Sunday, October 19, 2008
Jeff Awards have marked the best for 40 years
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Stage: "Yes, Broadway has its Tony Awards, and the annual ceremony even manages to get a flashy network broadcast. But much like the Academy Awards, the Tonys are designed to beef up business for a current 'product' and to serve as one of the more elaborate annual marketing tools in producers' arsenals. In Chicago, where most theaters operate according to a tight subscription series schedule, nearly every show nominated has long since closed by the time the Jeff Awards -- which honor excellence in Chicago area theaters operating under Actors' Equity Association contracts -- come along each fall."
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6 comments:
Sometime people forget that there are some really big names out in Chicago. Steppenwolf, Goodman, Lookingglass... You dont just hear about these places from the Jeff awards. I think that a place with such a large theater community should have an awards ceremony all their own. I hope everyone from CMU had a blast and partied until the early morning hours!
It's nice to know that with all the theatre coming out of Chicago there is an award to celebrate it. The Tonys are a big deal for New York, and Chicago should definitely have it's own awards. Do other big theatre cities do special awards shows too? I hope so, because they probably deserve to.
I think it's cool that the jeff's exist and aren't designed to be a marketing tool as well like the tony's. In LA there is the ovation awards which are similiar in that the people pay to be judges and go see shows to evaluate them, etc..
The Jeff Awards are a very big deal in Chicago Theater. Designers, Directors and actors can get a "big break" by winning an award. I know one "up and coming designer won last night, Kevin Depinte for scene design. He has been busy these past two years and now I am sure his career will really take off now.
The ceremony last night was very fun and went off almost flawlessly... almost...
I did get to meet Mrs. Bovers. She was a very lovely older woman and gave a very nice acceptance speech.
I am proud to be apart of this celebration of Chicago theater for the third year in a row.
I'm beyond the mark of considering Chicago theater to be the younger brother of New York. I can see a completely different motive for working in Chicago over NYC. Other than "getting a break" to move up to NYC, I think we should revel on the idea of producing season based theater in a vibrant and comforting environment.
As a Chicago native I am really pleased that some led is being shed upon Chicagos theatrical community. It is diverse and rich and full of incredible talent and a new breeding ground of growing plays.
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