Non-Equity Jeff award winners: ‘Sweeney Todd,’ ‘Virginia Woolf’ top list

A “Barber” and a “Woolf” led the pack Monday night at the Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony at the Park West.

The awards, which recognize excellence in non-equity theater in the Chicago area, honored 35 winners, which were selected from 167 nominees representing 28 artistic/technical categories.

Kokandy Productions’ “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” received six awards, including best production (musical or revue), director (musical or revue, Derek Van Barham), music direction (Nick Sula), principal performer (musical or revue, Caitlin Jackson and Kevin Webb) and supporting performer (musical or revue, Patrick O’Keefe).

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” received four awards for Invictus Theatre Company, including best production (play), director (Charles Askenaizer), supporting performer (Rachel Livingston) and scenic design (Kevin Rolfs). The company earned one additional award for principal performer (play, Tekeisha Yelton-Hunter) in “Ruined.”

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s productions of “Refuge” and “8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s” took home top honors for best ensemble in a play and musical revue, respectively, a rare recognition for a single company, according to the Jeff Awards. “Refuge” was also honored for original music in a play (Satya Jnani Chávez) and artistic specialization/puppet design (Adolfo Romero and Lonnae Hickman).

The Story Theatre’s “Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes” received three awards including best ensemble (short run), new work (short run) and director (short run, Terry Guest).

Also receiving three awards was the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art, for “Tebas Land,” including best production short run, performer in a principal role (short run, Tommy Rivera-Vega) and artistic specialization/lighting design (short run, Daphne Agosin).

The ceremony also posthumously presented Myrna Salazar, the late co-founder and executive director of CLATA (Chicago Latino Theater Alliance) and co-founder of Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, with the Special Non-Equity Award for her lifetime achievement in the theater industry and her advocacy for Latino artists.

Below is the full list of award recipients.

2023 Non-Equity Jeff Award Recipients

Production — Play

• “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” — Invictus Theatre Company

Production — Musical or Revue

• “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions

Production — Short Run

• “Tebas Land” — Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Ensemble — Play

• “Refuge” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Ensemble — Musical or Revue

• “8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Ensemble — Short Run

• “Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes” — The Story Theatre

Director — Play

• Charles Askenaizer — “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” — Invictus Theatre Company

Director — Musical or Revue

• Derek Van Barham — “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions

Director — Short Run

• Terry Guest — “Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes”— The Story Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role — Play

• Ana Santos-Sánchez (Ana Morgana) — “La gran tirana (descarga dramática)” — Aguijón Theater Company
• Tekeisha Yelton-Hunter (Mama Nadi) — “Ruined” — Invictus Theatre Company

Performer in a Principal Role — Musical Revue

• Caitlin Jackson (Mrs. Lovett) — “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions
• Kevin Webb (Sweeney Todd) — “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions

Performer in a Principal Role — Short Run

• Tommy Rivera-Vega (Martín) — “Tebas Land” — Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Performer in a Supporting Role — Play

• Rachel Livingston (Honey) — “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” — Invictus Theatre Company
• Todd Wojcik (Narrator) — “The Pavilion” — The Artistic Home

Performer in a Supporting Role — Musical or Revue

• LJ Bullen (Kate) — “The Wild Party” — Blank Theatre Company
• Patrick O’Keefe (Tobias Ragg) — “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions

Performer in a Supporting Role — Short Run

• Dakota Hughes (Hunchback) — “Frankenstreisand” — Hell in a Handbag Productions

Solo Performance — Short Run

• Flaco Navaja — “Evolution of a Sonero” — Urban Theater Company

New Work

• Siah Berlatsky — “Malapert Love”— The Artistic Home
• Tina Fakhrid-Deen — “Pulled Punches” — MPAACT, Ma’at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

New Work — Short Run

• Terry Guest — “Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes” – The Story Theatre

Scenic Design

• Kevin Rolfs — “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” — Invictus Theatre Company

Costume Design

• Beth Laske-Miller & Bill Morey — “A Fine Feathered Murder” — Hell in a Handbag Productions

Sound Design

• Eric Backus — “Solaris” — Griffin Theatre Company

Lighting Design

• Benjamin Carne — “Botticelli in the Fire” — First Floor Theater

Choreography

• Lauryn Schmelzer — “The Wild Party” — Blank Theatre Company

Original Music in a Play

• Satya Jnani Chávez — “Refuge” — Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Music Direction

• Nick Sula — “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” — Kokandy Productions      

Projection Design

• Erin Pleake — “Chagall in School” — Grippo Stage Company

Artistic Specialization

• Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design) — “After the Blast” — Broken Nose Theatre
• Adolfo Romero & Lonnae Hickman (Puppet Design) — “Refuge” — Theo Ubique Cabaret
• Theatre Augusto Yanacopulos (Properties Design) — “La gran tirana (descarga dramática)” — Aguijón Theater Company

Artistic Specialization — Short Run

• Daphne Agosin (Lighting Design) — “Tebas Land” — Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Special Non-Equity Award

• Myrna Salazar