ARTICLES

Paramount Theatre led all theatres with 14 nominations, all for musicals in the Large Theatre category. “West Side Story” received seven, “Oklahoma!” four, “Hairspray” two, and “A Christmas Story, the Musical” one. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, and Porchlight Music Theatre each had 12 nominations. Chicago Shakespeare’s nominated productions included five for “The Tempest”, four for “Ride the Cyclone”, two for “The Heir Apparent”, and one for “Othello”. Goodman’s nominations included five each for “2666” and “War Paint”, and one each for “The Matchmaker” and “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”. Porchlight, a mid-sized theatre, garnered six for “Dreamgirls”, four for “Sideshow”, and two for “Far from Heaven”.

After writing three-hundred and fifty-one reviews in two years (and seeing another 185 shows), I have decided to leave ChicagoCritic.com. I would like to thank Tom Williams for giving me this opportunity, the friends I’ve made among the other reviewers, Jeff committee members and Saints, and, most of all, the theatre practitioners for welcoming me so graciously and treating me so kindly

On June 13, The Saints, a volunteer group for the performing arts, held their third annual Grants Celebration and Presentation ceremony. In an hour long program emceed by Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman at the Athenaeum Theatre, twenty-seven performing arts companies were awarded grants which totaled $125,000. The amount granted was a new record for The Saints, who have given over $800,000 to the performing arts.

Nominees Announced For the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards (2016)