While Broadway's 1776 hails the oratory and machismo of Thomas Jefferson, Chicago theatre has a very different Jefferson on its mind: Joseph, the actor whose name graces the best-known awards given to theatre in the region. Sept. 24, the 40-member Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee announced 133 nominations in 28 categories for awards in Equity and Touring productions. (Jeff "Citations" are given, at a different time of year, to non-Equity shows.) The Jeff season considered ran Aug. 1, 1996-July 31, 1997.

On Oct. 23, winners were announced in the Touring show category of the Jeffs (listed below). On Nov. 10, the 29th Annual Joseph Jefferson Awards were presented, with 53 awards distributed in 33 categories. The ceremony took place at the North Shore Center For The Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie), with Brian Russell staging the event.

Keith Reddin's drama, All The Rage, won best new work, while Mary Zimmerman's Mirror Of The Invisible World scored for adaptation. Apple Tree Theatre took the most honors (8), while also winning Best Production for its staging of the boxing drama, Blade To The Heat.

Here are the 1997 Jeff Award winners: in BOLD CAPS:

PRODUCTION - TOURING
CHICAGO, Barry & Fran Weissler in association with Kardana/Hart Sharp Entertainment.
Barrymore, Livent (U.S.) Inc.
Mrs. Klein, Robert G. Perkins and Jujamcyn Theatres
Sunset Boulevard, The Really Useful Company ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - TOURING
UTA HAGEN, Mrs. Klein, Robert G. Perkins and Jujamcyn Theatres.
Linda Balgord, Sunset Boulevard, The Really Useful Company
Charlotte d'Amboise, Chicago, Barry & Fran Weissler in association with Kardana/Hart Sharp Entertainment
Jasmine Guy, Chicago, Barry & Fran Weissler in association with Kardana/Hart Sharp Entertainment.

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE -TOURING
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, Barrymore, Livent (U.S.) Inc.
Ron Bohmer, Sunset Boulevard, The Really Useful Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE -TOURING
LAILA ROBINS, Mrs. Klein, Robert G. Perkins & Jujamcyn Theatres
Amy Wright, Mrs. Klein, Robert G. Perkins & Jujamcyn Theatres

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE -TOURING
RON ORBACH, Chicago, Barry & Fran Weissler in association with Kardana/Hart Sharp Entertainment.
Ed Dixon, Sunset Boulevard, The Really Useful Company.

*

NEW WORK:
Keith Reddin, ALL THE RAGE, The Goodman Theatre
Everett Bradley, Susan Draus, Michael Heitzman and Ilene Reid, Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer.
Stuart Flack, Sidney Bechet Killed a Man, Victory Gardens Theatre
The Second City Ensemble (Scott Adsit, Kevin Dorff, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Jenna Jolovitz, Jim Zulevic), Paradigm Lost,
Richard Strand, My Simple City, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in assoc. w/ Powertap Productions.

NEW ADAPTATION
Mary Zimmerman, MIRROR OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD The Goodman Theatre
Paul Peditto, 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago, Live Bait Theatre and The Prop Theatre Group.
Gavin Witt, Pericles, greasy joan and company [sic].

PRODUCTION - PLAY
BLADE TO THE HEAT, Apple Tree Theatre & HAMLET, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre & THE LIVING Famous Door Theatre Co.
All the Rage, The Goodman Theatre
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

PRODUCTION - MUSICAL
ASSASSINS, Apple Tree Theatre
A Chorus Line, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Hot Mikado, Drury Lane
Kismet, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Phantom, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse

PRODUCTION - REVUE
PARADIGM LOST, The Second City
Always...Patsy Cline, Northlight Theatre in assoc. w/Randy Johnson Company
Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer.

DIRECTOR - PLAY
CALVIN MACLEAN, The Living, Famous Door Theatre
Michael Bogdanov, Timon of Athens, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre.
Barbara Gaines, Hamlet, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Michael Maggio, All the Rage, The Goodman Theatre
Mary Zimmerman, Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre

DIRECTOR - MUSICAL
GARY GRIFFIN, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre
Mark S. Hoebee, The Will Rogers Follies, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Dominic Missimi, Kismet, Marriottis Lincolnshire Theatre
William Pullinsi, A Wonderful Life, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Marc Robin, Hot Mikado, Drury Lane
Marc Robin, Phantom, Drury Lane

DIRECTOR - REVUE
MICK NAPIER, Paradigm Lost, The Second City
Michael Heitzman, Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer
Brian Russell, Always...Patsy Cline, Northlight Theatre in association w/ the Randy Johnson Company

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
LAILA R OBINS, A Streetcar Named Desire, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Donna Blue Lachman, Family Secrets, Apple Tree Theatre
Lia Mortensen, Night and Day, Remy Bumppo Productions
Tara Mallen, My Simple City, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in association with Powertap Productions
Ann Whitney, Driving Miss Daisy, Northlight Theatre

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - PLAY
TIM DECKER, Toys in the Attic, Jeffrey E. McCourt in association with American Blues Theatre & HARRY J. LENNIX, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Goodman Theatre & MIKE NUSSBAUM, Racing Demon, Organic Touchstone Company & CHRIS O'NEILL, Frankly Brendan, Turnaround Productions in association w/ Nolan Haims.
Brad Armacost, Aristocrats, Organic Touchstone Company

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
GRETA OGLESBY, Do Lord Remember Me, The Chicago Theatre Company
Lisa Dodson, Tartuffe, Court Theatre
Bobo Lewis, Light Up the Sky, The Goodman Theatre
Natasha Lowe, 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago, Live Bait Theatre and The Prop Theatre Group
Barbara Robertson, Tartuffe, Court Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - PLAY
RICK BOYNTON, A Flea in Her Ear, Drury Lane Oakbrook & STEF TOVAR, Blade to the Heat, Apple Tree Theatre & GREG VINKLER, Hamlet, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Guy Adkins, Away, Northlight Theatre
Tim Edward Rhoze, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Goodman Theatre
ACTRESS IN A CAMEO ROLE - PLAY
BEATRICE WINDE, The Young Man From Atlanta, The Goodman Theatre
Jenna Ford Jackson, Racing Demon, Organic Touchstone Company

ACTOR IN A CAMEO ROLE - PLAY
THOMAS CARROLL, Light Up the Sky, The Goodman Theatre
Michael Quaintance, Night and Day, Remy Bumppo Productions
Chad Allan Suitts, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Stephen Eich, Joan Stein, Michael Leavitt & Fox Theatricals.

ACTRESS IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
PAMELA HARDEN, Phantom, Drury Lane
Kate Fry, A Wonderful Life, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Karen Leigh, Phantom, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Alene Robertson, Kismet, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre

ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE - MUSICAL
TOM MULA, Hot Mikado, Drury Lane
Larry Adams, Phantom, Drury Lane
Jason Edwards, The Will Rogers Follies, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Robert Gallagher, A Wonderful Life, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Kurt Johns, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
SUSAN MONIZ, Kismet, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Debbie Laumond Blanc, Oklahoma, Drury Lane Oakbrook
Marilynn Bogetich, Phantom, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Faye Butler, Hot Mikado, Drury Lane
Anne Gunn, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre
Sara Martin, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - MUSICAL
KEVIN EARLEY, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre & JAMES FITZGERALD, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre & JAMES FITZGERALD, Kismet, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre & DAVID GIROLMO, Phantom, Drury Lane
Bob Romeo, Oklahoma, Drury Lane Oakbrook

ACTRESS IN A REVUE
RACHEL DRATCH, Paradigm Lost, The Second City
Megon McDonough, Always...Patsy Cline,
Northlight Theatre in assoc. w/ the Randy Johnson Company.
Sarah Underwood, Always...Patsy Cline, Northlight Theatre in association w/the Randy Johnson Company
Keely Vasquez, Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer.

ACTOR IN A REVUE
SCOTT ADSIT, Paradigm Lost, The Second City
Everett Bradley, Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer
Jim Zulevic, Paradigm Lost, The Second City

ENSEMBLE
DO LORD REMEMBER ME , The Chicago Theatre Company & TIME TO BURN , Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
Paradigm Lost, The Second City
Travels With My Aunt, Court Theatre
Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer.

SCENIC DESIGN
JOHN STARK, The Living, Famous Door Theatre Co.
Linda Buchanan, All the Rage, The Goodman Theatre
Ralph Koltai, Timon of Athens, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
James Schuette, Time to Burn, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Hank Walthal, Toys in the Attic, Jeffrey E. McCourt in association with American Blues Theatre.

COSTUME DESIGN
NANCY MISSIMI, Kismet, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Mara Blumenfeld, Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
Nan Cibula-Jenkins, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Michael Krass, Hamlet, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Kaye Voyce, Tartuffe, Court Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN
PAT COLLINS, All the Rage, The Goodman Theatre & ANNE MILITELLO Hamlet, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre & ANNE MILITELLO, Timon of Athens, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre & KEVIN RIGDON, A Streetcar Named Desire, Steppenwolf Theatre Company & SCOTT ZIELINSKI, Time to Burn, Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
John Culbert, Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
Donald Holder, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare Repertory Theater

SOUND DESIGN
MICHAEL BODEEN and ROB MILBURN, All the Rage, The Goodman Theatre & MATT KOZLOWSKI and JOHN RIDENOUR, Hamlet, Powertap Productions and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble & ROBERT NEUHAUS, Timon of Athens, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre.
Mich en, Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
Joe Cerqua, Transformations, The Goodman Theatre
Rob Milburn, A Streetcar Named Desire, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

CHOREOGRAPHY
MARC ROBIN, Hot Mikado, Drury Lane.
Everett Bradley, Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer
Marc Robin, The Will Rogers Follies, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre
Nancy Teinowitz, Oklahoma!, Drury Lane Oakbrook

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ANDY JONES, Blade to the Heat, Apple Tree Theatre.
Michael Bodeen, Mirror of the Invisible World, The Goodman Theatre
Alaric Jans, Hamlet, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Alaric Jans, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre
Alaric Jans, Timon of Athens, Shakespeare Repertory Theatre

MUSICAL DIRECTION
THOMAS MURRAY, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre & JIMMY TILLMAN, The Otis Redding Story, The Black Ensemble Theatre.
Vices, The Vices Production Co. LLC, Arielle Tepper, Producer
Terry James, Kismet, Marriottis Lincolnshire Theatre
Andy Jones, Blade to the Heat, Apple Tree Theatre
Delano O'Banion, Do Lord Remember Me, The Chicago Theatre Company

--By David Lefkowitz