Live from 2010 Jeff Equity Awards: 'Ragtime' and 'Chad Deity' are biggest winners
"Ragtime," which played at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace March through May this year, was the big musical winner of the 42nd annual Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards, held Monday night in Oakbrook Terrace. “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” won for best large play.
“The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” a wrestling-themed drama by Kristoffer Diaz, scored a knockout Monday night at the 42nd annual round of the Joseph Jefferson Awards.
The show, first produced by the Victory Gardens Theater in association with Teatro Vista and a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist currently in development for Broadway, slammed its way to five Jeffs in major catagories. Its director, Edward Torres, beat out David Cromer, nominated for his Writers' Theatre production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Playwright Diaz, who gave a powerful speech at Monday night's event, emerged triumphant from a singularly powerful roster of new plays first produced in Chicago.
"You took me to my first play and to my first WWF event," said acting winner Desmin Borges, referencing his parents. "You made me into the man I am today."
The Jeff Committee, which judged 111 Equity-affiliated shows in Chicago this past season, also liked the Drury Lane's production of “Ragtime,” which sashayed to eight Jeffs, the most of any show this year. "I've waited 20 years for this," said Roberta Duchak, the musical director.
Top acting honors went to Borges, Quentin Earl Darrington (winning, he said Monday night, the first important award of his career), Cory Goodrich, Natasha Lowe, Francis Guinan, Mark David Kaplan, Natalie West and Mary Beth Fisher, honored for her solo performance in the Court Theatre's “The Year of Magical Thinking.”
This year's Jeffs, which were hosted in classy fashion by actors Deanna Dunagan and Felicia P. Fields and was the most proficient and enjoyable ceremony in some years, were held at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace. Not all the winners were present. The ceremony was slated on the same night as a Goodman opening, and, bizarrely, only one of the members of the Steppenwolf ensemble of "The Brother/Sister Plays" appeared to collect the Jeff.
Nonetheless, this was a night to celebrate Chicago theater.
"No Broadway lights or jumping kangaroos," Dunagan said, "can substitute for the city that works."
The return of the Jeffs to Drury Lane, and the formidable achievements of "Ragtime," were further confirmation of that theater's renaissance. There were many shout-outs to the DeSantis family from the stage reflecting wide gratitude that the younger generation of the famous theatrical family had re-energized such a much-loved theater, founded by their grandfather, Tony DeSantis.
"Tony," said winner Mark David Kaplan, "would be so proud of what you have done."
Winners of the 42nd Annual Jeff Equity Awards:
PRODUCTION / PLAY (LARGE): “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” – Victory Gardens in association with Teatro Vista
PRODUCTION / PLAY (MIDSIZE): “The Farnsworth Invention” – TimeLine Theatre Company
PRODUCTION / MUSICAL (LARGE): “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
PRODUCTION / REVUE: “Oh Coward!” – Writers’ Theatre
ENSEMBLE: “The Brother/Sister Plays” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
DIRECTOR / PLAY: Edward Torres – “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” – Victory Gardens with Teatro Vista
DIRECTOR / MUSICAL: Rachel Rockwell – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
SOLO PERFORMANCE: Mary Beth Fisher – “The Year of Magical Thinking” – Court Theatre
ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE / PLAY: Desmin Borges – “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” - Victory Gardens with Teatro Vista
ACTOR IN PRINCIPAL ROLE / MUSICAL: Quentin Earl Darrington – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE / PLAY: Natasha Lowe – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Writers’ Theatre
ACTRESS IN PRINCIPAL ROLE / MUSICAL: Cory Goodrich – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE / PLAY: Francis Guinan – “A Guide for the Perplexed” – Victory Gardens Theater
ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE / MUSICAL: Mark David Kaplan – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE / PLAY: Natalie West – “Abigail’s Party” – A Red Orchid Theatre
ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE / MUSICAL: Valisia LeKae – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
ACTOR IN A REVUE: Rob Lindley – “Oh Coward!” – Writers’ Theatre
ACTRESS IN A REVUE: Kate Fry – “Oh Coward!” – Writers’ Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN (LARGE): Walt Spangler – “A True History of the Johnstown Flood” – Goodman Theatre
SCENIC DESIGN (MIDSIZE): James Leaming – “Tobacco Road” – American Blues Theater
COSTUMES (LARGE): Alison Siple – “The Mystery of Irma Vep” – Court Theatre
COSTUMES (MIDSIZE): Sarah E. Ross and Kristin DeiTos – “Tobacco Road” – American Blues Theater
LIGHTING (LARGE): John Culbert – “The Illusion” – Court Theatre
LIGHTING (MIDSIZE): Jaymi Lee Smith – “Mary’s Wedding” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
SOUND (LARGE): Ray Nardelli – “Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale” – Lookingglass and Silverguy Entertainment
SOUND (MIDSIZE): Victoria DeIorio – “Mary’s Wedding” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
CHOREOGRAPHY: Tammy Mader – “Thoroughly Modern Millie” – Drury Lane Productions
INCIDENTAL MUSIC: Ray Nardelli, Andre Pluess, Joshua Horvath, and Kevin O’Donnell – “Hephaestus” – Lookingglass and Silverguy Entertainment
MUSIC DIRECTION: Roberta Duchak – “Ragtime” – Drury Lane Productions
NEW WORK / PLAY: Kristoffer Diaz - “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” – Victory Gardens with Teatro Vista
MULTIMEDIA DESIGN: Bridges Media – “Trust” – Lookingglass Theatre Company
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY: David Woolley – “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” – Victory Gardens with Teatro Vista