<\/p>\n
In New York, it\u2019s common for theater critics to weigh in with their choices in advance of the Tony Awards and other kudos in the theater business. That\u2019s been rarer, historically, in Chicago. Nonetheless, the Equity Jeff Awards are Monday, and of the 81 Equity-affiliated theater productions nominated from the 2024-25 season, I saw some 75 of them. So, with apologies for the limitations imposed by that caveat, here are shows and people in some select categories that I think especially deserve to win during the ceremony Monday night \u2014 which this year returns to the city at the Harris Theater.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve often been respectfully critical of the Jeff Awards committee, with its plethora of ties and ever-growing list of categories and nominees, so I have forced myself to pick one winner, even when it is very hard. And, for the record, I\u2019m only talking here about shows that were nominated, even though I had a somewhat different list myself.<\/p>\n
So here goes.<\/p>\n
There are many excellent shows in this top category. But \u201cJaja\u2019s African Hair Braiding\u201d<\/a> at Chicago Shakespeare was a re-staging from Broadway, director Ron OJ Parson has done \u201cEast Texas Hot Links\u201d<\/a> before, \u201cPrayer for the French Republic\u201d<\/a> at Northlight was almost<\/em> great, and \u201cIraq, But Funny\u201d<\/a> was a very impressive staging in progress. For me, the righteous choice is between three gutsy, gorgeous stagings, worthy winners all: \u201cBerlin\u201d<\/a> at Court Theatre, \u201cA Raisin in the Sun,\u201d<\/a> also at Court (what a year they had!), and \u201cTranslations\u201d<\/a> at Writers Theatre. I\u2019m going with the exquisite \u201cTranslations,\u201d although I suspect the committee will make a different selection.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t care too much for the Paramount\u2019s circus-fueled \u201cCats,\u201d<\/a> \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet\u201d<\/a> was \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d and the Goodman\u2019s \u201cThe Color Purple\u201d<\/a> had a lot in common with a prior staging. With a shoutout to the improbable intense charms of \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d at Drury Lane, the two worthiest nominees here are \u201cNatasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812\u201d<\/a> at Writers Theatre and \u201cFalsettos\u201d<\/a> at Court Theatre. I\u2019m going with the achingly lovely \u201cFalsettos\u201d but no complaints here if \u201cNatasha\u201d gets the nod.<\/p>\n This is always a weird grab-bag of sketch comedy at Second City, Black Ensemble\u2019s musical biographies and, this year, director Scott Weinstein\u2019s production of \u201cAlways \u2026 Patsy Cline,\u201d<\/a> which I think is a musical, not a revue. But it was fabulous and deserves the nod.<\/p>\n 2025 Equity Jeff Awards: Paramount, Court and Goodman Theatres top the nominations<\/a><\/p>\n Braden Abraham\u2019s work on \u201cTranslations\u201d was magnificent, but given the complexity of Mickle Maher\u2019s adaptation of \u201cBerlin,\u201d this one should rightly go to Charles Newell.<\/p>\n With an admiring nod to Connor Gallagher, who directed the best \u201cTitanic\u201d<\/a> I\u2019ve ever seen, and to Nick Bowling for his moving \u201cFalsettos,\u201d this one deserves to go to Katie Spelman, who both directed and choreographed a powerful, visually gorgeous staging of \u201cNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812\u201d that perfectly matched the aesthetics of Writers Theatre\u2019s home.<\/p>\n This famously sought-after award has a bevy of admirable nominees. For the record, I did not think the cast of \u201cNoises Off\u201d<\/a> at Steppenwolf cohered enough to warrant a nomination. I see this as a choice between the cast of David Cromer\u2019s production of \u201cThe Antiquities\u201d<\/a> at the Goodman and \u201cTranslations.\u201d Given that \u201cThe Antiquities\u201d was a re-staging of a New York production, my pick is \u201cTranslations.\u201d<\/p>\n Once again, many fine ensembles populate the list of nominees. I\u2019m tempted by the cast of \u201cTitantic\u201d at the Marriott Theatre, which pulled off the best ensemble singing of the year, with only \u201cNatasha\u201d as the real competition. But I\u2019m going with \u201cFalsettos,\u201d given how much those actors gave of themselves.<\/p>\n The Jeff Awards typically split this prize between two or more worthy winners and there are many on this list, including the aforementioned \u201cBerlin.\u201d My pick, with the benefit of time and an awareness of the important of works being made in Chicago, is Atra Asdou\u2019s \u201cIraq, But Funny.\u201d This piece was far from flawless but it embodies the spirit of this Jeff.<\/p>\n At least two winners are chosen for this non-gendered award, filled with knockout nominees. J. Harrison Ghee, a Broadway star, certainly was at the heart of \u201cMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil\u201d<\/a> at the Goodman, and Brittney Mack was terrific in \u201cThe Color Purple.\u201d But if we\u2019re not being parochial, I\u2019d go with the visiting Danny Horn, who played Ray Davies in \u201cSunny Afternoon\u201d<\/a> at Chicago Shakespeare, and with Stephen Schellhardt, doing the best work of his long career in \u201cFalsettos.\u201d<\/p>\n No question here for me: With admirable help from Aja Alcazar, Bri Sudia (as Louise) in \u201cAlways \u2026 Patsy Cline\u201d turned what can be seen as a supporting role into a delight from start to finish. And Tamara Batiest was fabulous as the \u201cmature\u201d Patti LuPone in Black Ensemble\u2019s \u201cThat\u2019s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n This should go to Paramount Theatre\u2019s Jeffrey D. Kmiec for \u201cFrozen,\u201d<\/a> who solved a lot of prior problems with this show and delighted his audience at the same time.<\/p>\n My pick is Mara Blumenfeld, also for \u201cFrozen\u201d for precisely those reasons. Big props, though, to Ryan Park and Zhang Yu of \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d at Drury Lane.<\/p>\n I\u2019m sticking with \u201cFrozen\u201d and the work of Greg Hofmann. Big kudos, though, to Yael Lubetzky (\u201cNatasha\u201d) and Ryan O\u2019Gara (\u201cLittle Mermaid\u201d).<\/p>\n In this case, I am going with Michael Daly for \u201cTitanic,\u201d given that Marriott never has sounded better, although the work of Eric Backus in \u201cNatasha\u201d was also phenomenal.<\/p>\n To all of the stellar nominees for best performer in a supporting role in a musical, good luck beating out Sawyer Smith as Ursula in \u201cThe Little Mermaid.\u201d That was a star performance, if ever there was one.<\/p>\n And, as we always say, congratulations to all the nominees.<\/p>\n The 57th anniversary Equity Jeff Awards will be presented in a ceremony Sept. 29 at the Harris Theater; more information at www.jeffawards.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nProduction of a musical (large)<\/h4>\n
Revue<\/h4>\n
Director of a play (large)<\/h4>\n
Director of a musical (large)<\/h4>\n
Ensemble of a play<\/h4>\n
Ensemble of a musical<\/h4>\n
New work<\/h4>\n
Performer in a musical<\/h4>\n
Performer in a revue<\/h4>\n
Scenic design (large)<\/h4>\n
Costume design (large)<\/h4>\n
Lighting design (large)<\/h4>\n
Sound design (large)<\/h4>\n
Finally \u2026<\/h4>\n