Congratulations to the alumni and faculty of the Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department, the Columbia College Chicago Music Department, and the Columbia College Chicago Communication Department who have been nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago’s top theatre award. The 2023 Non-Equity “Jeff Awards” honor excellence in Chicago’s non-Equity theatre during the 2021-2022 theatre season which ran from July 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022 (extended due to the pandemic). The list of this year’s Non-Equity “Jeff Award” nominees, announced January 31, 2023, by the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, includes nominations for alumni, former students, and faculty from Columbia College Chicago in the areas of performance and design — including:

Performer in a Principal Role–Musical or Revue:

Maddison Denault

Columbia College alum Maddison Denault ’20, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BFA Program in Musical Theatre Performance, for Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical.

Performer in a Principal Role–Short Run Production:

Tommy Rivera-Vega

Theatre Department faculty member Tommy Rivera-Vega, for Tebas Land.

Performer in a Supporting Role–Musical or Revue:

Bryce Ancil

former Columbia College student Bryce Ancil, for She Loves Me.

Performer in a Supporting Role–Play:

Marssie Mencotti

Columbia College Chicago Communication Department faculty member Marssie Mencotti, for Hay Fever.

Performer in a Supporting Role–Short Run Production:

Dakota Hughes

Columbia College alum Dakota Hughes ’15, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BFA Program in Musical Theatre Performance, for Frankenstreisand.

Director–Play:

Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary

Columbia College alum Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary ’10, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Theatre, for Isaac’s Eye.

Director–Musical or Revue:

Adrian Abel Azevedo

Columbia College alum Adrian Abel Azevedo ’15, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Directing program, for Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical.

Scenic Design:

Kevin Rolfs

Columbia College alum Kevin Rolfs ’17, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Theatre Design, nominated twice, for Ruined and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Lighting Design:

Benjamin Carne

Columbia College alum Benjamin Carne ’18, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Design Program, for Botticelli in the Fire.

Sound Design:

Petter Wahlbäck

Columbia College Music Department alum and faculty member Petter Wahlbäck ’00, MFA ’08, a graduate of the Music Department’s BA Program in Music Composition and MFA Program in Music Composition for the Screen, for The Pavilion.

In addition, Columbia College alumni and faculty members were involved in the ensemble casts and production teams of several productions nominated in the categories of Production and Ensemble. Congratulations to all the nominees!

The 2023 Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theatre will be held Monday, March 27, 2023, at Park West in Chicago. For more information, click here.