Congratulations to the Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alums and faculty who won Joseph Jefferson Awards for Non-Equity Theatre – Chicago’s top theatrical award – at the 49th Anniversary Non-Equity Awards ceremony on Monday, March 27, 2023. As previously reported in this blog, the 2023 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).
Dakota Hughes
Winners at this year’s Jeff Awards show – which was directed by Columbia College alum Adrian Abel Azevedo ’15, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Directing program – include Columbia College alum Dakota Hughes ’15, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BFA Program in Musical Theatre Performance, for Performer in a Supporting Role–Short Run Production for Hell in a Handbag Productions’ Frankenstreisand.
Tyler Anthony Smith, Brian Shaw, and Dakota Hughes in “Frankenstreisand.”
As previously reported in this blog, Frankenstreisand was written by Columbia College alum Tyler Anthony Smith ’17, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Acting, and directed by Columbia College alum and faculty member Stephanie Shaw ’92 (Theatre), MFA ’09 (Creative Writing), who teaches courses in solo performance and directing at the Theatre Department.
Jim Jacobs (center) with Jim Jacobs Musical Theqtre Scholarship recipients Brayden Kendziora (left) and Dakota Hughes (right) in 2014.
Hughes is a past recipient of the he Jim Jacobs Musical Theatre Scholarship at Columbia College Chicago, whose benefactor is Columbia College Honorary Doctorate of Arts recipient Jim Jacobs HDR ’14, coauthor of the hit musical Grease.
Other winners of 2023 Non-Equity Jeff Awards include:
Kevin Rolfs
Columbia College alum Kevin Rolfs ’17, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Theatre Design, for Scenic Design for Invictus Theatre Company’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Benjamin Carne
Columbia College alum Benjamin Carne ’18, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Design Program, for Lighting Design for First Floor Theatre’s Botticelli in the Fire.
Tommy Rivera Vega
Theatre Department faculty member Tommy Rivera-Vega, Performer in a Principal Role–Short Run Production for Tebas Land, presented by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art.
