Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alumnus Jesse Klug ’05, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Design Program, won a 2017 Joseph Jefferson Award — Chicago’s top theatrical prize — for his lighting design for the musical Sweeney Todd at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. Klug shared the award with his co-designer, Nick Belley. Klug’s competition for the award included himself — he was also nominated for his lighting design for Paramount’s production of The Little Mermaid.

Jim Corti

Paramount’s Sweeney Todd, whose cast included several Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alums, was also honored as best production of a large-size musical. And its director, Jim Corti, a former teacher of Musical Theatre Dance in the Theatre Department’s Musical Theatre program, was honored for Direction of a Musical for the show.

Other winners at the 2017 Jeff Awards ceremony, which was held November 6 at Drury Lane Theatre in suburban Oakbrook Terrace, included several former Columbia College faculty members and students, including:

Mike Tutaj

former Theatre Department faculty member Mike Tutaj for Projection Design for Goodman Theatre’s production of Objects in the Mirror; and

Orbert Davis

former Columbia College Chicago Music Department faculty member Orbert Davis for Original Music (Paradise Blue, TimeLine Theatre).