Congratulations to the alumni, faculty, and former students and faculty members of the Columbia College Chicago School of Theatre and Dance who have been nominated for 2026 Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago’s top theatre award. The Equity “Jeff Awards” honor excellence in Chicago’s Equity theatre during the 2025-2026 theatre season (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). The list of this year’s Equity Jeff Award nominees, announced July 22 by the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, includes alumni, former students, and current and former faculty from Columbia College Chicago’s Theatre programs in the areas of performance, design, direction, choreography, musical direction, and playwriting. The individual nominees include these Columbia College alums:
David Stobbe ’16, a graduate of the Theatre Program’s BA Program in Musical Theatre, nominated in the category of Performer in a Supporting Role – Play for his performance in Rivendell Theatre Ensemble’s Pivot (2026);
Grant Sabin ’05, a graduate of the Theatre Program’s Theatre Design Program and also a faculty member in the Theatre program, nominated in the category of Scenic Design – Midsize for his work on American Blues Theatre’s Things With Friends (2026);
Shayna Patel ’22, a graduate of the BA Program in Theatre Design and Technology, nominated in the category of Scenic Design – Midsize for her work on American Blues Theatre’s Come Back, Little Sheba (2026);
Morgan Laszlo ’24, a graduate of the Theatre Design and Technology BA program, for their work on Lookingglass Theatre Company’s Birds of North America (2026);
Hannah Wien ’21, a graduate of the Theatre BA Program, nominated in the category of Lighting Design – Large for her work on Lookingglass Theatre Company’s White Rooster (2026);
Benjamin Carne ’18, a graduate of the Theatre Design Program, nominated in the category of Lighting Design – Midsize for Raven Theatre’s Top Girls (2026).
Also among the nominees:
School of Theatre and Dance faculty member James Sherman, nominated in the category of New Work (The Libby Adler Mages Award) for his play The First Lady of Television (2026), which received its world premiere at Northlight Theatre;
School of Theatre and Dance faculty member Daryl Brooks, nominated in the category of Director – Revue for Black Ensemble Theatre’s Men of Soul (2026);
School of Theatre and Dance faculty member Maximo Grano de Oro, nominated in the category of Lighting Design – Midsize for his work on Raven Theatre’s Octet (2026);
Jacqueline and Richard Penrod, former faculty members in the Theatre Design Program, nominated in the category of Scenic Design – Midsize for their work on Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (2026);
former faculty member Mike Tutaj, nominated in the category of Projection Design for Paramount Theatre’s South Pacific (2026);
former faculty member Kirsten Fitzgerald, nominated in the category of Director – Play – Midsize for A Red Orchid Theatre’s Birds of North America (2026);
former faculty member Jeff Perry, nominated in the category of Performer in a Principal Role – Play for Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s The Dance of Death (2026);
former Columbia College Musical Theatre Program faculty member Annie Jo Fischer, nominated in the category of Choreography for Paramount Theatre’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (2026);
former Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department student Harmony France, nominated in the category of Director – Revue for American Blues Theatre’s Always…Patsy Cline;
former Theatre Program student and former staff accompanist Kory Danielson, nominated in the category of Music Direction twice, for Paramount Theatre’s Come From Away (2026) and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (2026);
and former Columbia College Chicago Music Department student Robert Reddrick , nominated in the category of Music Direction for Black Ensemble Theatre’s Men of Soul (2026).
in addition to these individual nominees, Columbia College Theatre alums and current and former faculty were in the casts and creative teams of many shows nominated in the categories of Production and Ensemble.
The 58th Anniversary Jeff Awards for Equity Theatre will be held Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago. For more information, click here.
