'Next to Normal,' 'Brigadoon,' 'Misbehavin'' win at Jeffs
Perennial nominee Susie McMonagle earned her first Joseph Jefferson Award Monday for her performance as a bipolar wife and mother in Drury Lane Theatre's production of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winning musical, "Next to Normal."
The Chicago area favorite played Diana in the searing examination of loss, grief and mental illness by composer Tom Kitt and writer/lyricist Brian Yorkey.
"I'm so lucky to have gotten to play this part. ... It was such an amazing journey," McMonagle said. "Thank you, Kyle Desantis (Drury Lane executive producer) and your family for doing such an important piece on such an important subject matter and bringing it out to the suburbs. It took guts to do that."
Referencing her later-in-life marriage (and perhaps her first win after 10 nominations), she concluded by reminding the audience that "good things come to those who wait."
William Osetek earned a directing award for "Next to Normal," whose rock-centered score and subject matter made it an unusual selection for the Oak Brook theater.
"For at least 20 years I have dreamed of this moment," said a clearly moved Osetek.
Mark David Kaplan accepted his supporting award for "Les Miserables" wearing "Les Miserables" shorts with his tuxedo jacket and tie. It marked several humorous moments in a show that took on a somber mood as several winners referenced subtly the recent deaths of several Chicago area theater artists.
Sage Marie Carter also received an award for that show's video projections.
Rachel Rockwell, hand-picked by Liza Lerner, daughter of lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, to helm Goodman Theatre's "Brigadoon," earned the choreography award for the first major revival in 34 years of the Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical.
Rockwell accepted the award on behalf of collaborators Gordon Peirce Schmidt and Katie Spelman, who she said will have to fight over it among themselves.
Goodman's stellar revival was also named best production large company. Mara Blumenfeld picked up a Jeff Award for her gorgeous period costumes.
Lincolnshire native and Libertyville resident Brenda Didier was named best revue director for Porchlight Music Theatre's revival of the Fats Waller showcase, "Ain't Misbehavin'."
Didier thanked her fellow theater artists, some of whom she grew up watching.
"You've inspired me to do better work onstage. You've inspired me to be a better human offstage," she said.
"Ain't Misbehavin'" also earned awards for best revue and for conductor/pianist Austin Cook in the category of artistic specialization. An endearingly tongue-tied Cook thanked his mother and grandmother, adding it was their dream that he would be a musician.
"This is the first validation," Cook said.
Accepting his award for principal actor in a musical for his performances in the title role of American Blues Theater's "Hank Williams: Lost Highway," a humbled Matthew Brumlow thanked his grandmother who sang to him Williams' songs.
"To get the chance to take in his spirit was truly amazing," Brumlow said, adding, "Thank God there's one musical that calls for a hillbilly who loves the blues."
"Lost Highway" also won the award for best production midsize and for music director Malcolm Ruhl, who thanked the perfectly cast musicians; Brumlow "who wraps himself in and around the role"; and lastly, "Hank for giving us those powerfully simple songs."
American Blues Theater, Goodman and Writers theaters all received five awards. Writers' production of "Dance of Death" received Jeffs best production, and for its leads Larry Yando and Shannon Cochran.