Joseph Jefferson Awards Nominations Announced

The nominations for the Joseph Jefferson Awards, which recognize achievement in the Chicago professional theatre, have been announced. This year's awards cover the period spanning July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Leading productions include, with eight nominations; Kinky Boots, produced by Paramount Theatre; with seven nominations, Goodman Theatre's Good Night, Oscar, A Red Orchid Theatre's The Moors, TimeLine Theatre Company's Relentless, and Drury Lane Productions' The King and I; and with six nominations, Porchlight Music Theatre's Blues in the Night, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Universal Theatre Group's It Came from Outer Space; Lookingglass Theatre's Lookingglass Alice; and Teatro Vista's Somewhere Over the Border. Designers with multiple nominations include Christopher Kriz (sound), Jack Magaw (scenery), Ryan Park (costumes), André Pluess (sound), and Rasean Davonte Johnson (projections.)

Five theatre companies were recognized with more than ten nominations each. Drury Lane Productions garnered the most honors with 21 from five productions. Goodman Theatre received 20 nominations, four of which were co-productions with other companies, followed by Marriott Theatre (16), Paramount Theatre (13), and a tie between Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company (10).

Scenic Design - Large
Linda Buchanan, Gem of the Ocean, Goodman Theatre
Rachel Hauck, Good Night, Oscar, Goodman Theatre
Jack Magaw, Relentless, TimeLine Theatre Company
Jack Magaw, Two Trains Running, Court Theatre
Angela Weber Miller, Steel Magnolias Drury Lane Productions
Todd Rosenthal, King James, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group
Arnel Sancianco, The Chinese Lady, TimeLine Theatre Company

Scenic Design - Midsize
Sarah Lewis. Naperville, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
Michelle Lilly, The Tragedy of King Christophe, The House Theatre of Chicago
Lindsay Mummert, Spay, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Scott Penner, Rasheeda Speaking, Shattered Globe Theatre
Joe Schermoly, Hurricane Diane, Theater Wit

Costume Design - Large
Raquel Adorno, Intimate Apparel, Northlight Theatre
Theresa Ham, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, Paramount Theatre
Izumi Inaba, The Chinese Lady, TimeLine Theatre Company
Ryan Park, Evita, Drury Lane Productions
Ryan Park, Kinky Boots, Paramount Theatre
Christine Pascual, Relentless, TimeLine Theatre Company

Costume Design - Midsize
Mara Blumenfeld and Maddy Low, Hurricane Diane, Theater Wit
Myron Elliott-Cisneros, The Moors A Red Orchid Theatre
Izumi Inaba, The Tragedy of King Christophe, The House Theatre of Chicago
Marquecia Jordan, Sister Act, Mercury Theater Chicago
Rachel Lambert, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story, Oak Park Festival Theatre

Sound Design - Large
G Clausen, Queen of the Night, Victory Gardens Theater
Pornchanok Kanchanabanca, Gem of the Ocean, Goodman Theatre
Ray Nardelli, Lookingglass Alice, Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium
André Pluess, Good Night, Oscar, Goodman Theatre
André Pluess, The Lady From the Sea,, Court Theatre
André Pluess, Mr. Dickens' Hat, Northlight Theatre

Sound Design - Midsize
Joyce Ciesil, Hurricane Diane, Theater Wit
Michael Huey, Passage, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Christopher Kriz, The Last Pair of Earlies, Raven Theatre
Christopher Kriz, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story, Oak Park Festival Theatre
Jeffrey Levin, The Moors, A Red Orchid Theatre
Josh Schmidt, The Tragedy of King Christophe, The House Theatre of Chicago

Lighting Design - Large
Lee Fiskness, Forever Plaid, Drury Lane Productions
Greg Hofmann, Rock of Ages, Paramount Theatre
Jason Lynch, Choir Boy, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Robert Perry, Gem of the Ocean, Goodman Theatre
Yi Zhao, Life After, Goodman Theatre

Lighting Design - Midsize
Simean "Sim" Carpenter, The Last Pair of Earlies, Raven Theatre
Liz Gomez and Mac Vaughey, Passage, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Piper Kirchhofer, Hurricane Diane, Theater Wit
Jessica Neill, The Tragedy of King Christophe, The House Theatre of Chicago
K. Story, The Moors, A Red Orchid Theatre

Projection Design
Rasean Davonte Johnson, Fannie, The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer, Gpoodman Theatre in association with Seattle Rep and Asolo Repertory Theatre
Rasean Davonte Johnson, Her Honor Jane Byrne, Lookingglass Theatre
Rasean Davonte Johnson and Michael Salvatore Commendatore, It Came From Outer Space, Chicago Shakespeare Theater in association with Universal Theatrical Group
Liviu Pasare, Somewhere Over the Border, Teatro Vista
Mike Tutaj, Groundhog Day The Musical< Paramount Theatre

The 54th anniversary Equity Jeff Awards will take place October 17 at Drury Lane in Oakbrook, Illinois. This return to a live awards show follows the last program that was presented virtually during the pandemic in 2020. The ceremony will be directed by Jim Corti and hosted by E. Faye Butler, with musical direction by David Fiorello.

For the full list of nominees, go to www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/article/Equity-Jeff-Awards-Announce-2022-Nominations-20220824.