The 31st annual Joseph Jefferson Awards, which honor Chicago theatre, will be presented Monday, Nov. 8, at the Park West, 322 West Armitage Avenue, Chicago. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with a cash bar will begin at 6:30 PM, and the awards ceremony will begin at 7:30 PM. The public is invited. p> The 1999 Jeffs for non-resident production were announced on Oct. 22. The Chicago staging of the musical Ragtime took top honors as best production, while one of its stars, Donna Bullock, won for best actress in a principal role.
Two 1999 Tony Award winners, Kristin Chenoweth and Roger Bart, won Jeffs as best supporting actress and best supporting actor in a non- resident production for their performances as Sally Brown and Snoopy in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Finally, Norbert Leo Butz won the award for best actor in a principal role for his portrayal of the emcee in the Chicago production of the Roundabout Theatre Company's hit revival of Cabaret.
The Jeff committee also revealed the recipients of its 1999 special awards. Honored will be Chicago's Shakespeare Theater, which recently moved into a new home on Chicago's Navy Pier; and stage manager Joseph Drummond, who has been with the Goodman Theatre for 25 years.
* The Jeff nominations were announced Sept. 15 in Chicago. A total of 151 nominations in 31 categories were named. The Goodman Theatre led the pack with 18 nods, many of them for the Tony-winning production of Death of a Salesman. Just behind was the Drury Lane Theatre with 16 bids. Drury Land Oakbrook and Lookingglass Theatre Company tied with 12 noms a piece, while Steppenwolf Theatre Company collected 11.
Aside from Salesman, other productions that collected multiple nominations included Court Theatre's Gross Indecency, Shakespeare Rep's Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, the Goodman's Floyd Collins and Steppenwolf's Morning Star.
In a statement the Jeff Committee said, "This year the Jeff Committee is returning to the presentation of a single award in each category for Equity and Non-Resident productions. The awards format had been modified beginning with the 1995-96 season to allow for multiple recipients in each category. Three years' experience and the results of a consulting engagement in which numerous interviews were conducted with Chicago theatre artists and employees have indicated the theatre community overwhelmingly prefers a single awards format for Jeff-eligible Equity productions."
Following is the complete list of nominations:
New Work
Claudia Allen, Winter, Victory Gardens Theater
Rebecca Gilman, Spinning Into Butter, The Goodman Theatre
Tom Mula, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, The Goodman Theatre
John Musial, The Great Fire, Lookingglass Theatre Company
David Rush, The Prophet of Bishop Hill, Chicago Dramatists
New Adaptation
Lawrence E. DiStasi and Heidi Stillman, The Baron in the Trees, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Yasen Peyankov and Peter Christensen, Ivanov, European Repertory Company
Christopher Tiffany and Andrew Hansen, The Mandrake: A Renaissance Musical, greasy joan & co.
Mary Zimmerman, Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Production -- Play
Death of a Salesman, The Goodman Theatre
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Court Theatre
Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
The Little Foxes, Court Theatre
Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Production -- Musical
Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Houdini, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
The Mandrake: A Renaissance Musical, greasy joan & co.
Floyd Collins, Goodman Theatre
The Wizard of Oz, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Production -- Revue
All Night Strut, Drury Lane Theatre
Jerry's Girls, Drury Lane Theatre
The Revelation Will Not Be Televised, The Second City e.t.c.
Director -- Play
Randall Arney, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Robert Falls, Death of a Salesman, The Goodman Theatre
Barbara Gaines, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Frank Galati, Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Gary Griffin, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Court Theatre
Charles Newell, The Little Foxes, Court Theatre
Mary Zimmerman, Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Director -- Musical
Ray Frewen, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Ray Frewen and Gary Griffin, Shenandoah, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Tina Landau, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
Dominic Missimi, The Wizard of Oz, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Marc Robin, La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
Kevin Theis, The Mandrake: A Renaissance Musical, greasy joan & co.
Director -- Revue
Jeff Richmond, The Revelation Will Not Be Televised, The Second City e.t.c.
Marc Robin, All Night Strut, Drury Lane Theatre
Marc Robin, Jerry's Girls, Drury Lane Theatre
Actress in a Principal Role -- Play
Mary Beth Fisher, Spinning Into Butter, The Goodman Theatre
Laurie Metcalf, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Hollis Resnik, The Little Foxes, Court Theatre
Barbara Robertson La Bete, Court Theatre
Carmen Roman, Master Class, Northlight Theatre in association with Columbia Artists Management, Inc.
Mary Ann Thebus, Remembrance, Famous Door Theatre Co.
Actor in a Principal Role -- Play
Brian Dennehy, Death of a Salesman, The Goodman Theatre
Timothy Gregory, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Mark L. Montgomery, In the Belly of the Beast, The Journeymen
Tom Mula, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, The Goodman Theatre
Daniel J. Travanti, Old Wicked Songs, Apple Tree Theatre
Greg Vinkler, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Actress in a Principal Role -- Musical
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Lisa Datz, Violet, Apple Tree Theatre
Susan Moniz, Peggy Sue Got Married, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Tammy Mader, Singin' in the Rain, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Kathy Voytko, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Actor in a Principal Role -- Musical
Roger Anderson, La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
Romain Fruge, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
James Harms, La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
Andrew J. Lupp, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Bernie Yvon, Houdini, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Actress in a Supporting Role -- Play
Elizabeth Franz, Death of a Salesman, The Goodman Theatre
Jenny Bacon, Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Laura T. Fisher, Remembrance, Famous Door Theatre Co.
Linda Kimbrough, Mere Mortals, Organic Theater Company
Tammy L. Meneghini, The Prophet of Bishop Hill, Chicago Dramatists
Actor in a Supporting Role -- Play
Robert Breuler, Ivanov, European Repertory Company
Christopher Fitzgerald, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Zach Grenier, Art, James B. Freydberg, Robert G. Perkins, William Suter by arrangement with David Pugh, Sean Connery, Joan Cullman
Yasen Peyankov, Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Rick Snyder, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Actress in a Supporting Role -- Musical
Cory Goodrich, Shenandoah, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Kim Huber, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
Tammy Mader, West Side Story, Drury Lane Theatre
Peggy Roeder, The Wizard of Oz, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Ann Whitney, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Actor in a Supporting Role -- Musical
Guy Adkins, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
Ian Brennan, Finian's Rainbow, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Paul Slade Smith, Peggy Sue Got Married, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Jonathan Weir, Violet, Apple Tree Theatre
James Zager, Singin' in the Rain, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Actress in a Revue
E. Faye Butler, Jerry's Girls, Drury Lane Theatre
Sue Maxman, The Revelation Will Not Be Televised, The Second City e.t.c.
Hollis Resnik, Songs for a New World, Apple Tree Theatre
Kathy Santen, Jerry's Girls, Drury Lane Theatre
Valerie Tekosky, Elvis Presley Was a Black Man, The Black Ensemble Theater
Actor in a Revue
John Steven Crowley, Elvis Presley Was a Black Man, The Black Ensemble Theater
Tony Duwon, Elvis Presley Was a Black Man, The Black Ensemble Theater
Ali Farahnakian, The Revelation Will Not Be Televised, The Second City e.t.c.
Martin Garcia, The Revelation Will Not Be Televised, The Second City e.t.c.
Andre Garner, Songs for a New World, Apple Tree Theatre
Greg Walter, The Irish And How They Got That Way, Richard Frankel, Thomas Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Josephine Merck, JAM Theatricals and The Irish Repertory Theatre
Ensemble
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, The Next Theatre
East Texas Hot Links, Onyx Theatre Ensemble
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Court Theatre
Jitney, The Goodman Theatre
Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Scenic Design
John Culbert, The Little Foxes, Court Theatre
John Dalton, The Great Fire, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Santo Loquasto, Morning Star, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Stephanie Nelson, The Cut, A Red Orchid Theatre
Dan Ostling, Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Costume Design
Jeff Hendry, Jerry's Girls, Drury Lane Theatre
Virgil Johnson, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Nancy Missimi, The Wizard of Oz, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Caryn Weglarz, La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
Nan Zabriskie, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Lighting Design
John Culbert, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, The Goodman Theatre
T.J. Gerckens, Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Christine Solger-Binder, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Court Theatre
Diane Ferry Williams, The Wizard of Oz, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Scott Zielinski, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
Sound Design
Joseph Fosco, The Cut, A Red Orchid Theatre
Chris J. Johnson & The Ensemble, Therese Raquin, greasy joan & co.
Lindsay Jones, Old Wicked Songs, Apple Tree Theatre
Ray Nardelli, The Great Fire, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins, The Goodman Theatre
Choreography
Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, The Baron in the Trees, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Marc Robin, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Marc Robin, La Cage aux Folles, Drury Lane Theatre
Marc Robin, Singin' in the Rain, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Marc Robin, West Side Story, Drury Lane Theatre
Original Music
Joe Cerqua, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Northlight Theatre
Alaric Jans, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Michael Kirkpatrick with Richard Woodbury, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Henry Marsh, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Repertory Theater
Larry Schanker, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, The Goodman Theatre
Willy Schwarz, Metamorphoses, Lookingglass Theatre Company
Musical Direction
Amy J. Abler, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Amy J. Abler, Shenandoah, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Terry James, All Night Strut, Drury Lane Theatre
Thomas Murray, Songs for a New World, Apple Tree Theatre
Kathy Van Zwoll, The Mandrake: A Renaissance Musical, greasy joan & co.
NON-RESIDENT PRODUCTIONS (winners indicated in boldface)
Production -- Non-Resident
Cabaret, PACE Theatrical Group/SFX Entertainment in association with Eric and Scott Nederlander & Jujamcyn Productions, and The Roundabout Theatre Company
* Ragtime, Livent (U.S.) Inc.
Titanic, Dodger Endemol Theatricals, Richard S. Pechter, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Columbia Artists, Fox Theatricals, Jerry Frankel, Arthur Whitelaw, Gene Persson
Actress in a Principal Role -- Non-Resident
* Donna Bullock, Ragtime
LaChanze, Ragtime
Natalie Toro, Evita, Manny Kladitis, Magicworks Entertainment & PACE Theatrical Group
Actor in a Principal Role -- Non-Resident
Hinton Battle, Ragtime
* Norbert Leo Butz, Cabaret
Raul Esparza, Evita
Peter Kevoian, Ragtime
Actress in a Supporting Role -- Non-Resident
Barbara Andres, Cabaret
* Kristin Chenoweth, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Natasha Rennalls, Fame, Richard Martini, Adam Spiegel, Ronald Andrew, Allen Spivak, Albert Nocciolino
Actor in a Supporting Role -- Non-Resident
* Roger Bart, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Marcus Chait, Titanic
John Frenzer, Ragtime
Dick Latessa, Cabaret
B.D. Wong, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
RECAP OF NOMINATIONS:
Number of nominations per theatre:
The Goodman Theatre: 18
Drury Lane Theatre: 16
Drury Lane Oakbrook: 12
Lookingglass Theatre Company: 12
Marriott Lincolnshire: 12
Steppenwolf Theatre Company: 11
Court Theatre: 9
Shakespeare Repertory Theater: 8
Apple Tree Theatre: 7
Greasy Joan: 5
The Second City e.t.c.: 5
The Black Ensemble Theater: 3
Chicago Dramatists: 2
European Repertory: 2
Famous Door Theatre Co.: 2
Northlight Theatre: 2 (1 in association with Columbia Artists Management)
A Red Orchid: 2
Frankel et al: 1
Freydberg et al: 1
Onyx Theatre: 1
Organic Theater Company: 1
The Journeymen: 1
The Next Theatre: 1
Victory Gardens Theater: 1
NON-RESIDENT PRODUCTIONS
Ragtime: 7
Cabaret: 4
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown: 4
Evita: 2
Titanic: 2
Fame: 1
Ticket prices for the awards, if purchased in advance, are $50 for general admission and $35 for members of Actors' Equity Association and United Scenic Artists. If purchased at the door tickets are $60 and $45, respectively. AEA and USA members may also purchase advance tickets in blocks of eight for the discounted price of $30 per ticket; non-union members may purchase advance blocks of eight for $45 per ticket. Ticket orders may be mailed to Jerry Proffit, 3930 N. Pine Grove, No. 1007, Chicago, IL 60613. For further information call (773) 929-9087.
-- By Robert Simonson
