Identity Jeffed

I should be writing my Under Milk Wood review right now, but just wanted to quickly acknowledge that the Equity Jeff Award nominations were announced tonight. You can read the full list at the Jeffs' site or at the TOC Blog, where you'll also find the latest helping of They Wuz Robbed. I considered switching up the format of TOC's response, but people seem to enjoy TWR—it's a true fact that at least one person has said they'd prefer a TWR mention to the actual nomination.

I was rushed in putting the post together today, and I'm already thinking of more I could have included: What about James Schuett's Tempest costumes? Hanna Dworkin for Picnic? How does it make sense that Ensemble is the sole nod for Scenes from the Big Picture? And I'll keep coming up with more. But I mean it when I say that the Jeff committee got a lot of things right this time around. I personally missed some of the most-nominated shows (Drury Lane's Miss Saigon, TimeLine's Not Enough Air), but I'm glad to note the committee didn't nominate much from shows that I did see and had lukewarm feelings about.

And more importantly, they made a number of good calls that I might not have expected: A double nomination for Tanya Saracho, Jake Cohen for Steppenwolf's Up, Taylor Mac for solo performance, Levi Kreis for Million Dollar Quartet, Spencer Kayden as the only acting nom for Don't Dress for Dinner. (And I'll just say that it's…interesting, if not perhaps a little cruel, for them to nominate one of the kids who played Noah in Caroline, or Change and not the other. Suddenly the Billy Elliot compromise makes more sense to me.)

Your thoughts are welcome, either here or at TOC (though it might make the most sense to consolidate the discussion over there).

Comments

[Ed]

I saw both kids in Caroline. Maybe it's cruel, but bluntly, watching Malcolm in the show was a completely different (waaaaaay better)experience than watching the other guy. Also, I think they're bound by their own rules to not be able to consider actors who aren't in the official opening night cast that the seven recommending judges attend.

[Rob Kozlowski]

The Jake Cohen nomination was one of my favorites. It's almost like they were paying attention!

By the way, I'm still fuzzy about Jeff recommendations. Should a Jeff Committee member recommend the show if there is at least *one* component of the show worthy of being considered for nomination? Because I can't think of a single show I've ever seen in which EVERYTHING was bad, from the script to the acting to the direction to the set to the lightings to the costumes. Hell, even Passion Play *looked* nice.

[Bilal]

Rob -

The Recommendation comes when the judges consider at least one element "OUTSTANDING" and additionally consider two(?) more elements at at least the level below that. "EXCELLENT"? "QUITE GOOD"? I'm not sure of the exact denomination.

[Ed]

There are three ways you can get recommended (as a non-equity show at least):

1) All seven judges vote for the same element as outstanding, even if they don't vote for anything else.

2) Between all the judges there are more than twenty "outstanding element" votes cast.

3) The way that makes everyone's eyes cross trying to understand it:
-At least five judges vote elements as outstanding (since they also have the option of recording "no votes") IF
-4 votes are for the same element, PLUS
-a second element gets 3 votes.

The exception to this is if there are 3 or fewer actors in your show; then the 'three votes for a second element' requirement is waived. (I think the rationale is that with such a small cast you have fewer categories for which you're eligible). This rule is also modified on the rare occasions that only six judges attend, but the explanation of the modified rule made my ears bleed so I stopped trying to figure it out.

[Bilal]

Thanks, Ed. I knew I wasn't quite getting that right.

[Educated Guesser]

I believe the second kid in Caroline was not elligible to be nominated because he did not appear in enough performances.