Congratulations to this year’s Jeff Award Equity Nominees

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The staff of Splash Magazines Worldwide were honored to review many of this year’s nominees and got to see their spectacular work firsthand in productions that ran between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018.  Categories are somewhat different this year with director nominations broken into Large and Midsize productions in the plays and musicals categories and with the addition of two new Ensemble awards and the non-gender-specific performance categories.

Here’s what we said during each reviewed production’s run.

The Goodman Theatre received 15 nominations, we reviewed their productions of:

Pamplona, nominated for Solo Performance (Stacy Keach)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/07/16/25725/#gsc.tab=0

Support Group for Men, Nominated for Ensemble Play, New Work (Ellen Fairey)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/07/04/support-group-for-men-review-grappling-with-male-identity/#gsc.tab=0

The Wolves – Ensemble Play, Director-Play Large (Vanessa Stalling)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/21/the-wolves-review-dribbling-drills-and-drama/#gsc.tab=0

Blind Date – Performer in a Supporting Role Play (Deanna Dunagan)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/01/blind-date-review-a-world-premiere-play-by-rogelio-martinez-at-the-goodman-theatre/

A View from the Bridge for Production-Play Large, Director-Play Large (Ivo Van Hove), Performer in a Principal Role-Play (Ian Bedford), Performer in a Supporting Role Play (Andrus Nichols)

“A View From the Bridge” Review- The Young Vic production of Arthur Miller’s tragedy at The Goodman Theatre

Court Theatre received 13 nominations, we reviewed the following productions:

The Originalist, Performer in a Principal Role (Edward Gero)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/category/chicago/page/8/#gsc.tab=0

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Production Play Large, Performer in a Supporting Role Play (Sydney Charles), Scenic Design Large (Scott Davis),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/03/25/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-review-a-meal-served-cold/

The Belle of Amherst Solo Performance (Kate Fry)

‘The Belle of Amherst’ Review — Kate Fry Phosphoresces as Emily Dickinson

Porchlight Music Theatre earned 12 nominations. We reviewed:

Billy Elliott for Performer in a Supporting Role Musical (Shanesia Davis and Sean Fortunato), Lighting Design Midsize (Denise Karczewski)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2017/10/19/billy-elliot-the-musical-porcoughhlight-music-theatre-review/

Memphis for Production Musical Midsize, Director-Musical Midsize (Daryl Brooks), Performer in a Principal Role-Musical (Liam Quealy), Costume Design Midsize (Bill Morey), Choreography (Christopher Carter), Music Direction (Jermaine Hill)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/04/26/memphis-review-rock-n-roll-dont-come-easy/

The Marriott Theatre received 11 and we reviewed:

Oklahoma for Performer in a Supporting Role Musical (Aaron Umsted), Choreography (Alex Sanchez),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/04/20/oklahoma-review-celebrating-75-years/#gsc.tab=0

Ragtime – Production Musical or Review Large, Director-Musical or Review Large (Nick Bowling), Performer in a Principal Role (Nathaniel Stampley), Performer in a Supporting Role Musical (Katherine Thomas), Costume Design Large (Theresa Ham),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/03/ragtime-at-the-marriott-lincolnshire-timely-political-must-see-americana/#gsc.tab=0

At the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, which got 10 nominations, we reviewed:

Elf – Projection Design (Joseph A. Burke)

Elf the Musical at the Paramount Review – Sparklejollytwinklejingly Magic for the Whole Family

Cabaret – Production Musical or Review Large, Performer in a Supporting Role Musical  (Hollis Resnik), Lighting Design Large (Yael Lubetzky),

A Powerhouse Cabaret at the Paramount

Once for Performer in a Principal Role-Musical (Tiffany Topol), Music Direction (Tom Vendafreddo),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/04/29/once-at-the-paramount-aurora-heartbreaking-and-beautiful/

Million Dollar Quartet – Production Musical or Review Large, Ensemble Musical or Review

At Chicago Shakespeare Theater we saw:

Macbeth, Production Play Large, Sound Design Large (Andre Pluess), Lighting Design Large (Thom Weaver), Artistic Specialization-Fight Choreography (Matt Hawkins)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/category/chicago/page/8/#gsc.tab=0

Mary Stuart for Costume Design Large (Linda Cho)

Mary Stuart at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre – Great Performances and Drama With A Side of Slander

At Victory Gardens Theater we reviewed:

Lettie for New Work (Boo Killebrew), Director-Play Large (Chay Yew), Performer in a Principal Role-Play (Caroline Neff), Projection Design (Stephan Mazurek)

Lettie Review – Smartly Written, Smartly Acted

Fun Home for Production Musical or Review Large, Director-Musical or Review Large (Gary Griffin), Performer in a Principal Role (Rob Lindley), Performer in a Supporting Role Musical, (Hannah Starr), Musical Direction (Doug Peck)

Fun Home at the Victory Gardens Theater Review – So Many Emotions

At Lookingglass Theatre we saw:

20,000 Leagues under the Seas for New Adaptation (Company), Scenic Design Large (Todd Rosenthal), Lighting Design Large (Rick Sims), Sound Design Large (Christine Binder).

20,000 Leagues Under The Seas Play Review – Dive, Dive, Dive!

 

At The Steppenwolf Theatre we reviewed:

The Doppelganger, Scenic Design Large (Todd Rosenthal)

The Doppelgänger Review – Steppenwolf’s international farce and world premiere

 

At Theatre Wit we saw:

Women Laughing Alone With Salad, Projection Design (Joseph A. Burke),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/03/27/women-laughing-alone-with-salad-review-salad-like-youve-never-seen-it-before/#gsc.tab=0

At American Blues Theatre we saw:

Six Corners – New Work (Keith Huff)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/23/review-of-six-corners-a-chicago-tale-of-murder/#gsc.tab=0

At Windy City Playhouse it was:

Southern Gothic – Production Midsize, Ensemble Play, New Work (Leslie Liataud, Carl Menninger, and Amy Rubenstein), Director-Play Midsize (David H. Bell), Scenic Design Midsize (Scott Davis), Artistic Specialization Properties Design (Eleanor Kahn)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/22/southern-gothic-review-belles-booze-and-belligerence/#gsc.tab=0

At Northlight Theatre we reviewed:

Skeleton Crew, Lighting Design Large (Ray Nardelli),

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2018/02/07/skeleton-crew-a-play-about-tight-bonds-in-tough-times/#gsc.tab=0

 

At Writers Theatre we reviewed:

The Importance of Being Earnest, Performer in a Supporting Role Play, (Shannon Cochran), Costume Design Large (Mara Blumenfeld)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2017/11/16/the-importance-of-being-earnest-review-wildely-entertaining-in-the-21st-century/#gsc.tab=0

 

We saw Theatre Wit and About Face Theatre’s joint effort:

Significant Other – Performer in a Principal Role-Play (Alex Weisman)

https://splashmags.com/index.php/2017/11/13/significant-other-review-fresh-funny-fantastic/

And at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company we saw:

The Skin of Our Teeth – Costume Design Midsize (Mieka van der Ploeg), Sound Design Midsize (Stephen Ptacek)

The Skin of Our Teeth Review – Theatre for the End of the World

Thanks to all the theatres, performers and technical experts for allowing us to enjoy their work year after year. Congratulations to you all.

About Suzanne Magnuson 133 Articles
Professional writer with 20 plus years of experience. M.A., M.B.A. Travel Editor and Social Media Manager for Splash Magazines Worldwide. Senior Editor. Member of Advertising Team.

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