Awards

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