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Director Penny Metropulos' stirring take on Alan Bennett's "The Madness of George III" and Mary Zimmerman's revisionist production of "Candide" at the Goodman Theatre shared top honors for large theaters at the 2011 Joseph Jefferson Awards, with the Remy Bumppo Theatre production of Edwards Albee's "The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?" and American Theater Company's retro, Chicago-style version of "The Original Grease" honored as the best shows of the year in Chicago's mid-size Equity theaters.
The much-coveted best-ensemble award at this year's Jeffs, Monday night at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oak Brook, also went to American Theater Company and the cast of Dan LeFranc's "The Big Meal," a play wherein the dining table becomes a metaphor for the passing of generations and one ordinary couple's influence on the lives that follow.
Harry Groener, the star of "The Madness of George III," emerged as the winner in the hotly contested category of actor in a principal role (play), despite formidable competition from Tracy Letts in the Steppenwolf Theatre's Broadway-bound production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (which, remarkably, left the awards empty-handed) and John Mahoney, who starred in Northlight Theatre's "The Outgoing Tide." Bruce Graham's "Outgoing Tide" shared the award for new play with David Henry Hwang's "Chinglish," a Goodman Theatre premiere currently playing on Broadway. Hwang accepted the Jeff in person.
Honored actresses included Annabel Armour (for "The Goat") and Jessie Mueller for "She Loves Me" at Writers' Theatre in Glencoe. Barbara Robertson triumphed in the category of best solo performance for her tour de force performance in "The Detective's Wife," also at Writers' Theatre.
The dominant musical of the year was surely "Candide," with acting honors going to Geoff Packard and Larry Yando. Zimmerman scored an unusual "new adaptation" Jeff, given that this was an existing musical, albeit with a book that Zimmerman adapted from the original Voltaire text.
Second City also had a fun night, scoring three Jeff Awards for its e.t.c. revue, "Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting)," even as the mainstage show went home empty handed.
A special Jeff was awarded Monday to Hedy Weiss, the longtime theater and dance critic at the Chicago Sun-Times. Kathryn V. Lamkey, the outgoing chairwoman of the Actors' Equity union, was honored for her years of service to Chicago theater and its actors.
2011 JEFF EQUITY AWARD RECIPIENTS
PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE
"The Madness of George III" — Chicago Shakespeare Theater
PRODUCTION – PLAY – MIDSIZE
"Edward Albee's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?" — Remy Bumppo Theatre
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE
"Candide" – Goodman Theatre
PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – MIDSIZE
"The Original Grease" – American Theater Company
PRODUCTION – REVUE
"Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting)" – Second City e.t.c.
DIRECTOR – PLAY
Penny Metropulos – "The Madness of George III" – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
Charles Newell – "Porgy and Bess" – Court Theatre
ENSEMBLE
"The Big Meal" – American Theater Company
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Harry Groener – "The Madness of George III" – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Geoff Packard – "Candide" – Goodman Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY
Annabel Armour – "Edward Albee's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?" – Remy Bumppo Theatre
ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL
Jessie Mueller – "She Loves Me" – Writers' Theatre
ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A REVUE
Tim Baltz – "Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting)" – Second City e.t.c.
SOLO PERFORMANCE
Barbara Robertson – "The Detective's Wife" – Writers' Theatre
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Mike Nussbaum – "Broadway Bound" – Drury Lane Productions
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Larry Yando – "Candide" – Goodman Theatre
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – PLAY
Diana Simonzadeh – "Scorched" – Silk Road Theatre Project
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICAL
Hollis Resnik – "Candide" – Goodman Theatre
NEW WORK – PLAY
• Bruce Graham – "The Outgoing Tide" – Northlight Theatre
• David Henry Hwang – "Chinglish" – Goodman Theatre
NEW WORK – MUSICAL OR REVUE
• Tim Baltz, Aidy Bryant, Jesse Case, Matt Hovde, Brendan Jennings, Jessica Joy, Michael Lehrer and Mary Sohn – "Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting)" at Second City e.t.c.
• Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair – "Murder for Two – A Killer Musical" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
NEW ADAPTATION – PLAY OR MUSICAL
Mary Zimmerman -"Candide" – Goodman Theatre
CHOREOGRAPHY
Tammy Mader – "42nd Street" – Marriott Theatre
ORIGINAL INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Andrew Hansen – "To Master the Art" – TimeLine Theatre
MUSIC DIRECTION
Doug Peck – "Porgy and Bess" – Court Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN – LARGE
David Korins – "Chinglish" – Goodman Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Collette Pollard – "The Front Page" – TimeLine Theatre
LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE
Jason Lyons – "White Noise"
LIGHTING DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Sarah Hughey – "Scorched" – Silk Road Theatre Project
COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE
Susan E. Mickey – "The Madness of George III" – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
COSTUME DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Bill Morey – "The King and I" – Porchlight Music Theatre
SOUND DESIGN – LARGE
Mikhail Fiksel – "Travels with My Aunt" – Writers' Theatre
SOUND DESIGN – MIDSIZE
Peter J. Storms – "Scorched" – Silk Road Theatre Project
FIGHT / MOVEMENT DIRECTION
Rick Sordelet – "Romeo and Juliet" – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
PROJECTIONS / VIDEO DESIGN
• John Boesche – "A Twist of Water" – Route 66 Theatre
• Mike Tutaj – "In Darfur" – TimeLine Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
• Tracy Otwell – toy theater design – "The Last Act of Lilka Kadison" at Lookingglass Theatre
• Melissa Veal – wig and makeup design – "The Madness of George III" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
SPECIAL AWARD
Hedy Weiss
TRIBUTE AWARD
Kathryn V. Lamkey