Light in the Piazza, Punk Rock, Assisted Living, Sophocles Are Among Jeff Non-Equity Winners in Chicago

By Kenneth Jones
June 5, 2012

A tiny production of the musical The Light in the Piazza, produced by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, won six Non-Equity Jeff Awards on June 4 in Chicago, where the non-union theatre scene is varied and vibrant.

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre took the most awards of the night for the revival of the Adam Guettel-Craig Lucas show (Production-Musical, Director-Musical for Fred Anzevino and Brenda Didier, Principal Actress for Kelli Harrington, Supporting Actor for Justin Adair, Music Director for Jeremy Ramey and, in a new award recognition, Dialect Coach for Eva Breneman).

The Hypocrites' avant-garde play Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses earned four awards for Production-Play, Director and New Adaptation for Sean Graney, and Lighting Design for Jared Moore. Punk Rock by Griffin Theatre Company won the Ensemble award, Director-Play for Jonathan Berry, plus Principal Actor-Play for Joey DeBettencourt.

Two plays won the in the category of New Work: Shepsu Aakhu's Speaking in Tongues: The Chronicles of Babel (by MPAACT) and Deirdre O'Connor's Assisted Living (Profiles Theatre).

2012 Non-Equity Jeff Award Recipients

PRODUCTION – PLAY
Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses — The Hypocrites

PRODUCTION – MUSICAL
The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

DIRECTOR – PLAY
Jonathan Berry — Punk Rock — Griffin Theatre Company
Sean Graney — Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses — The Hypocrites

DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Fred Anzevino and Brenda Didier — The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ENSEMBLE
Punk Rock — Griffin Theatre Company

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Joey DeBettencourt — Punk Rock — Griffin Theatre Company

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Chuck Sisson — The Baker's Wife — Circle Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Jacqueline Grandt — Bug — Redtwist Theatre
Melanie Keller — East of Berlin & The Russian Play — Signal Ensemble Theatre

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Kelli Harrington — The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Aaron Kirby — Dark Play or Stories for Boys — Collaboraction

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Justin Adair — The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Sasha Gioppo — Red Light Winter — Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Dana Tretta — Pippin — Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

NEW WORK
Shepsu Aakhu — Speaking in Tongues: The Chronicles of Babel — MPAACT
Deirdre O'Connor — Assisted Living — Profiles Theatre

NEW ADAPTATION
Sean Graney — Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses — The Hypocrites
Blake Montgomery — Moby-Dick — The Building Stage

CHOREOGRAPHY
Kevin Bellie — Urinetown the Musical — Circle Theatre

ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Ovidiu Iloc — The Word Progress on My Mother's Lips Doesn't Ring True — Trap Door Theatre
Kevin O'Donnell — Moby-Dick — The Building Stage

MUSIC DIRECTION
Jeremy Ramey — The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

SCENIC DESIGN
Amanda Rozmiarek — The Price — Raven Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN
Jared Moore — Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses — The Hypocrites

COSTUME DESIGN
Jesus Perez — Urinetown the Musical — Circle Theatre

SOUND DESIGN
Christopher Kriz — Opus — Redtwist Theatre

FIGHT DESIGN
Matt Hawkins — Cyrano — The House Theatre of Chicago

DIALECT COACHING
Eva Breneman — The Light in the Piazza — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Casey Baker, Kevin O'Donnell and Mike Przygoda — Percussion — Moby-Dick — The Building Stage
Zhanna Bullock — Music Coach — Opus — Redtwist Theatre

In the season ended March 31, 2012, the Jeff Awards Committee judged the opening nights of 154 Non-Equity productions from 71 Non-Equity producing organizations. Of these, 64 productions were recommended by the opening night judges and became eligible for nominations.

The Jeff Equity Awards are handed out in the fall.