Chicago's Theater Awards Face Growing Backlash Over Allegations of Sleeping Judges and Lack of Diversity

Some local storefront theater companies say they will no longer participate in the Joseph Jefferson Awards, known as 'The Jeffs', after reports of issues with the judging process.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:23pm

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An abstract, minimalist illustration featuring bold, jagged shapes and stark contrasting colors, conceptually representing the divisions and tensions within Chicago's theater awards system.The Joseph Jefferson Awards face a reckoning as Chicago's theater community questions the credibility and inclusivity of the city's premier theater honors.Chicago Today

The Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago's premier theater awards, are facing growing backlash from local storefront theater companies over allegations of sleeping judges, lack of cultural competency, and concerns about the 2026 award ceremony. Several theaters have announced they are stepping away from the Jeffs, and at least one committee member has resigned, citing the group's initial silence on the issues. The Jeffs committee has pledged to review its judging and voting practices, but some theater leaders say the response may be too little too late.

Why it matters

The Jeffs are seen as an important way to spotlight Chicago's vibrant theater scene, and winning an award can boost a company's profile and lead to more opportunities. However, the recent controversies raise questions about whether the awards are still serving their intended purpose and if the judging process needs significant reforms to better reflect the diversity of Chicago's theater community.

The details

The controversy erupted after the 52nd annual Non Equity Jeff Award ceremony, where the committee honored Invictus Theatre's artistic director Charles Askenaizer as 'best director' despite the fact that he is currently under investigation by the theater's board for allegations of abuse. Some theater companies, like Vision Latino Theatre Company and Theatre Above Law, say they have experienced issues with sleeping judges and a perceived lack of cultural competency from the Jeffs committee in the past. They argue the awards are too Eurocentric in their evaluation criteria. The Jeffs committee has acknowledged its 'initial silence' on the Askenaizer situation and pledged to review its practices, but some theater leaders feel the response is inadequate.

  • The controversy erupted last week following the 52nd annual Non Equity Jeff Award ceremony.
  • In October 2025, the co-founders of Vision Latino Theatre Company first noticed issues with the Jeffs committee, including a sleeping judge during one of their shows.
  • The Jeffs committee has said it will review its judging and voting practices and report findings by July 1, 2026.

The players

Charles Askenaizer

The artistic director of Invictus Theatre, who was honored as 'best director' at the 2026 Non Equity Jeff Awards despite being under investigation by the theater's board for allegations of abuse.

Xavier M. Custodio and Yajaira Custodio

The co-founders of Vision Latino Theatre Company, who announced they are stepping away from the Jeff Awards after experiencing issues with sleeping judges and a perceived lack of cultural competency from the committee.

Tony Lawry

The founding artistic director of Theatre Above Law, another company that has decided to cut ties with the Jeffs after experiencing similar problems with sleeping judges and a lack of impact from Jeff recommendations.

David Price

A former opening night judge for the Jeff Awards committee, who decided to step down due to the group's initial silence on the recent controversies.

The Jeff Awards Committee

The all-volunteer organization that oversees the Joseph Jefferson Awards, which are split into two annual ceremonies honoring Chicago's storefront and regional theater companies.

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What they’re saying

“We had just finished doing a play ['Las Borinqueñas'] about the birth control trials that happened in Puerto Rico, and my sister was sitting next to one of the Jeffs committee members who was sleeping right when the show started.”

— Xavier M. Custodio, Co-founder, Vision Latino Theatre Company

“It's a very Eurocentric way of looking at theater. So a lot of theaters of color go through a lot of this where we don't get recommended, or we don't get nominated or win, if it's not fitting they're Eurocentric vision of what theater should be.”

— Xavier M. Custodio, Co-founder, Vision Latino Theatre Company

“We've had Jeff judges that probably shouldn't be allowed to be Jeff judges, because they can't stay awake through a whole show. And we don't do shows that are longer than 90 minutes.”

— Tony Lawry, Founding Artistic Director, Theatre Above Law

“However well-intentioned a decision may be to step back and remain silent, and however one may wish that that silence is interpreted as neutrality, the reality is that silence is never interpreted by most people as neutrality. There's no neutrality on this issue. You're either working to make things better, or, by your lack of being part of the process, you're allowing things to remain the same or get worse.”

— David Price, Former Opening Night Judge, Jeff Awards Committee

What’s next

The Jeff Awards committee has said it will review its judging and voting practices and report its findings by July 1, 2026. This review will likely determine the future direction and credibility of the awards program.

The takeaway

The controversies surrounding the Jeffs have exposed deep-seated issues within Chicago's theater awards system, including concerns about the diversity and competency of the judging panel, as well as the real-world impact of Jeff recommendations. As the committee works to address these problems, the future relevance of the Jeffs hangs in the balance, with some theater companies already deciding to cut ties with the awards entirely.