JEFF AWARDS ANNOUNCES 2011 NON-EQUITY NOMINATIONSJeff Awards Announces 2011 Non-Equity Nominations;Hypocrites and Theo Ubique Top List of Most-Nominated Companies;Redtwist Garners 3 of 6 Production-Play NodsThe Jeff Awards today announced 106 nominations in 23 categories for Non-Equity Jeff Awards, which honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract, for productions that opened between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2011. The Jeff Awards judged the opening nights of 146 productions offered by 62 non-Equity producing organizations and recommended 62 shows for further judging, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations in all categories. A record 32 theatre companies received nominations.The Hypocrites, with a bold season of 3 completely different types of productions in 3 rental locations, earned 14 nods, the most of any theatre company. “Cabaret,” a story set amid the rise of Nazism in 1930’s Germany, received 7; “The Pirates of Penzance,” with a Caribbean take on the Gilbert and Sullivan standard, had 4; and “No Exit,” Sartre’s dramatic exploration of hell, had 3.

The Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Chicago’s far north Rogers Park neighborhood continued its recent streak of garnering a large percentage of nominations. Among producing organizations, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre in Association with Michael James received 12 and Lifeline Theatre received 9. Top-nominated productions for Theo Ubique included “Cats,” with 8, staged on a platform in a storefront and 2 each for their 2 long-running revues, “Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein” and “Sweet and Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen.” Lifeline’s new adaptation of “Neverwhere,” based on the acclaimed BBC TV series “London Below,” earned 7 nominations.

Redtwist Theatre, reflecting a season of critically acclaimed and extended shows, received 7 total nominations, including Production-Play nods for “Lobby Hero,” about the clash between honesty and loyalty; for “Man From Nebraska,” Tracy Lett’s play about a mid-life crisis of faith; and for Albee’s “A Delicate Balance.” The hit “Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll,” based on Carroll’s epic poem “The Hunting of the Snark,” by Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard had 6 nominations. Griffin Theatre received a total of 6, including 3 for its hit production of the classic “Stage Door” and 2 for the musical “Company.” Reflecting an ever-widening base of talented artists now working in Chicago, no individual received more than 2 nominations.

The 38th Anniversary Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 6, 2011, at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL. Doors open for a cash bar at 6:00 p.m., with a light buffet at 6:30 p.m., and the presentation ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 at the door. A group rate of $35 is available for parties of 10 or more. Festive cocktail attire is suggested, and the public is cordially invited. Tickets may be purchased on-line with a credit card at www.jeffawards.org or by mail. A downloadable mail-order form is available at www.jeffawards.org. For more information contact Doug Bradburd, Non-Equity Wing Chair, at nonequitywing@jeffawards.org.The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With 50 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors.

The Jeff Awards fosters the artistic growth of area theatres and theatre artists and promotes educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theatre community. The Jeff Awards evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies annually. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre. The next Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions presented under union contracts, will be held on Monday, November 7, 2011, at the Drury Lane Oakbrook in Oakbrook Terrace.

2011 Non-Equity Jeff Award Nominees

PRODUCTION - PLAY

“A Delicate Balance” - Redtwist Theatre“

Lobby Hero” - Redtwist Theatre

“Stage Door” - Griffin Theatre Company

“The Love of the Nightingale” - Red Tape Theatre

“Man From Nebraska” - Redtwist Theatre

“The Master and Margarita” - Strawdog Theatre Company

PRODUCTION - MUSICAL

“Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

“Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” - Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

“Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

“Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

“The Pirates of Penzance” - The Hypocrites

DIRECTOR - PLAY

Louis Contey - “The Master and Margarita” - Strawdog Theatre Company

Zeljko Djukic - “Baal” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

Keira Fromm - “Lobby Hero” - Redtwist Theatre

Jimmy McDermott - “The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen” - The Strange Tree Group

James Palmer - “The Love of the Nightingale” - Red Tape Theatre

Robin Witt - “Stage Door” - Griffin Theatre Company

DIRECTOR - MUSICAL

Brenda Didier - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael

JamesSean Graney - “The Pirates of Penzance” - The Hypocrites

Matt Hawkins - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

Jimmy McDermott - “Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” - Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

P. Marston Sullivan - “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” - Bohemian Theatre EnsembleENSEMBLE

“Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

“Cats” Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James Ubique

“Shakespeare's King Phycus” The Strange Tree Group i/a/ w The LordChamberlain's Men

“Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein” Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

“The Master and Margarita” Strawdog Theatre Company

“The Pirates of Penzance” The Hypocrites

“The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen” The Strange Tree Group

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE

- PLAYLuke Hamilton (Sherlock Holmes) - “Sherlock Holmes, The Final Adventure Idle Muse Theatre Company

Andrew Jessop (Jeff) - “Lobby Hero” - Redtwist Theatre

Chuck Spencer (Ken Carpenter) - “Man from Nebraska” - Redtwist Theatre

D'wayne Taylor (Mr. Zero) - “Brutal Imagination” - Caffeine Theatre

Ian Westerfer (Baal) - “Baal” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL

Alex Balestrieri (Dodgson / New Baker) - “Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” - Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

Andrew Mueller (Huckleberry Finn) - “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” – Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

Benjamin Sprunger (Robert) - “Company” - Griffin Theatre Company

Jeremy Trager (Lewis Carroll) “Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE– PLAY

Brenda Barrie (Eva/Brenda) - “Memory” BackStage Theatre Company

Mechelle Moe (Terry Randall) - “Stage Door” - Griffin Theatre Company

Caroline Neff (Charlotte) - “A Brief History of Helen of Troy” Steep Theatre Company

Caroline Neff (Rachel) - “Port” - Griffin Theatre Company

Joy Thorbjornsen- Coates (Fonsia Dorsey) - “The Gin Game” - Lincoln Square Theatre

Nicole Wiesner (Marie) - “The First Ladies” - Trap Door Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL

Jessie Fisher (The Emcee) - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

Jennifer T. Grubb (Jacky Samson) - “Oh, Boy!” - City Lit Theater Company

Anita Hoffman (Miss Mona Stangley) - “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” - Circle Theatre

Lindsay Leopold (Sally Bowles) - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY

Brian Parry (John) - “Shining City” - Redtwist Theatre

Vance Smith (Lenny) - “The Homecoming” Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company

Jon Steinhagen (Big Daddy) - “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” - Raven Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL

Courtney Crouse (Tom Sawyer) - “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” – Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

Noah Sullivan (Sheriff Earl Dodd) - “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” - Circle Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTNG ROLE - PLAY

Nora Fiffer (Maggie) - “After the Fall” - Eclipse Theatre Company

Lorraine Freund (Mother Superior) - “Agnes of God” - Hubris Productions

Darci Nalepa (Steph) - “reasons to be pretty” - Profiles Theatre

Sarah Pavlak (Agnes) - “Agnes of God” - Hubris Productions

Amanda Powell (Rosemary) - “Brainpeople” - UrbanTheater Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL OR REVUE

Kate Harris (Fräulein Schneider) - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

Patti Roeder (Penelope Budd) - “Oh, Boy!” - City Lit Theater Company

Bethany Thomas - “Sweet and Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Dana Tretta (Marta) - “Company” - Griffin Theatre Company

NEW WORK

Emily Schwartz - “The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen” - The Strange Tree Group

Robert Tenges - “People We Know” - the side project

Tom Willmorth - “Shakespeare's King Phycus” - The Strange Tree Group i/a/w The Lord Chamberlain's Men

NEW ADAPTATION

Christina Calvit - “Wuthering Heights” - Lifeline Theatre

Robert Kauzlaric - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Carla Stillwell - “Tad in 5th City” - MPAACT

CHOREOGRAPHY

Kevin Bellie - “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”- Circle Theatre

Brenda Didier - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Marissa Mortiz - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

Myah Shein - “The Love of the Nightingale” - Red Tape Theatre

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC

Mikhail Fiksel - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Chris Gingrich, Henry Riggs, Thea Lux, and Tara Sissom - “That Sordid Little Story” – The New Colony

Josh Schmidt - “Baal” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

MUSIC DIRECTION

Steve Carson - “Sweet and Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Austin Cook - “Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Nicholas Davio - “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” - Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

Ethan Deppe - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Andrea Velis Simon & Myron Silberstein - “Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” – Chicago DCA Theater, Caffeine Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard

SCENIC DESIGN

William Anderson - “Dead Letter Office” - Dog & Pony Theatre Company i/a/w Chicago DCA Theater

Tom Burch - “No Exit” - The Hypocrites

Alan Donahue - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Bob Knuth - “The Philadelphia Story” - Circle Theatre

Ray Toler - “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” - Raven Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN

Kevin D. Gawley - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Jared Moore - “No Exit” - The Hypocrites

Jared Moore - “The Pirates of Penzance” -The Hypocrites

Keith Parham - “Baal” - TUTA Theatre Chicago

Eric Van Tassell - “The Ghost Sonata” - Oracle Productions

COSTUME DESIGN

Matt Guthier - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Branimira Ivanova - “Wuthering Heights” - Lifeline Theatre

Elizabeth Powell Wislar - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Alison Siple - “Cabaret” - The Hypocrites

SOUND DESIGN

Katherine M. Chavez - “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” - Raven Theatre

Mikhail Fiksel - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Kevin O'Donnell - “No Exit” - The Hypocrites

Miles Polaski - “The Love of the Nightingale” - Red Tape Theatre

Stephen Ptacek - “Dead Letter Office” - Dog & Pony Theatre Company i/a/w Chicago DCA Theater

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION

Glen Aduikas, Rick Buesing, Mike Fletcher, Salvador Garcia, Stuart Hecht, David Hyman,Terry Jackson, Don Kerste, Bruce Phillips, Al Schilling, Lisi Stoessel,Eddy Wright - Robot Design & Engineering - “Heddatron” - Sideshow Theatre Company

Aly Renee Amidei - Hair & Makeup Design - “The Master and Margarita” - Strawdog Theatre Company

Michael Buoninconto - Wig Design - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Izumi Inaba - Makeup Design - “Cats” - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James

Kimberly G. Morris - Puppet Design - “Neverwhere” - Lifeline Theatre

Brett Schneider - Magic Design - “The Master and Margarita” - Strawdog Theatre Company

Claire Yearman - Fight Choreography - “The Love of the Nightingale” - Red Tape Theatre

MULTIPLE NOMINATIONSBY THEATRE COMPANY

The Hypocrites - 14

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James - 12

Lifeline Theatre - 9

Caffeine Theatre - 7 (6 i/a/w Chicago DCA Theater and Chicago Opera Vanguard)

Redtwist Theatre - 7

Griffin Theatre Company - 6

Bohemian Theatre Ensemble - 5

Red Tape Theatre – 5

The Strange Tree Group – 5 (2 i/a/w The Lord Chamberlain's Men)

Strawdog Theatre Company- 5

Circle Theatre - 4

TUTA Theatre Chicago - 4

Raven Theatre - 3

City Lit Theater Company - 2

Dog & Pony Theatre Company i/a/w Chicago DCA Theater - 2

Hubris Productions 2

BY PRODUCTION

“Cats” - 8

“Cabaret” - 7

“Neverwhere” - 7

“Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll” - 6

“Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” - 5

“The Love of the Nightingale” - 5“

The Master and Margarita” - 5“

Baal” - 4

“The Pirates of Penzance” - 4

“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” - 3

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” - 3

“Lobby Hero” - 3

“No Exit” - 3“

Stage Door” - 3

“The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen” - 3

“Agnes of God” - 2

“Company” - 2

“Dead Letter Office” - 2

“Man from Nebraska” - 2

“Oh, Boy!” - 2

“Shakespeare's King Phycus” - 2

“Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein” - 2

“Sweet and Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen” - 2

“Wuthering Heights” - 2

BY INDIVIDUAL

Brenda Didier - 2

Mikhail Fiksel - 2

Jimmy McDermott - 2

Jared Moore - 2

Caroline Neff - 2