Press Releases

Benson, Buddeke Team Up to Host 37th Annual Jeff Awards
Gary Griffin, Michael Halberstam Directing Awards Ceremony

Chicago, IL, October 31, 2005 - Well known actors Dale Benson and Kate Buddeke will host the 37th Annual Joseph Jefferson Awards honoring excellence in theater starting at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 7 at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. Nationally acclaimed directors Gary Griffin and Michael Halberstam will direct the show. The ceremony is sold out.

Benson is known for his numerous award-winning comedic roles and is now performing in "Once Upon a Mattress� at Drury Lane Oakbrook. Buddeke is known for her role in "Bug,� which premiered at A Red Orchid Theatre and then appeared Off-Broadway. She has also performed on Broadway in several Tony-winning productions opposite Bernadette Peters in "Gypsy,� Brian Dennehy in "Death of a Salesman� and Audra McDonald in "Carousel.�

Gary Griffin is a seven-time Jeff Award recipient for directing productions including "Pacific Overtures� and "Sunday in the Park with George� at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and "My Fair Lady� at Court Theatre. He is currently directing the Broadway premiere of the musical, "The Color Purple,� and is Associate Artistic Director of Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Michael Halberstam is Artistic Director and co-founder of Writers’ Theatre. He has overseen many Jeff-nominated productions, including this year’s "To the Green Fields Beyond.� He directed "The Uneasy Chair�, currently running at Writers’ Theatre.

This year’s Jeff Awards include 131 nominations in 26 categories, representing 51 productions from 30 producing companies for the 2004-05 season, which ran August 1, 2004 through July 31, 2005.

Founded in 1968, the mission of The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee is to honor excellence in theatrical productions in the Chicago theatre community. The committee, comprised of theatre professionals and experienced theatergoers, evaluates approximately 200 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize Equity productions, the Citations (non-equity) wing was founded in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union Chicago theatre, and that ceremony is held annually in June.

Special note to news media: Complimentary tickets to the 2005 Equity Awards are available to you, but must be requested in advance with Jeff Marks. Tickets will be held at the door. The press release announcing award recipients will be distributed at the end of the ceremony at the media table. A media kit is now on the Jeff web site at www.jeffawards.org. Hard copies will be provided at the awards ceremony.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
Jeffrey Marks, Equity Chair
312.606.0400 or at jmmarks@aol.com