A Critic’s theater picks from the Jeff Awards nominations
By Kelly KleimanA Critic’s theater picks from the Jeff Awards nominations
By Kelly KleimanLikewise, having had the privilege of seeing all but two of the seven nominees for “Best production—Play—Large” (by which I presume is meant “at a large theater,” though in that case Writers’ Theatre’s participation is almost inexplicable!)—having seen five of the seven, I can confidently say that the answer to “Which is best?” is “Yes.” Chinglish is a smart and witty account of contemporary mores and clashing cultures, while The Seagull is a delicate meditation on our inability to connect, while Virginia Woolf is a raucous meditation on our inability to connect, while The Madness of George III marries history and medicine to tragicomic effect. And someone is somehow supposed to choose among them?
So the comments that follow do NOT reflect a denigration of the Jeff Committee’s efforts in selecting nominees, but merely observations about errors and omissions I concede to be inevitable.
Why would the Committee nominate the extraordinary Jessie Mueller for Best Actress in a Musical for Guys & Dolls and She Loves Me when her best work appeared in Merrily We Roll Along? Fortunately, with Mueller set to debut on Broadway in On A Clear Day … next year it will be the Tony Committee’s turn to get it right. Or not.
How could one nominate Tracy Letts as George but not Amy Morton as Martha in Virginia Woolf? Their performances were so perfectly in sync they were practically one person, just like their characters.
All of the nominees for director are strong, but if the award doesn’t go to Robert Falls for his revolutionary rendition of The Seagull something’s seriously wrong. And that reminds me: how could one overlook Mary Beth Fisher as Arkadina, unless nominating an actress for playing an actress seemed like cheating?
Similarly, Harry Groener’s George III was simply in a class by itself, even with Terry Hamilton’s Richard Nixon (from Frost/Nixon) in hot pursuit. And Chinglish is so much better than the other plays nominated for best new work that it should have its own category. (Apparently most of the distinguished work on new plays this year got done in the non-Equity theaters.)
Another entry in the everybody’s-good-but-this-is-incomparable sweepstakes: Rick Sordelet’s swordplay for Romeo and Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare, literally the best stage combat I’ve ever seen.
Take a look at the list of nominees (below), and please come back with your own takes on what should be there that isn’t, what shouldn’t be there that is, and the whole process of comparing pomegranates and mangoes that constitutes award-giving in the theater.
2011 EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE
Chinglish - Goodman Theatre
Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Heartbreak House - Writers’ Theatre
The Madness of George III - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The Outgoing Tide - Northlight Theatre
The Seagull - Goodman Theatre
Travels with My Aunt - Writers’ Theatre
PRODUCTION – PLAY – MIDSIZE
The Big Meal - American Theater Company
Frost/Nixon - TimeLine Theatre Company
Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
The Importance of Being Earnest - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Scorched - Silk Road Theatre Project
To Master the Art - TimeLine Theatre Company
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE
42nd Street - Marriott Theatre
Candide - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
A Chorus Line - Marriott Theatre
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess - Court Theatre
Monty Python’s Spamalot - Drury Lane Productions
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
The King and I - Porchlight Music Theatre
Merrily We Roll Along - The Music Theatre Company
The Original Grease - American Theater Company
PRODUCTION – REVUE
Shout! - Marriott Theatre
Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)- The Second City e.t.c.
DIRECTOR – PLAY
James Bohnen - Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Dexter Bullard - The Big Meal - American Theater Company
Stuart Carden - Travels with My Aunt - Writers’ Theatre
Louis Contey - Frost/Nixon - TimeLine Theatre Company
RobertFalls- The Seagull - Goodman Theatre
BJ Jones - The Outgoing Tide - Northlight Theatre
Pam MacKinnon - Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Penny Metropulos - The Madness of George III - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Leigh Silverman - Chinglish - Goodman Theatre
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
David H. Bell - Hot Mikado - Drury Lane Productions
Gary Griffin - Meredith Willson’s The Music Man - Marriott Theatre
Michael Halberstam - She Loves Me - Writers’ Theatre
Mark Lococo - A Chorus Line - Marriott Theatre
Charles Newell - The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess - Court Theatre
William Osetek - Monty Python’s Spamalot - Drury Lane Productions
Rachel Rockwell - 42nd Street- Marriott Theatre
Mary Zimmerman - Candide - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
ENSEMBLE
The Big Meal - American Theater Company
A Chorus Line - Marriott Theatre
Float - About Face Theatre
The Front Page - TimeLine Theatre Company
The Seagull- Goodman Theatre
Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting) - The Second City e.t.c.
Travels with My Aunt - Writers’ Theatre
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Brad Armacost (C.S. Lewis) - “Shadowlands” - Provision Theater
Brad Armacost (Jack) - “The Weir” - Seanachaí Theatre Company
Harry Groener (George III) - “The Madness of George III” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Terry Hamilton (Richard Nixon) - “Frost/Nixon” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Tracy Letts (George) - “Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
John Mahoney (Gunner) - “The Outgoing Tide” - Northlight Theatre
Nick Sandys (Martin) - “Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Nick Sandys (Charles Condomine) - “Blithe Spirit” - First Folio Theatre
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Joe Kinosian (The Suspects) - “Murder for Two - A Killer Musical” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Michael Mahler (Freddy Benson) - “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” - Theatre at the Center
Geoff Packard (Candide) - “Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Stephen Schellhardt (Ko Ko) - “Hot Mikado” - Drury Lane Productions
Alan Schmuckler (Officer Marcus Moscowicz) - “Murder for Two - A Killer Musical” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Karen Aldridge (Iris) - “The Trinity River Plays” - Goodman Theatre
Annabel Armour (Stevie) - “Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Jennifer Lim (Xu Yan) - “Chinglish” - Goodman Theatre
Lois Markle (A) - “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women” - Court Theatre
Sandra Marquez (Beatriz) - “26 Miles” - Teatro Vista and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Rondi Reed (Peg) - “The Outgoing Tide” - Northlight Theatre
Kathy Scambiatterra (Princess Kosmonopolis) - “Sweet Bird of Youth” - The Artistic Home
Mary Ann Thebus (Mrs. K) - “The Piano Teacher” - Next Theatre Company
Karen Janes Woditsch (Julia Child) - “To Master the Art” - TimeLine Theatre Company
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Brianna Borger (Anna Leonowens) - “The King and I” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Elizabeth Lanza (Ann) - “Meet John Doe” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Megan McGinnis (Jerusha Abbott) - “Daddy Long Legs” - Northlight Theatre, Cinicinnati Playhouse in the Park, Rubicon Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, David Elzer and Executive Producer Michael Jackowitz
Jessie Mueller (Miss Adelaide) - “Guys and Dolls” - Marriott Theatre
Jessie Mueller (Amalia Balash) - “She Loves Me” - Writers’ Theatre
ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Tim Baltz - “Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)” -The Second City e.t.c.
Tammy Mader - “Shout!” - Marriott Theatre
Sam Richardson - “South Side of Heaven” - The Second City
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Barbara Robertson (Alice Conroy) - “The Detective’s Wife” - Writers’ Theatre
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Ira Amyx (Noel) - “That Was Then” - Seanachaí Theatre Company
Lance Baker (Charlie Fox) - “Speed-the-Plow” - American Theater Company
Marc Grapey (Jerry) - “Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo” - Victory Gardens Theater
Francis Guinan (Gary) - “Rantoul and Die” - American Blues Theater i/a/w Stephen Eich, Don Foster, Stuart Ditsky/Adam Ditsky
Mike Nussbaum (Ben) - “Broadway Bound” - Drury Lane Productions
John Reeger (Captain Shotover) - “Heartbreak House” - Writers’ Theatre
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Sean Blake (Sporting Life) - “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” - Court Theatre
Matthew Crowle (Patsy, Mayor, Guard 2) - “Monty Python’s Spamalot” - Drury Lane Productions
James Earl Jones II (Uncle Henry, Lion) - “The Wiz” - Theatre at the Center
Ted Louis Levy (The Mikado) - “Hot Mikado” - Drury Lane Productions
Larry Yando (Pangloss and others) - “Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Annabel Armour (Ann) - “Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo” - Victory Gardens Theater
Tracey N. Bonner (Woman 2) - “Home” - Court Theatre
Mary Beth Fisher (B) - “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women” - Court Theatre
Diane Kondrat (Bea Ball) - “The Gospel According to James” - Victory Gardens Theater
Elizabeth Ledo (Tam) - “The Homosexuals” - About Face Theatre
Diana Simonzadeh (Old Nawal, Nazira) - “Scorched” - Silk Road Theatre Project
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Kate Garassino (Lady Thiang) - “The King and I” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Heidi Kettenring (Ilona Ritter) - “She Loves Me” - Writers’ Theatre
Gina Milo (The Lady of the Lake) -“Monty Python’s Spamalot” - Drury Lane Productions
Hollis Resnik (Old Lady) - “Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Bethany Thomas (Serena) - “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” - Court Theatre
NEW WORK – PLAY
William Brown and Doug Frew - “To Master the Art” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Darren Canady - “Brothers of the Dust” - Congo Square Theatre Company
Philip Dawkins - “The Homosexuals” - About Face Theatre
Bruce Graham - “The Outgoing Tide” - Northlight Theatre
David Henry Hwang - “Chinglish” - Goodman Theatre
Patricia Kane - “Float” - About Face Theatre
Dan LeFranc - “The Big Meal” - American Theater Company
Caitlin Montanye Parrish with Erica Weiss - “A Twist of Water” - Route 66 Theatre Company
NEW WORK – MUSICAL OR REVUE
Tim Baltz, Aidy Bryant, Matt Hovde, Brendan Jennings, Jessica Joy, Michael Lehrer, and Mary Sohn - “Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)” - The Second City e.t.c.
Edgar Blackmon, Billy Bungeroth, Holly Laurent, Timothy Edward Mason, Katie Rich, Sam Richardson, and Tim Robinson - “South Side of Heaven” - The Second City
Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair - “Murder for Two - A Killer Musical” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Robert Morris, Steven Morris, Joe Shane and Matte O’Brien - “White Noise” - Holly Way, Jay Strommen, Jimmy Mack, Deborah Taylor/Chris Bensinger, Tom Leonardis and Whoopi Goldberg
NEW ADAPTATION – PLAY OR MUSICAL
Amanda Dehnert - “Peter Pan (A Play)” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Laura Eason - “Ethan Frome” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Sean Graney -“The Comedy of Errors” - Court Theatre
Jon Jory - “Sense and Sensibility” - Northlight Theatre
Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso - “Working” - Jed Bernstein, Dianne Fraser and Sheila Simon Geltzer
Mary Zimmerman -“Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
CHOREOGRAPHY
David H. Bell - “Hot Mikado” - Drury Lane Productions
Tammy Mader - “42nd Street” - Marriott Theatre
Tammy Mader - “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” - Drury Lane Productions
Matt Raftery - “Meredith Willson’s The Music Man” - Marriott Theatre
Rachel Rockwell - “A Chorus Line” - Marriott Theatre
ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Jenny Giering - “As You Like It” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Andrew Hansen - “In Darfur” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Andrew Hansen - “To Master the Art” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Lindsay Jones - “Romeo and Juliet” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
MUSIC DIRECTION
Roberta Duchak - “Monty Python’s Spamalot” - Drury Lane Productions
David Kreppel - “Meredith Willson’s The Music Man” - Marriott Theatre
Michael Mahler - “Hot Mikado” - Drury Lane Productions
Ryan T. Nelson - “A Chorus Line” - Marriott Theatre
Doug Peck - “42nd Street” - Marriott Theatre
Doug Peck - “Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Doug Peck - “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” - Court Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE
David Korins - “Chinglish” - Goodman Theatre
Jaqueline and Richard Penrod - “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Keith Pitts - “Heartbreak House” - Writers’ Theatre
Collette Pollard - “Broadway Bound” - Drury Lane Productions
Todd Rosenthal - “Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Robert Groth & Jenniffer J. Thusing - “The Weir” - Seanachaí Theatre Company
Tim Morrison - “Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
John Musial - “Float” - About Face Theatre
Jaqueline and Richard Penrod - “The Importance of Being Earnest” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Collette Pollard - “The Front Page” - TimeLine Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
Christopher Akerlind - “As You Like It” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
John Culbert - “Romeo and Juliet” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Jesse Klug - “Monty Python’s Spamalot” - Drury Lane Productions
Jason Lyons - “White Noise” - Holly Way, Jay Strommen, Jimmy Mack, Deborah Taylor/Chris Bensinger, Tom Leonardis and Whoopi Goldberg
Jaymi Lee Smith - “Virginia Woolf’s Orlando” - Court Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Brian Sidney Bembridge - “The Big Meal” - American Theater Company
Jeff Glass - “Sweet Bird of Youth” - The Artistic Home
Sarah Hughey - “Scorched” - Silk Road Theatre Project
Nic Jones and Jesse Klug - “In Darfur” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Keith Parham - “Frost/Nixon” -TimeLine Theatre Company
COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE
Mara Blumenfeld - “Candide” - Goodman Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jacqueline Firkins - “The Comedy of Errors” - Court Theatre
Jeremy W. Floyd - “Hot Mikado” - Drury Lane Productions
Susan E. Mickey - “The Madness of George III” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Nancy Missimi - “42nd Street” - Marriott Theatre
COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Mina Hyun-Ok Hong - “Sunday in the Park with George” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Rachel Lambert - “Romeo and Juliet” - First Folio Theatre
Bill Morey - “The King and I” - Porchlight Music Theatre
Lindsey Pate - “The Front Page” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Melissa Torchia - “The Importance of Being Earnest” - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN – LARGE
Mikhail Fiksel - “Travels with My Aunt” - Writers’ Theatre
Andrew Hansen - “Heartbreak House” - Writers’ Theatre
Andrew Hansen - “The Outgoing Tide” - Northlight Theatre
Andre Pluess - “Virginia Woolf’s Orlando” - Court Theatre
James Savage - “Murder for Two - A Killer Musical” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Barry Bennett - “Hickorydickory” - Chicago Dramatists
Joseph Fosco - “The New Electric Ballroom” - A Red Orchid Theatre
Andrew Hansen - “In Darfur” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Andrew Hansen - “To Master the Art” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Peter J. Storms - “Scorched” - Silk Road Theatre Project
FIGHT / MOVEMENT DIRECTION
Matt Hawkins - “Peter Pan (A Play)” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Nick Sandys - “Romeo and Juliet” - First Folio Theatre
Rick Sordelet - “Romeo and Juliet” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
PROJECTIONS / VIDEO DESIGN
John Boesche - “A Twist of Water” - Route 66 Theatre Company
Raj Kapoor - “White Noise” - Holly Way, Jay Strommen, Jimmy Mack, Deborah Taylor/Chris Bensinger, Tom Leonardis and Whoopi Goldberg
Aaron Rhyne - “Working” - Jed Bernstein, Dianne Fraser and Sheila Simon Geltzer
Mike Tutaj - “The Detective’s Wife” - Writers’ Theatre
Mike Tutaj - “Frost/Nixon” - TimeLine Theatre Company
Mike Tutaj - “In Darfur” - TimeLine Theatre Company
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Tracy Otwell - Toy Theatre Design - “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Melissa Veal - Wig and Make-up Design - “The Madness of George III” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS BY THEATRE COMPANY
Goodman Theatre -17 (8 with Shakespeare Theatre Company)
TimeLine Theatre - 17
Marriott Theatre - 16
Drury LaneProductions - 15
Chicago Shakespeare Theater - 14
Writers’ Theatre - 13
Court Theatre - 12
Northlight Theatre - 8 (1 with Cinicinnati Playhouse in the Park, Rubicon Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, David Elzer and Executive Producer Michael Jackowitz)
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company - 8
American Theater Company - 7
Porchlight Music Theatre - 6
About Face Theatre - 5
Lookingglass Theatre Company - 5
The Second City e.t.c. - 4
Silk Road Theatre Project - 4
Steppenwolf Theatre Company - 4
First Folio Theatre - 3
Seanachaí Theatre Company - 3
Victory Gardens Theater - 3
White Noise Chicago, LLC - 3
The Artistic Home - 2
Jed Bernstein, Dianne Fraser and Sheila Simon Geltzer - 2
Route 66 Theatre Company - 2
The Second City - 2
Theatre at the Center - 2
BY PRODUCTION
“Candide” - 8
“Hot Mikado” - 6
“Monty Python’s Spamalot” - 6
“The Outgoing Tide” - 6
“42nd Street” - 5
“The Big Meal” - 5
“A Chorus Line” - 5
“Chinglish” - 5
“Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?” - 5
“Frost/Nixon” - 5
“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” - 5
“The Madness of George III” - 5
“To Master the Art” - 5
“Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - 4
“Heartbreak House” - 4
“In Darfur” - 4
“The King and I” - 4
“Murder for Two - A Killer Musical” - 4
“Scorched” - 4
“Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)” - 4
“Travels with My Aunt” - 4
“Float” - 3
“The Front Page” - 3
“The Importance of Being Earnest” - 3
“Meredith Willson’s The Music Man” - 3
“Romeo and Juliet” - Chicago Shakespeare Theater - 3
“The Seagull” - 3
“She Loves Me” - 3
“White Noise” - 3
“As You Like It” - 2
“Broadway Bound” - 2
“The Comedy of Errors” - 2
“The Detective’s Wife” - 2
“Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo” - 2
“Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women” - 2
“The Homosexuals” - 2
“The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” - 2
“Peter Pan (A Play)” - 2
“Romeo and Juliet” - First Folio Theatre - 2
“Shout!” - 2
“South Side of Heaven” - 2
“Sweet Bird of Youth” - 2
“A Twist of Water” - 2
“Virginia Woolf’s Orlando” - 2
“The Weir” - 2
“Working” - 2
BY INDIVIDUAL
Andrew Hansen - 6
Tammy Mader - 3
Doug Peck - 3
Nick Sandys - 3
Mike Tutaj - 3
Brad Armacost - 2
Annabel Armour - 2
Tim Baltz - 2
David H. Bell - 2
Joe Kinosian - 2
Jesse Klug - 2
Michael Mahler - 2
Jessie Mueller - 2
Jacqueline and Richard Penrod - 2
Collette Pollard - 2
Sam Richardson - 2
Rachel Rockwell - 2
Mary Zimmerman – 2