‘Cats,’ ‘The Color Purple’ and ‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812’ high 2025 Equity Jeff nominations

Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, which staged an acrobatic–stuffed remount of “Cats” this previous spring, tops this 12 months’s checklist of nominations for 2025 Equity Jeffs, that are awards usually given to the world’s largest playhouses.

The Paramount, which is understood for its musical prowess, garnered 26 nominations throughout a manufacturing checklist that additionally included “Frozen” and the jukebox musical “Million Dollar Quartet.”

Other theaters incomes essentially the most nominations this 12 months embody the Goodman Theatre and Hyde Park’s Court Theatre with 21 nominations every. The Goodman acquired eight nods for its first–ever manufacturing of the musical “The Color Purple,” which it staged this summer season beneath the course of Lili-Anne Brown; it was additionally acknowledged with appearing nominations for “Primary Trust” (together with for lead actor Namir Smallwood) and within the “New Work” class for Jordan Harrison’s future-hopping play “The Antiquities.”

Court Theatre’s checklist of nominations included its manufacturing of “A Raisin in the Sun,” the world premiere of “Berlin,” and the musical “Falsettos,” which it co-produced with TimeLine Theatre Company.

A trio of suburban theaters rounds out the checklist of high nominations. Writers Theatre in Glencoe earned 19 nods, with 11 of these for “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” — essentially the most for any single manufacturing. Drury Lane Productions and Marriott Theatre every acquired 16 nominations. After “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” at Writers Theatre, the productions receiving essentially the most single nominations are “Cats” at Paramount Theatre (9), “The Color Purple” at Goodman Theatre (8) and “Frozen” at Paramount Theatre (8).

Equity awards acknowledged exhibits staged beneath union contracts and are usually given out within the fall. The winners of the Equity Jeff Awards will probably be introduced at a ceremony on Sept. 29 on the Harris Theater.

Each spring, the Jeff Awards additionally acknowledge excellence in non-unionized productions with a slate of Non-Equity awards.

Here is the complete checklist of nominees.

Production — Play — Large

“The Audience” – Drury Lane Productions

“Berlin” – Court Theatre

“East Texas Hot Links” – Court Theatre

“Iraq, But Funny” – Lookingglass Theatre Company

“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse; introduced in affiliation with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze

“Prayer for the French Republic” – Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit

“Primary Trust” – Goodman Theatre

“A Raisin in the Sun” – Court Theatre

“Translations” – Writers Theatre

Production — Play — Midsize

“Art” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

“A Case for the Existence of God” – Steep Theatre

“Ironbound” – Raven Theatre

“Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

“A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Production — Musical — Large — The Susan and Harlan Haimes Award

“Cats” – Paramount Theatre

“The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

“Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

“Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

“Million Dollar Quartet” – Paramount Theatre

“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

“Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

Production — Revue

“Always…Patsy Cline” – Drury Lane Productions

“Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone” – The Second City e.t.c.

“Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People” – Black Ensemble Theater

“That’s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ” – Black Ensemble Theater

“This Too Shall Slap” – The Second City

Ensemble — Play

“The Antiquities” – Goodman Theatre, Playwrights Horizon and Vineyard Theatre

“Art” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

“Berlin” – Court Theatre

“East Texas Hot Links” – Court Theatre

“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Arena Stage,

Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse; introduced in affiliation with

Madison Wells Live and LaChanze

“Noises Off” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company in a co–manufacturing with Geffen Playhouse

“Peter and the Starcatcher” – Paramount Theatre

“Prayer for the French Republic” – Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit

“A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

“Translations” – Writers Theatre

Ensemble — Musical or Revue

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” – Paramount Theatre

“42 Balloons” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

“Cats” – Paramount Theatre

“The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

“Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

“This Too Shall Slap” – The Second City

“Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

“Titanique” – Porchlight Music Theatre and Broadway in Chicago

New Work — The Libby Adler Mages Award

Ngozi Anyanwu – “Leroy and Lucy” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Atra Asdou – “Iraq, But Funny” – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Lisa Dillman – “No Such Thing” – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Keiko Green – “Gorgeous” – Raven Theatre and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Lauren Gunderson – “Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women” – Northlight Theatre

Jordan Harrison – “The Antiquities” – Goodman Theatre, Playwrights Horizon and Vineyard Theatre

Mickle Maher – “Berlin” – Court Theatre

Sadieh Rifai – “The Cave” – A Red Orchid Theatre

Director — Play — Large — The Michael Maggio Award

Braden Abraham – “Translations” – Writers Theatre

Charles Newell – “Berlin” – Court Theatre

Ron OJ Parson – “East Texas Hot Links” – Court Theatre

Ron OJ Parson – “Hymn” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Malkia Stampley – “Primary Trust” – Goodman Theatre

Jeremy Wechsler – “Prayer for the French Republic” – Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit

Director — Play — Midsize

Mikael Burke – “A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Marti Lyons – “Art” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Nate Santana – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Steve Scott – “Native Gardens” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

Georgette Verdin – “Ironbound” – Raven Theatre

Robin Witt – “A Case for the Existence of God” – Steep Theatre

Director — Musical — Large

Nick Bowling – “Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Lili–Anne Brown – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Jim Corti and Creg Sclavi – “Million Dollar Quartet” – Paramount Theatre

Connor Gallagher – “Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

Amber Mak – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

Katie Spelman – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Trent Stork – “Cats”– Paramount Theatre

Trent Stork – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Scott Weinstein – “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

Director — Revue

Carisa Barreca – “Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone” – The Second City e.t.c.

Daryl D. Brooks – “That’s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ” – Black Ensemble Theater

Jen Ellison – “This Too Shall Slap” – The Second City

Jackie Taylor – “Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People” – Black Ensemble Theater

Scott Weinstein – “Always… Patsy Cline” – Drury Lane Productions

Performer in a Principal Role — Play

Atra Asdou (Actor 5) – “Iraq, But Funny” – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Debo Balogun (Keith) – “A Case for the Existence of God” – Steep Theatre

Janet Ulrich Brooks (Queen Elizabeth II) – “The Audience” – Drury Lane Productions

Lucy Carapetyan (Darja) – “Ironbound” – Raven Theatre

Elliot Esquivel (Jeff) – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Nate Faust (Ryan) – “A Case for the Existence of God” – Steep Theatre

Gregory Fenner (Booth) – “Topdog/Underdog” – The Gift Theatre

Chiké Johnson (Benny) – “Hymn” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

James Vincent Meredith (Gil) – “Hymn” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Tyler Meredith (Louisa/Jo) – “Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women” – Northlight Theatre

Seoyoung Park (Jane) – “The Heart Sellers” – Northlight Theatre

Namir Smallwood (Kenneth) – “Primary Trust” – Goodman Theatre

Performer in a Principal Role — Musical

Devin DeSantis (Joseph) – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

Samantha Gershman (Carole King) – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Drury Lane Productions

J. Harrison Ghee (The Lady Chablis) – “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Musical” – Goodman Theatre

Danny Horn (Ray Davies) – “Sunny Afternoon” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Beth Stafford Laird (Anna) – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Michelle Lauto (Jenna) – “Waitress” – Paramount Theatre

Brittney Mack (Celie) – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Evan Tyrone Martin (Pierre) – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Aurora Penepacker (Natasha) – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Stephen Schellhardt (Marvin) – “Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Solo Performance

Jean Claudio (Salvador) – “Memorabilia” – Teatro Vista

Jessie Fisher (Narrator) – “Every Brilliant Thing” – Writers Theatre

Vanessa Severo (Frida) – “Frida…A Self Portrait” – Writers Theatre

Performer in a Revue

Aja Alcazar (Patsy Cline) – “Always… Patsy Cline” – Drury Lane Productions

Tamara Batiest (Mature Patti) – “That’s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ” – Black Ensemble Theater

Britt Edwards (Passion) – “Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People” – Black Ensemble Theater

Claudia Martinez (Performer) – “Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone” – The Second City e.t.c.

Bri Sudia (Louise Seger) – “Always… Patsy Cline” – Drury Lane Productions

Performer in a Supporting Role — Play

Kierra Bunch (Ruth Younger) – “A Raisin in the Sun” – Court Theatre

John Drea (Laurie) – “Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women” – Northlight Theatre

Rae Gray (Elodie Benhamou) – “Prayer for the French Republic” – Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit

Erik Hellman (Lt. Yolland) – “Translations” – Writers Theatre

Casey Hoekstra (Owen) – “Translations” – Writers Theatre

Martasia Jones (Beneatha Younger) – “A Raisin in the Sun” – Court Theatre

Laura Leonardo Ownby (Louise Peaks) – “The Outsider” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

Nick Sandys (Black Stache) – “Peter and the Starcatcher” – Paramount Theatre

Adam Schulmerich (Bill) – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

AnJi White (Charlesetta Simpkins) – “East Texas Hot Links” – Court Theatre

Fred Zimmerman (Sam/Clay/Le Pousselet Bartender) – “Primary Trust” – Goodman Theatre

Performer in a Supporting Role — Musical

Sarah Bockel (Trina) – “Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Joseph Anthony Byrd (Anatole) – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Jackson Evans (Mendel) – “Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Heidi Kettenring (John Dickinson) – “1776″ – Marriott Theatre

Alexandra Palkovic (Cynthia Weil) – “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” – Drury Lane Productions

Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (Pharaoh) – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

Sawyer Smith (Ursula) – “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

Elizabeth Stenholt (Olive Ostrovsky) – “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” – Paramount Theatre

Aerie Williams (Shug Avery) – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Scenic Design — Large

Andrew Boyce – “Translations” – Writers Theatre

Andrew Boyce – “You Will Get Sick” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Jeffrey D. Kmiec – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Jeffrey D. Kmiec – “Million Dollar Quartet” – Paramount Theatre

Jack Magaw – “East Texas Hot Links” – Court Theatre

Courtney O’Neill – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Christopher Oram – “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Musical” – Goodman Theatre

Scenic Design — Midsize

José Manuel Díaz–Soto – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Lauren M. Nichols – “Memorabilia” – Teatro Vista

Shayna Patel – “Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues” – American Blues Theater

Grant Sabin and Marcus Klein – “The Last Wide Open” – American Blues Theater

Mara Ishihara Zinky – “Native Gardens” – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

Costume Design — Large

Raquel Adorno – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Mara Blumenfeld – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Sally Dolembo – “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” – Marriott Theatre

Theresa Ham – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

Izumi Inaba – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Ryan Park and Zhang Yu – “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

Sully Ratke – “Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

Costume Design — Midsize

Sally Dolembo – “A Lie of the Mind” – Raven Theatre

Uriel Gomez – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Kristy Leigh Hall – “Art” – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Kotryna Hilko – “A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Lily Walls – “Misery” – American Blues Theater

Sound Design — Large

Eric Backus – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Eric Backus – “Peter and the Starcatcher” – Paramount Theatre

Michael Daly – “Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

Emily Hayman – “Henry V” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Willow James – “You Will Get Sick” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Mikaal Sulaiman – “Bust” – Goodman Theatre in affiliation with Alliance Theatre, Sonia Friedman

Productions, Khaliah Neal and Thomas Swayne

Connor Wang – “Leroy and Lucy” – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Sound Design — Midsize

Angela Joy Baldasare – “Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin” – A Red Orchid Theatre

Satya Chávez – “Memorabilia” – Teatro Vista

Joe Court – “Misery” – American Blues Theater

Michael Huey – “Cygnus” – The Gift Theatre

Michael Huey – “Topdog/Underdog” – The Gift Theatre

Christopher Kriz – “A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Lighting Design — Large

Rory Beaton – “The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Lee Fiskness – “The Da Vinci Code” – Drury Lane Productions

Greg Hofmann – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Greg Hofmann – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Yael Lubetzky – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Ryan O’Gara – “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

Lighting Design — Midsize

Ellie Fey – “Lobby Hero” – Shattered Globe Theatre

G. “Max” Maxin IV – “Topdog/Underdog” – The Gift Theatre

Eric Watkins – “Ironbound” – Raven Theatre

Eric Watkins – “A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Levi J. Wilkins – “Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin” – A Red Orchid Theatre

Choreography

Kasey Alfonso – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Breon Arzell – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Linda Fortunato – “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” – Marriott Theatre

Amber Mak – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – Marriott Theatre

Alexzandra Sarmiento – “42 Balloons” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Original Music in a Play

Christopher Kriz – “A Tale of Two Cities” – Shattered Globe Theatre

Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen – “Betrayal” – Goodman Theatre

Kevin O’Donnell – “Circus Quixote” – Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium

Brandon Reed and Mike Przygoda – “Primary Trust” – Goodman Theatre

Richard Woodbury – “Inherit the Wind” – Goodman Theatre

Music Direction

Kory Danielson – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Kory Danielson – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Matt Deitchman – “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″ – Writers Theatre

Jermaine Hill – “The Color Purple” – Goodman Theatre

Mason Moss – “Sunny Afternoon” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Ryan T. Nelson – “Titanic The Musical” – Marriott Theatre

Otto Vogel – “Falsettos” – Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company

Projection Design

Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj – “The Da Vinci Code” – Drury Lane Productions

Michael Salvatore Commendatore – “Iraq, But Funny” – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Paul Deziel – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Andrzej Goulding – “42 Balloons” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

George Reeve – “The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Artistic Specialization

Jason Robert Brown – Original Score – “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Musical” – Goodman Theatre

Chicago Puppet Studio, Lead Designers Caitlin McLeod and Zachary Sun – Puppet Design –

“Disney’s The Little Mermaid” – Drury Lane Productions

Katie Cordts – Wig, Hair, and Makeup Design – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Sylvia Hernandez–DeStasi – Circus Choreography – “Cats” – Paramount Theatre

Sylvia Hernandez–DeStasi – Circus and Movement Choreographer – “Circus Quixote” – Lookingglass Theatre Company in affiliation with The Actors Gymnasium

Jesse Mooney–Bullock – Puppet Design – “Frozen” – Paramount Theatre

Grace Needlman – Puppet Design – “Circus Quixote” – Lookingglass Theatre Company in affiliation with The Actors Gymnasium

Charlie Tymms – Puppet Design – “The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Short Run — Direction

Charles Newell – “An Iliad” – Court Theatre

Short Run — Performer

Terry Guest (Nsaku) – “The Comedians” – Raven Theatre

Timothy Edward Kane (The Poet) – “An Iliad” – Court Theatre

Bill Larkin (Chauncy) – “The Comedians” – Raven Theatre