Arcadia, Buried Child, The Libertine, Having Our Say and Twelfth Night are the best play nominees for the 28th Annual Joseph Jefferson Awards in Chicago. In all, the Jeff Committee announced 134 nominations in 28 categories for Chicago Equity productions, and another 19 nominations in 5 categories for Touring Productions.
During the 1995-96 season, running from Aug. 1, 1995 to July 31, 1996, the 40-member Committee judged 120 productions at 49 producing organizations, with 60 productions making the nomination cut. Changes in this year's roster include the reinstatement of the "Cameo" categories, and a division of the New Work/Adaptation classification into two separate categories. Familiar names among the nominees include John Malkovich, Gary Sinese, Alene Robertson and Eartha Kitt.
On the heels of the Jeff Nomination announcement, four major Chicago theatres -- The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens and Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre -- have pulled out of the nominating process for next season, citing the Jeff Committee's policy of not allowing multiple winners in categories. A separate online story on this development will be forthcoming.
These are the 1995-96 Jefferson Award nominations:
PRODUCTION - PLAY: Arcadia (Goodman Theatre); Buried Child (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Having Our Say (Camille O. Cosby/Judith Rutherford James in Assoc. W/Michael Leavitt &;Fox Theatricals); The Libertine (Steppenwolf); Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Repertory. PRODUCTION - MUSICAL: Brigadoon (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); Crazy For You (Candlelight); The House Of Martin Guerre (Goodman); My One And Only (Candlelight); The Secret Garden (Apple Tree Theatre Company).
PRODUCTION - REVUE: And The World Goes `Round (Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre); Citizen Gates (Second City); Forbidden Hollywood (Michael Leavitt, Fox Theatricals, in assoc. W/John Freedson, Harriet Yellin & Jon B. Platt); Great Women In Gospel (Black Ensemble Theatre); Sophisticated Ladies (Drury Lane Theatre).
DIRECTOR - PLAY: Kate Buckley (Macbeth (Next Theatre Company); Michael Maggio (Arcadia Goodman); Emily Mann (Having Our Say, Cosby etc.); Charles Newell (Celimene And The Cardinal, Court Theatre); Gary Sinese (Buried Child, Steppenwolf), Phillip Edward Van Lear (Home, Chicago Theatre Company).
DIRECTOR - MUSICAL: Eileen Boevers (The Secret Garden, Apple Tree); Gary Griffin (42nd Street, Drury Lane Oakbrook); David Perkovich (Brigadoon, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); David Petrarca (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman); William Pullinsi (My One And Only, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); Marc Robin (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Drury Lane Oakbrook).
DIRECTOR - REVUE: David H. Bell (And The World Goes `Round, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre); John Freedson (Forbidden Hollywood, Michael Leavitt, Fox etc.); Mick Napier (Citizen Gates, Second City; Marc Robin (Sophisticated Ladies, Drury Lane Theatre); Jackie Taylor (Great Women In Gospel, Black Ensemble Theatre.
ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY: Jenny Bacon (Molly Sweeney, Steppenwolf); Denise Casano (Unmerciful Good Fortune, Northlight Theatre &;Victory Gardens Theatre); Albena Dodeva (Beast On The Moon, Apple Tree); Lizan Mitchel (Having Our Say, Cosby, etc.); Barbara Robertson (Detachments, Center Theatre Ensemble); Mary Ann Thebus (Long Day's Journey Into Night, Touchstone Theatre).
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY: James Gammon (Buried Child, Steppenwolf); Kevin Gudahl (Celimene And The Cardinal, Court Theatre); Ross Lehman (The Dresser, Apple Tree); John Malkovich (The Libertine, Steppenwolf); Patrick McNulty (The Homage That Follows , American Blues Theatre); Jon Mozes (Never The Sinner , Victory Gardens Theatre; John Vickery (I Hate Hamlet, Robert G. Perkins & Jujamcyn Theatres.
ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY: William Brown (The Play's The Thing, Court); Ron Dean (Supple In Combat, Steppenwolf); Ted Levine (Buried Child, Steppenwolf); Greg Vinkler (Othello, Shakespeare Repertory); Greg Vinkler (Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Repertory).
ACTRESS IN CAMEO ROLE - PLAY: Linda Stephens (Supple In Combat, Steppenwolf).
ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL: Keli Cramer (Annie Get Your Gun, Drury Lane Oakbrook); Heather Johnson (The Secret Garden, Apple Tree Theatre); Anne Kanengeiser (Eleanor, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre); Eartha Kitt (Lady Day At Emerson's Bar &;Grill (Broadway Productions in assoc. W/The New Athenaeum Theatre); Tammy Mader (42nd Street, Drury Lane Oakbrook).
ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL: James Anthony (The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Marriott's Lincolnshire); Anthony Crivello (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman); Tedd [sic] Greenwood (Crazy For You, Candlelight Dinner); Andrew J. Lupp (My One And Only, Candlelight Dinner); David Studwell (The Secret Garden, Apple Tree.
ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL: Jessica Boevers (Gypsy, Drury Lane Oakbrook); Sara Davis (The Secret Garden, Apple Tree); Cory Goodrich (Brigadoon, Candlelight Dinner); Hollis Resnick (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman Theatre).
ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL: Guy Adkins (The Secret Garden, Apple Tree); Kevin Gudahl (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman); Joel Hatch (Eleanor, Marriott's Lincolnshire); Joel Hatch (The Sound Of Music, Drury Lane Oakbrook); Roger Mueller (42nd Street, Drury Lane Oakbrook.
ACTOR IN CAMEO ROLE - MUSICAL: Kenny Ingram (My One And Only, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse).
ACTRESS IN REVUE: Felicia Fields (Sophisticated Ladies, Drury Lane Theatre; Lori Hammel (Forbidden Hollywood, Michael Leavitt, Fox, etc.); Jenna Jolovitz (Citizen Gates, Second City); Alene Robertson (And The World Goes `Round, Marriott's Lincolnshire).
ACTOR IN REVUE: Scott Adsit (Citizen Gates, Second City); Rick Boynton (And The World Goes `Round, Marriott's Lincolnshire); Neil Flynn (Farewell My CompuServe, Second City E.T.C.); Marc Grapey (Hitting For The Cycle, Famous Door Theatre); Larry Neumann, Jr. (Hitting For The Cycle, Famous Door Theatre).
ENSEMBLE: Black Star Line (Goodman Theatre); Citizen Gates, (The Second City); Detachments (Center Theatre Ensemble); Farewell My CompuServe (Second City E.T.C.); Great Women In Gospel (Black Ensemble Theatre); Sophisticated Ladies (Drury Lane Theatre); Wrens (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble).
SCENIC DESIGN: Robert Brill (Buried Child, Steppenwolf); Linda Buchanan (I Hate Hamlet, Robert G. Perkins &;Jujamcyn); Linda Buchanan (On The Verge, Court Theatre); Todd Rosenthal (The Barber Of Seville, Court Theatre); Katherine Ross (Long Day's Journey Into Night, Touchstone Theatre).
COSTUME DESIGN: Susan Hilferty (The House Of Martin Guerre (Goodman Theatre); Virgil C. Johnson (The Libertine, Steppenwolf); Jack Kirkby (Crazy For You, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); Karin Kopischke (Richard III, Shakespeare Repertory); Kay Kurta Silva (Black Star Line, Goodman Theatre).
LIGHTING DESIGN: James F. Ingalls (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman); Kenneth Posner (Richard III, Shakespeare Repertory); Kenneth Posner (A Touch Of The Poet, Goodman); Kevin Rigdon (Buried Child, Steppenwolf); Kevin Rigdon (The Libertine, Steppenwolf).
SOUND DESIGN: Barry G. Funderburg (Macbeth Next Theatre Company); Rob Milburn (Buried Child, Steppenwolf); Robert Neuhaus (Cloud Tectonics, Goodman Theatre &;Teatro Vista); Robert Neuhaus (Hamlet, Oak Park Festival Theatre); Robert Neuhaus (On The Verge, Court Theatre).
NEW WORK: Rick Cleveland (Tom And Jerry, American Blues Theatre); Colleen Dodson (Detachments, Center Theatre Ensemble); Anne McGravie (Wrens), Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Edwin Sanchez (Unmerciful Good Fortune, Northlight Theatre &;Victory Gardens Theatre); Charles Smith (Black Star Line, Goodman Theatre).
NEW ADAPTATION: Christina Calvit (The Talisman Ring, Lifeline Theatre; Paul Edwards (WAS, Roadworks Productions).
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Alaric Jans (Twelfth Night, Shakespeare Repertory); KAMYS (Cloud Tectonics, Goodman); Lloyd Broadnax King (Othello, Shakespeare Repertory).
CHOREOGRAPHY: Marc Robin (Crazy For You (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse); Marc Robin (42nd Street, Drury Lane Oakbrook); Marc Robin (My One And Only, Candlelight); Marc Robin (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Drury Lane Oakbrook); Marc Robin (Sophisticated Ladies, Drury Lane Theatre).
. MUSICAL DIRECTION: Terry James (And The World Goes `Round, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre); Jeffrey Klitz (The House Of Martin Guerre, Goodman); Tom Sivak (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Candlelight Dinner); Jimmy Tillman (Great Women In Gospel , Black Ensemble Theatre); Donn Trenner (Lady Day At Emerson's Bar &;Grill, Broadway Productions in assoc. W/The New Athenaeum Theatre).
PRODUCTION - TOURING: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Dodger Productions, JFK Center For the Performing Arts); An Inspector Calls (Noel Pearson, The Shubert Organization, Capital Cities/ABC in assoc. W/Joseph Harris); Show Boat (Livent U.S.).
ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE - TOURING: Linda Eder (Jekyll &;Hyde, PACE Theatrical Group, Fox Theatricals &;Michael Leavitt); Shauna Hicks (How To Succeed..., Dodger etc.); Gay Willis (Show Boat, Livent U.S.).
ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE - TOURING: Scott Carollo (West Side St Barry Brown, Marvin A. Krauss, Irving Siders, The Booking Office in assoc. W/Concert Productions International, Albert Nicciolini, PACE Theatrical Group, Nick Litrenta, and TV Asahi International); Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll &;Hyde, PACE Theatricals &;Michael Leavitt); Mark Jacoby (Show Boat, Livent U.S.); John McMartin (Show Boat, Livent U.S.).
ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE - TOURING: Natascia A. Diaz (West Side Story, Barry Brown, etc.); Jane Fleiss (An Inspector Calls , Noel Pearson, etc.); Susan Kellermann (An Inspector Calls, Noel Pearson, etc.); Christiane Noll (Jekyll &;Hyde, PACE Theatrical Group, etc.). ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE - TOURING: Roger Bart (How To Succeed..., Dodger Productions, etc.); Michel Bell (Show Boat, Livent U.S.); Harry Carnahan (An Inspector Calls, Noel Pearson, etc.); David Andrew MacDonald (An Inspector Calls, Noel Pearson, etc.); Scott Wise (State Fair, The Theare Guild, Philip Langner &;Robert Franz, Sonny Everett, Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Matt Garfield, Jonathan C. Herzog, Ron Kumin, Gordon Smith by arrangement w/Celia Lipton Productions Inc. In assoc. W/The North Carolina School Of The Arts Foundation.
The awards ceremony will be held Monday, Nov. 11 at Northwestern School Of Law's Thorne Auditorium in Chicago. For tickets and information, call (312) 649-1012.
-- By David Lefkowitz
