – "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
• John Henry Roberts – "Aristocrats" - Strawdog Theatre Company
• Ron Wells – "A Prayer for My Daughter" - Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
• Vincent L. Lonergan – "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
• Rus Rainear – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• Jeremy Rill – "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
• Janet Ulrich Brooks – "A Lie of the Mind" - Strawdog Theatre Company
• Kate Harris – "The Constant Wife" - Griffin Theatre Company
• Saren Nofs-Snyder – "An Ideal Husband ‘ - Circle Theatre
• Kathleen Ruhl – "Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Nicolle Van Dyke – "A View from the Bridge" - The GreyZelda Theatre Group
• Rebekah Ward-Hays – "Waiting for Lefty" - BackStage Theatre Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
• Danielle Brothers – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• Nancy Kolton – "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Bethany Thomas – "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

NEW WORK
• Mia McCullough – "Spare Change" - Stage Left Theatre
• Mary Scruggs – "Missing Man" - Live Bait Theatre
• Teatro Luna & Coya Paz – "Machos" - Teatro Luna
• Teatro Luna & Tanya Saracho – "lunatic(a)s" - Teatro Luna

NEW ADAPTATION
• Robert Kauzlaric – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Frederick Kohner – "Gidget" - City Lit Theatre Company
• Terry McCabe & Marissa McKown – “Gidgetâ€� – City Lit Theater Company
• Terry McCabe – "The Hound of the Baskervilles" - City Lit Theatre Company
• Jake Minton & Phillip C. Klapperich – "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago

CHOREOGRAPHY
• Kevin Bellie –"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - Circle Theatre
• Brenda Didier – "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
• Lisa Johnson-Willingham – "Trouble the Water" - MPAACT
• Maggie Portman – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
• Victoria DeIorio – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Gregor Mortis & Mikhail Fiksel – "A Lie of the Mind" - Strawdog Theatre Company
• Kevin O'Donnell – "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago
• Kevin O'Donnell – "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites

MUSIC DIRECTION
• Joshua Stephen Kartes – "Cabaret" - Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James
• James Morehead – "bare" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Robert Ollis – "A Man of No Importance" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Gary Powell – "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Jon Steinhagen – "The Life" - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

SCENIC DESIGN
• Brian Sidney Bembridge – "Dolly West's Kitchen" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Tom Burch – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Bob Knuth – "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre
• Timothy Mann – "Jitney" - Pegasus Players
• Michael Menendian & Leif Olsen – "The Night of the Iguana" - Raven Theatre
• Tracy Otwell – "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites
• Grant Sabin – "Mr. Marmalade" - Dog & Pony Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN
• Charles Cooper – "Sueño" - Greasy Joan & Co.
• Kevin D. Gawley – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Lee Keenan – "Hope Springs Infernal" - The House Theatre of Chicago
• Jared Moore – "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Jared Moore – "Desire Under the Elms" - The Hypocrites

COSTUME DESIGN
• Laura M. Dana – "1776" - Signal Ensemble Theatre
• Rachel Anne Healy – "Widowers' Houses" - TimeLine Theatre Company
• Jeff Jones – "Jerry Springer - The Opera" - Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
• Kimberly G. Morris – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Jesus Perez – "Can – Can" - Circle Theatre
• Elizabeth Shaffer – "An Ideal Husband" - Circle Theatre

SOUND DESIGN
• Victoria DeIorio – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Michael Griggs – "Hope Springs Infernal" - The House Theatre of Chicago
• Stephen Ptacek – "Faster" - the side project
• Peter J. Storms - "The Night of the Iguana" - Raven Theatre
• Mike Tutaj – "columbinus" - Raven Theatre

OTHER
• Puppet Design – Allison Daniel – "The Nutcracker" - The House Theatre of Chicago
• Mask Design - Kimberly G. Morris – "The Island of Dr. Moreau" - Lifeline Theatre
• Projections Design – Mike Tutaj – "columbinus" - Raven Theatre
• Projections Design – Mike Tutaj – "Tesla's Letters" - TimeLine Theatre Company

MULTIPLE NOMINEES

Individuals
• Mike Tutaj – 3
• Victoria DeIorio – 2
• Vincent P. Lonergan – 2
• Terry McCabe - 2
• Jared Moore - 2
• Kimberly G. Morris – 2
• Kevin O’Donnell – 2
• Jeremy Rill – 2

Companies
• Bailiwick Repertory Theatre – 13
• Circle Theatre – 12
• Lifeline Theatre – 9
• Theo Ubique Theatre Company i/a/w Beverle Bloch & Michael James – 8
• TimeLine Theatre Company – 8
• Raven Theatre - 7
• Signal Ensemble Theatre – 7
• Bohemian Theatre Ensemble – 6
• The House Theatre of Chicago – 5
• Pegasus Players – 5
• Teatro Luna – 4
• City Lit Theater Company – 3
• The Hypocrites - 3
• Strawdog Theatre Company – 3
• BackStage Theatre Company – 2
• Dog & Pony Theatre Company – 2
• Griffin Theatre Company – 2
• MPAACT - 2
• New Leaf Theatre – 2

Productions
• "The Island of Dr. Moreau" – 9
• "Cabaret" – 8
• "An Ideal Husband" - 6
• "Jerry Springer – The Opera" – 6
• "columbinus"- 5
• "Jitney" – 5
• "The Life" – 5
• "A Man of No Importance" – 5
• "1776" – 5
• "Can – Can" – 3
• "Desire Under the Elms" – 3
• "Dolly West’s Kitchen" – 3
• "Machos" – 3
• "The Nutcracker" - 3
• "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" – 3
• "Tesla’s Letters" – 3
• "bare" – 2
• "The Constant Wife" – 2
• "The Dining Room" - 2
• "Gidget" – 2
• "Hope Springs Infernal" – 2
• "A Lie of the Mind" - 2
• "Mr. Marmalade" – 2
• "The Night of the Iguana" - 2
• "Old Wicked Songs" – 2
• "Waiting for Lefty" – 2
• "Widowers’ Houses" - 2

Contact:
Jeffrey Marks, Media Chair, 312.606.0400, media@jeffawards.org
or Glenn Hering–Non-Equity Chair, nonequitywing@jeffawards.org