Jeff Awards

 Jeff Awards Honor Peninsula Players

Company Members with Nominations

Fish Creek,Wisconsin.   – Company members of Peninsula Players Theatre, America’s oldest professional resident summer theater, celebrated the announcement of Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award nominations with the listing of several current and past company members. The Joseph Jefferson Awards are Chicago theater’s equivalent to Broadway’s Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards.

“The Peninsula Players extends its congratulations to the numerous past and current company members on their accomplishments in Chicago,” said Greg Vinkler, Players Artistic Director.  “Every season we try to bring the best talent there is to Door County audiences, and every season with the announcements of the ‘Jeffs’ I am pleased to see many Players being recognized just as that – the best.”

The Joseph Jefferson awards, established in 1968, annually honor outstanding theater artists in the Chicago theater community.  Maggie Kettering, who plays Rosemary in the Players production of “Outside Mullingar” and who was featured as Maggie in “Lend Me A Tenor” was nominated along with the entire ensemble of The House Theatre of Chicago’s production of “Season on Line.”  Players’ veteran Cassie Slater (“A Little Night Music, “Cabaret,” “Sunday in the Park with George”), who is cast as Sister Mary Hubert in the Players’ fall production of “Nunsense,” was nominated along with the entire ensemble of “City of Angels” at Marriot Theatre.

Jack Magaw’s scenic design work was seen on the Players’ stage this season in “Lend Me A Tenor” and “Outside Mullingar.” Magaw was nominated for his design of “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Writers Theatre.

“The Diary of Anne Frank” featured numerous Peninsula Players company members and was highly admired by the all-volunteer Jeff Award committee.  The production was nominated as best play, large scale and featured Players Sean Fortunato (“A Real Lulu,” “Lend Me A Tenor,” “Chicago,” “Doubt”); Heidi Kettenring (“The Taffettas”); Kevin Gudahl (“Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Cash on Delivery”); costume designer Nan Zabriskie (“The Fox on the Fairway”) and director Kimberly Senior (“Murder on the Nile,” “A Few Good Men,” “The Game’s Afoot”).

Vinkler directed “The Rose Tattoo” for Shattered Globe Theatre, which was nominated for three Jeff Awards, including Sarah E. Ross (“The Tin Woman,” “A Real Lulu,” “Dial M for Murder”) who was nominated for best scenic design-midsize category as well as the two lead actors for best actress and supporting actor.

Rachel Lambert (“Lend Me A Tenor,” “The Mystery of Irma Vep”) received a nomination for her midsize costume design of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s production of “Travesties.”  The wigs for “Travesties” were designed by Players own costume shop manager Kyle Pingel.  Pingel is slated to design the costumes for the forthcoming Players’ musical, “Nunsense.”  He also choreographed the on-stage quick wig changes for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of “Marie Antoinette,” which earned Dave Bova an artistic specialization nomination.

Rick Sims (“Dial M for Murder”) was nominated for several of his sound designs including “Moby Dick” at Lookingglass Theatre Company,” “Side Man” at American Blues Theater and “Twisted Melodies” at Congo Square Theatre Company.

Additional Players alumni actors, designers, directors, choreographers, musical directors and sound designers nominated include:

Brian Sidney Bembridge (scenic designer of “The Cherry Orchard,” “God of Carnage,” “Arsenic and Old Lace”) was nominated for his lighting design of “The Royale” at American Theatre Company.

Jim Corti (director “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure”) for his direction of “Les Misérables” and “The Who’s Tommy” at Paramount Theatre.

Victoria DeIorio (“Wait Until Dark,” “Opus”) was nominated for her sound design and original music for “The White Road” at Irish Theatre of Chicago.

Rebecca Finnegan (Matron Mama Morton in “Chicago”) was nominated in the principal actress role-musical category for her performance in Porchlight Music Theatre’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”

Kate Fry (“Fools,” “Bob Almighty,”  “Communicating Doors”) was nominated for her performance in “Outside Mullingar” at Northlight Theatre in the actress in a principal role-play category.

Josh Horvath (“Chicago,” “Is He Dead?” ) was nominated for his sound design of “Native Son” at Court Theatre and American Blues Theatre and for “The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King” at The House Theatre of Chicago.

Lindsay Jones (“Rumors”) was nominated for his sound designs of “King Lear” for Chicago Shakespeare Theater and “Marie Antoinette” at Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Heidi Kettenring (“The Taffettas”) was nominated in the actress in a principal role-musical category for her performance in Marriott Theatre’s “The King and I.”

Sean Allan Krill (“Into the Woods”) received an actor in supporting role-musical nomination for his performance in “Sense and Sensibility” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Ross Lehman (“Voice of the Prairie”) was nominated for  his performance in Marriott Theatre’s “Anything Goes” in the actor in a supporting role-musical category.

Doug Peck (“Into the Woods”) was nominated for his musical direction of “The Secret Garden” at Court Theatre.

Malcolm Ruhl (“Always…Patsy Cline”) was nominated for his musical direction of “Ring of Fire, The Music of Johnny Cash” at Mercury Theater Chicago and Theater at the Center and director Brian Russell (director: “Always…Patsy Cline”) for its direction.

Larry Yando (“Guys and Dolls,” “Spider’s Web”) was nominated for his performance in “King Lear” with Chicago Shakespeare Theater in the actor in a principal role-play category and in the actor in a supporting role-play category for his performance in “The Little Foxes” at Goodman Theatre.

Prior to performances, Players patrons picnic and relax on the grounds while watching the setting sun over the waters of Green Bay from the cedar-lined shore and enjoy the ambiance of the Beer Garden and other gardens.   Peninsula Players is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers, and employs professional actors for all of its productions.

The Peninsula Players curtain times for “Outside Mullingar” are Tuesdays through Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6 at 4 p.m.  Curtain times for “Nunsense” are Tuesdays through Sundays at 7 p.m., except for Sundays, September 20, 27 and October 18 at 4 p.m.  Individual tickets range from $36 to $45.  There are no performances on Mondays.  For more information or to reserve tickets phone the Peninsula Players’ Box Office at 920-868-3287 or visit the website at www.peninsulaplayers.com.