Hypocrites, Theo Ubique top 2011 Non-Equity Jeff Award nomination

Clockwise from top left: The Hypocrites' Cabaret; Caffeine Theatre and Chicago Opera Vanguard's Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll; Lifeline Theatre's Neverwhere; and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's Cats

The Hypocrites lead a vast and varied field of nominees for the 2011 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards with 14 nominations, followed by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre with 12. Theo Ubique's Cats, the Hypocrites' Cabaret, Lifeline's Neverwhere and Caffeine Theatre and Chicago Opera Vanguard's Boojum! top the list of nods by production.

A few more quick takes: Edgewater's Redtwist Theatre nabbed three of the six nominations for Production - Play with A Delicate Balance, Lobby Hero and the current Man from Nebraska. Caroline Neff will be competing with herself with two well deserved nods for Actress in a Principal Role - Play, for her roles in Steep Theatre's A Brief History of Helen of Troy and Griffin Theatre Company's Port. Something is right in the world when the Strange Tree Group racks up multiple nominations for Best New Work. And if Sideshow Theatre Company is only going to get one nod (though it should have had more), Robot Design and Engineering (for Heddatron) is absolutely what it should be.

In fact, the Jeff Committee got so much right with this year's list, I'm putting TOC's traditional "They Wuz Robbed" rebuttal on hiatus. I couldn't come up with enough egregiously overlooked (though you're welcome to leave your own picks in the comments). The 2011 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards will be presented at the Park West on Monday, June 6. The complete list of nominees is after the jump.

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 James
Sean 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 Ensemble

ENSEMBLE

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
Shakespeare's King Phycus - The Strange Tree Group i/a/ w The Lord Chamberlain'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 - PLAY

Luke 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 Moritz - 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
Andra 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 (non-competitive category)

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 Buonincontro - 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

Comments

The only foul I would cry is that with all the talented actors we have in Chicago, and the huge number of them that turned in wonderful performances this year, how the Jeff committee saw fit to only nominate three in the Supporting Actor in Play category is beyond my understanding. I can think of at least a dozen more worthy of a nomination as well.

By Kelly (not verified) on 4/27/2011 at 11:45 pm

Gotta agree on the supporting actor nominations. Just odd that it's only 3. There were a lot of great actors who deserved recognition. But I also think there were some awesome shows and companies that were overlooked too. Lifeline should have gotten more acting nods for Neverwhere. Can't believe State of the Union was overlooked at StrawDog. Only 1 nomination for Eclipse's Arthur Miller season? Really?! Polarity should have gotten some cred for Long Days Journey. And where is the love for JailBait at Profiles?! That was one of the best shows I saw last year! No Directing nods for Joanie Schultz, Kimberly Senior, or Jonathan Berry? Finally - where is Cherrywood? Where is Cherywood on this list! Dang nam it! Come on Kris - where is that "They waz robbed" article? Ah Jeff, I love you and hate you all at the same time. Congrats to all the nominees!

By Rob (not verified) on 4/28/2011 at 12:07 pm

And with all of the amazing performances by actresses in this city, the Jeff Committee nominated the same actress to go up against herself in the same section? I call bullshit. What a joke.

By Anonymous (not verified) on 4/28/2011 at 9:21 pm

Cherrywood was an awful mess. What could it possibly have been nominated for?? If anything, it could've been up for set design--first show to ever use that many humans as set dressing. The Jeff's don't really mean much, but I would have lost all respect for their opinion if Cherrywood had any more hype than it's already received.

By Angie (not verified) on 4/28/2011 at 9:24 pm

Did you see either Port or Helen of Troy? Ms. Neff was exquisite in both. She deserves it.

By Tyler (not verified) on 4/29/2011 at 1:12 am

"Ms. Neff." Oh, for Chrissakes. She's Caroline, not "Ms. Neff." This is non-Equity Chicago storefront theater. We don't go for pretentious bullshit like "Ms." and "Mr." around here.

By Anonymous (not verified) on 5/02/2011 at 2:35 pm

Have an Opinion? Let's hear it

Comment