Writers’ monumental ‘Leopoldstadt’ takes top honors at equity Jeff Awards

For the second time in as many years, a Writers Theatre regional premiere earned top honors at Monday’s 58th Joseph Jefferson Award ceremony recognizing excellence in Chicago and suburban equity theater.

Writers’ impeccably executed revival of “Leopoldstadt,” Tom Stoppard’s final semiautobiographical masterwork chronicling several generations of an extended Jewish family living in Vienna during the early 20th century, was named best play (large theater). The largest, most expensive production in Writers’ history, “Leopoldstadt” also earned a directing award for longtime Stoppard collaborator Carey Perloff, who together with the playwright, tweaked the play to accommodate the Glencoe theater.

The year’s most honored production, “Leopoldstadt” received the ensemble award and awards for costume designer Alex Jaeger and hair, wig and makeup designer Tom Watson.

Marriott Theatre’s “A Little Night Music” was named best large musical, while Veronica Garza (terrific in Paramount Theatre’s current production of “Mean Girls”) received a Jeff for her supporting performance as Countess Charlotte.

Claudia Quesada also received a supporting performance nod for Drury Lane Theatre’s “On Your Feet!”

Trent Stork was named best large musical director for Paramount Theatre’s regional premiere of “Come From Away.” Cody Combs, a Northern Kentucky University undergraduate, received an award for principal performer in a musical for his impressive professional debut as the titular character in the Aurora theater’s regional premiere of “Dear Evan Hansen.” Designer Anthony Churchill was honored for his “Dear Evan Hansen” projections.

Allsun O’Malley won a principal performance Jeff Award for her turn as nurse Nellie Forbush in Paramount’s “South Pacific.”

A Red Orchid Theatre’s “Birds of North America” (in a remount running through Oct. 4) was named best midsize play, while AROT’s Kirsten Fitzgerald received the award for midsize play direction.

Raven Theatre’s production of the a cappella musical “Octet” was named best midsize musical. For helming the production, Keira Fromm received the award for direction of a midsize musical.

Awards for principal performer in a play went to Al’Jaleel McGhee and Gwendolyn Whiteside. Cary resident and American Blues Theater executive director Whiteside received hers for playing Lola in ABT’s “Come Back, Little Sheba.” McGhee received his award for his performance as the ambitious, quick-tempered trumpeter Levee Green in Goodman Theatre’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Other suburban award winners included Kelvin Roston Jr., who was named best solo performer for Northlight Theatre’s “Twisted Melodies.” Northlight’s premiere of “The First Lady of Television” earned a new work award for playwright James Sherman, who shared it with Marco Antonio Rodriguez, author of Goodman’s “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”

Choreographer Luis Salgado earned his Jeff for Drury Lane’s “On Your Feet!” Buffalo Theatre Ensemble member Aly Greaves Amidei received the midsize costume design award for “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley,” marking the second costume design award for Amidei, who also won for BTE’s 2023 production of “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.”

Frequent BTE collaborator Caitlin I. Quinn received the Impresario Award recognizing excellence in stage management for her work with the Glen Ellyn theater company.

See jeffawards.org for the complete list of winners.