2020 JEFF EQUITY AWARDS Winners
Here are the winners in 30 categories of The 52nd Annual Equity Jeff Awards. The virtual Jeff Equity Awards Ceremony took place on Monday, November 9, 2020.
2020 Jeff Award Recipients:
Production – Play (Large)
“King Hedley II” – Court Theatre
Production – Play (Midsize)
“The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse
Production – Musical or Revue (Large)
“An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions
Production – Musical or Revue (Midsize)
“Monty Python’s Spamalot” – Mercury Theater Chicago
Ensemble – Play
“The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse
“The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys” – Steep Theatre Company
Ensemble – Musical or Revue
“Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – Porchlight Music Theatre
New Work
Lee Edward Colston II – “The First Deep Breath” – Victory Gardens Theater
Levi Holloway – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Loy A. Webb – “His Shadow: A Parable” – 16th Street Theater
Director – Play (Large)
Wardell Julius Clark – “Kill Move Paradise” – TimeLine Theatre Company
Director – Play (Midsize)
Carl Menninger – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse
Director – Musical or Revue (Large)
Lili-Anne Brown – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions
Director – Musical or Revue (Midsize)
L. Walter Stearns – “Monty Python’s Spamalot” – Mercury Theater Chicago
Performer in a Principal Role – Play
Carrie Coon (Agnes White) – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Hedley) – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre
Performer in a Principal Role – Musical
Josh Drake (Jerry Mulligan) – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions
Eben K. Logan (Celie) – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions
Solo Performance
Rebecca Spence (Narrator) – “Every Brilliant Thing” – Windy City Playhouse
Performer in a Revue
Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (The Raconteur) – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”
Porchlight Music Theatre
Performer in a Supporting Role – Play
Deanna Reed-Foster (Pearl Thomas) – “The First Deep Breath” Victory Gardens Theater
A.C. Smith (Elmore) – “King Hedley II” – Court Theatre
Performer in a Supporting Role – Musical
Skyler Adams (Adam Hochberg) – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions
Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) – “The Color Purple” – Drury Lane Productions
Scenic Design – Large
Takeshi Kata – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Scenic Design – Midsize
William Boles – “The Boys in the Band” – Windy City Playhouse
Joe Schermoly – “The Gulf” – About Face Theatre
Costume Design – Large
Theresa Ham – “Beauty and the Beast” – Paramount Theatre
Costume Design – Midsize
Kristy Leigh Hall – “Howards End” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Sound Design – Large
Mikhail Fiksel – “Dana H.” – Goodman Theatre
Sound Design – Midsize
Jeffrey Levin – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Lighting Design – Large
Heather Gilbert – “Bug” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Lighting Design – Midsize
Mike Durst – “Grey House” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Choreography
Lynne Kurdziel-Formato – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions
Original Music in a Play
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – “Lindiwe” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Musical Direction
Jermaine Hill – “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – Porchlight Music Theatre
Projection Design
Kevan Loney – “An American in Paris” – Drury Lane Productions
Artistic Specialization
Breon Arzell (Movement Choreographer) – “Kill Move Paradise” TimeLine Theatre Company
Steve Cuiffo (Illusion and Lip Sync Consultant) – “Dana H.” – Goodman Theatre
Multiple Nominations
By Company:
Drury Lane Productions – 8
Windy City Playhouse – 5
Steppenwolf Theatre Company – 4
A Red Orchid Theatre – 3
Court Theatre – 3
Porchlight Music Theatre – 3
Goodman Theatre – 2
Mercury Theater Chicago – 2
TimeLine Theatre Company – 2
Victory Gardens Theater – 2
By Production:
“An American in Paris” – 5
“The Boys in the Band” – 4
“Bug” – 3
“Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies” – 3
“Grey House” – 3
“King Hedley II” – 3
“The Color Purple” – 3
“Dana H.” – 2
“Kill Move Paradise” – 2
“Monty Python’s Spamalot” – 2
“The First Deep Breath” – 2
2020 Honor Roll Awards
In addition to the traditional Jeff Awards, six Chicago-based organizations that have made extraordinary efforts to support the arts and artists during the pandemic were recognized. The Jeff Awards Honor Roll spotlights the work of groups in 2020 which have taken their passion for Chicago theater to another level to ensure the arts community survives and thrives.
They are:
- League of Chicago Theatres
- The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund – administered by Arts Alliance Illinois in partnership
- with 3Arts and Arts Work Fund
- Chicago Theatre Relief Fund – developed by the League of Chicago Theatres
- and seeded with a generous grant from the Saints
- Season of Concern
- The Chicago Theatre Bike Ride
- The Show Will Go On! – A Youth Benefit Concert to Support Chicago Theatres