The Jeff Equity Nominations

Oh, my. Well, then. That's just...well, they certainly are something, aren't they? It's hard for me to argue with any of the acting nominations because there sure are a hell of a lot of deserving folks nominated, and of those performances I've witnessed, I'm particularly glad to see Jon Michael Hill's name there for a performance that still rings in my head two months later.

Last week, Chris Jones reported the creation of a mysterious new demarcation line for Jeff equity awards, between "large" and "midsize" theaters. What that means is that there are now two sets of plays nominated for Best Production. They follow:

Production - Play (Large)

• "Around the World in 80 Days" by Lookingglass Theatre Company
• "As You Like It" by Writers' Theatre
• "The Comedy of Errors" by Chicago Shakespeare Theater
• "The Crucible" by Steppenwolf Theatre Company
• "Passion Play: a cycle in three parts" by Goodman Theatre
• "Superior Donuts" by Steppenwolf Theatre Company
• "The Trip to Bountiful" by Goodman Theatre

Production - Play (Midsize)

• "Cadillac" by Chicago Dramatists
• "Defiance" by Next Theatre Company
• "Juno and the Paycock" by The Artistic Home
• "The Philadelphia Story" by Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
• "Requiem for a Heavyweight" by Shattered Globe Theatre
• "A Steady Rain" by Chicago Dramatists
• "W;t" by Gift Theatre

One of the commenters on Jones's post announcing the new demarcation posed this conspiracy theory: "I don't think this segregation idea was done to help the smaller theatres...I'm sure it was done because some of the larger theatres were sick of being beat by the smaller theatres."

Of course, being the sunny optimist I am, I thought "Pish tosh!"

Well, after seeing the nomination of "Passion Play: a cycle in three parts" nominated for best production, alas, I must join any chorus of conspiracy theorists that may or may not be developing. You see, dear readers, this is a play of which I was not particularly fond. In fact, I daresay this is akin to Meet the Spartans being nominated for Best Picture.

Conspiracy!!!!