Press Releases

THE JOSEPH JEFFERSON AWARDS COMMITTEE PRESENTS 40 CITATIONS AT THE 31ST ANNUAL CITATIONS WING AWARDS

Bailiwick Repertory takes home eleven Citations for three productions; TimeLine’s production of Hannah and Martin garners six; Strawdog’s Detective Story earns four.

CHICAGO, JUNE 8, 2004 — The Citations Wing of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee presented 40 citations in 22 categories at the 2003-2004 31st Annual Citations Awards ceremony last night at Park West. Bailiwick Repertory led Chicago’s companies in Citations for non-union productions, earning a total of 11, followed by TimeLine Theatre Company with 6, Strawdog Theatre Company with 4 and Pyewacket and Griffin Theatre Company with 3 each.

Strawdog Theatre Company’s Detective Story and Hannah and Martin from TimeLine Theatre shared the Outstanding Production-Play honors. Dr. Sex, presented by Bailiwick Repertory, took home the outstanding Production - Musical or Revue Citation.

The Citations Awards presentations were held on Monday, June 7 at Park West in Chicago. Actor/director David Cromer and Famous Door Artistic Director Marc Grapey, who shared a Jeff Award last season for their co-direction of Famous Door Theatre’s The Cider House Rules: Parts I and II, served as co-masters of ceremonies.

The Citations Wing of the Jeff Committee was created to recognize outstanding achievement in professional productions of Chicago area theatres not operating under union contracts. During the 2003-2004 Citations season (April 1, 2003 - March 31, 2004) the Jeff Committee judged 96 productions from 44 producing organizations. The committee recommended 30 productions from 19 producing organizations, and the final list of Citations nominations represented 29 productions from 19 companies. The 40 Citations awarded last night went to 16 productions from 14 companies. The awards are non-competitive, and multiple recipients may receive awards in each category.

Founded in 1968, the mission of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee is to honor excellence in theatrical productions in the Chicago theatre community. Originally chartered to recognize Equity productions, the non-Equity wing was founded in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre. Non-Resident award categories were established in 1992 in recognition of the contributions to Chicago theatre by non-local producing organizations. The 45-member Committee, composed of theatre professionals and enthusiasts, evaluates approximately 200 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies each year. The Citations Awards, honoring outstanding achievement in non-union productions, are presented in early June. The Jeff Awards for excellence in Equity theatre are celebrated in November.

# # # # #

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL
Bruce K. Siewerth @ 847.724.8468
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE