Court Theatre’s revival of Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky was named best production of a play at Monday night’s 49th annual Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremony, while the Paramount Theatre in suburban Aurora took best production of a musical for Sweeney Todd. Both shows’ directors, Ron OJ Parson and Jim Corti, respectively, were also honored. The award for best ensemble went to the cast of East Texas Hot Links at Writers Theatre, which was also directed by Parson.
Three of the seven nominees in the new play category, which is non-competitive, received awards: Michael Cristofer’s Man in the Ring, which premiered at Court, Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s Jane Austen sequel Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, at Northlight, and Antoinette Nwandu’s searing Pass Over, at Steppenwolf.
The full list of winners is below; you can revisit the complete nominations here. Next up: The 2018 non-Equity Jeff Awards will be presented on June 11, 2018.
Production—Play—Large
Blues for an Alabama Sky, Court Theatre
Production—Play—Midsize
Born Yesterday, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Production—Musical—Large
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Paramount Theatre
Production—Musical—Midsize
The Scottsboro Boys, Porchlight Music Theatre
Production—Revue
Smokey Joe's Café, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace
Ensemble
East Texas Hot Links, Writers Theatre
New Play
Michael Cristofer, Man in the Ring, Court Theatre
Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Northlight Theatre
Antoinette Nwandu, Pass Over, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Director—Play
Ron OJ Parson, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Court Theatre
Director—Musical or Revue
Jim Corti, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Paramount Theatre
Principal Actor—Play
Alex Weisman (Jason/Tyrone), Hand to God, Victory Gardens Theater
Principal Actor—Musical
Paul-Jordan Jansen (Sweeney Todd), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Paramount Theatre
Principal Actress—Play
Angela Ingersoll (Judy Garland), End of the Rainbow, Porchlight Music Theatre
Principal Actress—Musical
Kathy Voytko (Francesca), The Bridges of Madison County, Marriott Theatre
Solo Performance
Linda Reiter (Rose Kennedy), Rose, Greenhouse Theater Center
Supporting Actor—Play
Marton Csokas (Astrov), Uncle Vanya, Goodman Theatre
Supporting Actor—Musical
Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Jim Conley), Parade, Writers Theatre
Supporting Actress—Play
Kymberly Mellen (Susan Mary Alsop), The Columnist, American Blues Theater
Supporting Actress—Musical
E. Faye Butler (Matron Mama Morton), Chicago, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace
Actor—Revue
Austin Cook (The Man), Marry Me a Little, Porchlight Music Theatre
Actress—Revue
Michelle Lauto (Ensemble), Spamilton, Royal George Theatre
Scenic Design—Large
Jeffrey D. Kmiec, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Paramount Theatre
Scenic Design—Midsize
Joe Schermoly, Naperville, Theater Wit
Costume Design—Large
Theresa Ham, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Paramount Theatre
Costume Design—Midsize
Kristy Leigh Hall, Pygmalion, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Sound Design—Large
Andre Pluess, Man in the Ring, Court Theatre
Sound Design—Midsize
Grover Holloway, The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, The House Theatre of Chicago
Lighting Design—Large
Nick Belley and Jesse Klug, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Paramount Theatre
Lighting Design—Midsize
Cat Davis, The River Bride, Halcyon Theatre
Choreography
Matthew Crowle, Crazy for You, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace
Original Music
Orbert Davis, Paradise Blue, TimeLine Theatre Company
Music Direction
Tom Vendafreddo, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Paramount Theatre
Puppet Design
Jesse Mooney-Bullock, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Paramount Theatre
Projection Design
Mike Tutaj, Objects in the Mirror, Goodman Theatre