45th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremoney

Tonight was the night that “theater people” gathered to honor their own at The Athenaeum Theatre on Southport at Lincoln Avenue. This was the 45th annual awards ceremony and  was a fun-filled evening for all concerned. Some items of note were that they have taken “gender” out of the nominations and awards. The new phrase is  best PERFORMER in a play or musical. As it turns out, in several areas there were two winners, one being male and the other female. It has been a long-time coming and it is only right that Chicago theater should be first at doing this. Host for the celebration, Veronica Garza was clever and had some fun with the other presenters and the energetic audience. Some of the presenters brought their own brand of comedy to the festivities allowing no change of the audience becoming bored. There was a bar ( wine and beer) and so, the actors were having a great time with their fellow actors, directors, producers, musicians and all of what makes Chicago the wonderful “theater community” it is!

Top honors were awarded to Steep Theatre Company’s Lela & Co. and Griffin Theatre Company’s Ragtime.  Other productions receiving multiple awards included Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Interrobang Theatre Project’s Foxfinder.  Strawdog Theatre Company received a Special Award for “30 years of collaboration as an innovative and provocative Ensemble.”

Between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, there were 136 eligible Non–Equity productions considered for Jeff Recommendation.  Of those, 63 productions (or 46%) were recommended, including 15 world premieres.  There were 45 productions that received at least one nomination, which represents the work of 32 theatre companies.

The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 55 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre (including producers, directors, actors, playwrights, designers, professors of theatre, entertainment lawyers and agents, and theatre lovers), the Jeff Awards is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors.   Opening night judges include not only the members but also Artistic & Technical theatre volunteers (the “A/T Team”), including Artistic Directors, producers, directors and artists from Chicago theatres. 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. Each year, the Jeff Awards judges over 300 theatrical productions and host two awards ceremonies. 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 will be held on Monday, October 22, 2018, at Drury Lane Oakbrook.

# # #