For the first time since 2019, the venerable Joseph Jefferson Awards for Chicago theater were presented in person Monday night at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. For the 54th annual awards for union-affiliated Equity productions, the all-volunteer committee found favorites in the Goodman Theatre’s Broadway-bound “Good Night, Oscar,” A Red Orchid Theater’s “The Moors,” Paramount Theatre’s fresh staging of the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots,” Teatro Vista’s “Somewhere Over the Border” and Porchlight Music Theatre’s “Blues in the Night.”
Jeff winner for best performer Sean Hayes, once a Chicago actor and musician and the star of “Good Night, Oscar,” attended in person, as did the play’s Jeff Award-winning writer Doug Wright.
“I wanted to show up for my hometown,” Hayes said. “Ever since I was a kid growing up in Chicago, I wanted to win a Jeff Award.” Now he has.
The ceremony, exuberantly hosted by E. Faye Butler, was an especially emotional one, reflecting a community that has not assembled for such an occasion in three years. Performances from nominated musicals, featuring both local and out-of-town performers, were especially rich.
Due to the pandemic, the Jeff committee introduced a new “short run” category for shows that did not meet its minimum length of dates: About Face Theatre’s “The Magnolia Ballet” emerged victorious.
The prized ensemble Jeff Award, a long-standing Chicago tradition, was shared by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s actors in “Choir Boy” and the cast of comedic veterans in Drury Lane’s “Steel Magnolias.” For a musical, the award went to Teatro Vista for “Somewhere Over the Border.”
The Joseph Jefferson Award Committee no longer separates acting awards according to gender. The best lead performer in a play awards went to Hayes and Cassidy Slaughter-Mason, who appeared in “The Luckiest” at Raven Theatre. And both Richard Bermudez (“Evita” at Drury Lane) and Michael Wordly (“Kinky Boots”) won for their work in musicals.
Other major acting awards went to Bethany Thomas (“Songs for Nobodies” at Northlight Theatre) and Felicia P. Fields (“Blues in the Night”).
The Jeffs for best new work went to both Wright for “Good Night, Oscar” and Tyla Abercrumbie, whose epic drama “Relentless” was a sold-out hit for the TimeLine Theatre Company.
A special Jeff was award to the veteran and much-loved Chicago director and longtime Goodman artistic associate Chuck Smith. “Please be careful swimming out there in the waters of the internet,” Smith said to the assembled theater community. “Let’s figure out a way we can come together more often than to accept awards.”
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
WINNERS OF THE 2022 EQUITY JEFF AWARDS
Production of a Play (Large; the Dr. Harlan Haimes Award): “Good Night, Oscar” – Goodman Theatre
Production of a Play (Midsize): “The Moors” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Production of a Musical (Large): “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
Production of a Musical (Midsize): “Somewhere Over the Border” – Teatro Vista
Production of a Revue (Large): “Blues in the Night” – Porchlight Music Theatre
Director of a Play (Large): Ron OJ Parson – “Relentless” – TimeLine Theatre Company
Director of a Play (Midsize): Kirsten Fitzgerald – “The Moors” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Director of a Musical (Large): Trent Stork – “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
Director of a Musical (Midsize): Denise Yvette Serna – “Somewhere Over the Border” – Teatro Vista
Director of a Revue (Large): Kenny Ingram – “Blues in the Night” – Porchlight Music Theatre
Ensemble of a Play:
“Choir Boy” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“Steel Magnolias” – Drury Lane Productions
Ensemble of a Musical: “Somewhere Over the Border” – Teatro Vista
Performer in a Principal Role, Play:
Sean Hayes – “Good Night, Oscar” – Goodman Theatre
Cassidy Slaughter-Mason – “The Luckiest” – Raven Theatre
Performer in a Principal Role, Musical:
Richard Bermudez – “Evita” – Drury Lane Productions
Michael Wordly – “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
Performer in a Revue: Felicia P. Fields – “Blues in the Night” – Porchlight Music Theatre
Solo Performance: Bethany Thomas – “Songs for Nobodies” – Northlight Theatre
Performer in a Supporting Role of a Play:
Sheldon D. Brown – “Choir Boy” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Elizabeth Ledo – “Steel Magnolias” – Drury Lane Productions
Performer in a Supporting Role of a Musical:
Daniella Dalli – “The Sound of Music” – Marriott Theatre
Sara Reinecke – “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
New Work (the Libby Adler Mages Award):
Tyla Abercrumbie – “Relentless” – TimeLine Theatre Company
Doug Wright – “Good Night, Oscar” – Goodman Theatre
Scenic Design (Large): Rachel Hauck – “Good Night, Oscar” – Goodman Theatre
Scenic Design (Midsize): Joe Schermoly – “Hurricane Diane” – Theater Wit
Costume Design (Large): Ryan Park – “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
Costume Design (Midsize): Myron Elliott-Cisneros – “The Moors” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Sound Design (Large): André Pluess – “Good Night, Oscar” – Goodman Theatre
Sound Design (Midsize): Jeffrey Levin – “The Moors” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Lighting Design (Large): Jason Lynch – “Choir Boy” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Lighting Design (Midsize): K Story – “The Moors” – A Red Orchid Theatre
Choreography: Alex Sanchez – “West Side Story” – Marriott Theatre
Music Direction:
Kory Danielson – “Kinky Boots” – Paramount Theatre
David Fiorello – “Blues in the Night” – Porchlight Music Theatre
Original Music in a Play: Pornchanok Kanchanabanca – “Gem of the Ocean” – Goodman Theatre
Fight Choreography: Christian Kelly-Sordelet and David Blixt – “Athena” – Writers Theatre
Projection Design: Rasean Davonte Johnson and Michael Salvatore Commendatore – “It Came From Outer Space” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater with Universal Theatrical Group
Artistic Specialization: Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi – Circus and Movement Design – “Lookingglass Alice” – Lookingglass Theatre with Actors Gymnasium
Short Run Production: “The Magnolia Ballet” – About Face Theatre
Short Run Production, Ensemble: “What to Send Up When It Goes Down” – Congo Square Theatre Company
Short Run Production of a New Work: Natalie Y. Moore – “The Billboard” – 16th Street Theater
Short Run Production, Performer: Terry Guest – “The Magnolia Ballet” – About Face Theatre
Short Run Production, Design: Angela Weber Miller – “Who’s Holiday!” – Theater Wit
Special Award: Chuck Smith for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre
