The 53rd annual AUDELCO Awards might be held on Monday, Nov. 17, on the Alhambra Ballroom (2116 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard) at 7:30 p.m., and it’s undoubtedly one thing to place in your calendar. What an thrilling season it has been in Black theater, which is what AUDELCO so superbly celebrates. This previous season had one thing for everybody, which is apparent from the various productions which can be nominated for the coveted VIV Award. Black theater excellence was undoubtedly in abundance this previous season.
Two productions tied for the highest honor with 14 nominations. “Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole,” introduced by New York Theatre Workshop, is nominated for Finest musical; playwright — Patricia McGregor and Colman Domingo; director of a musical — Patricia McGregor; excellent musical director — John McDaniel; choreographer — Edgar Godineaux; choreographer — Jared Grimes (faucet); lead actor in a musical — Dule Hill; featured actress in a musical — Krystal Pleasure Brown and Kenita Miller; featured actor in a musical — Daniel J. Watts; sound design — Alex Hawthorn/Drew Levy; costume design — Katie O’Neill; set design — Clint Ramos; and lighting design — Stacey Derosier.
The Public Theater’s manufacturing of “Goddess” delivered a heavenly time and is nominated for greatest musical; director of a musical — Saheem Ali; excellent musical director — Paul Byssainthe Jr.; choreographer — Darrell Grand Moultrie; lead actress in a musical — Amber Iman; lead actor in a musical — Austin Scott; featured actress in a musical — Arica Jackson and Destinee Rea; featured actor in a musical — Jason Bowen and Nick Rashad Burroughs; sound design — Nevin Steinberg; costume design — Dede Ayite; set design — Arnulfo Maldonado; and lighting design — Bradley King.
Little Island’s manufacturing of “The Gospel of Colonus” is shut behind with 10 phenomenal nominations for greatest revival of a musical; director of a musical — Shayok Misha Chowdhury; excellent musical director — Dionne McClain-Freeney and James Corridor; lead actress in a musical — Stephanie Berry; lead actor in a musical — Frank Senior and Davone Tines; featured actress in a musical — Kim Burrell and Ayana George Jackson; and featured actor in a musical — Brandon Michael Nase and Jon-Michael Reese.
“Ceremonies in Darkish Previous Males,” introduced by the Peccadillo Theater Firm, Negro Ensemble Firm, and Eric Falkenstein, obtained 9 nominations for greatest revival of a play; director of a play — Clinton Turner Davis; lead actor in a play — Norm Lewis; featured actress in a play — Felicia Boswell and Morgan Siobhan Inexperienced; featured actor in a play — Calvin M. Thompson and Bryce Michael Wooden; costume design — Isabel Rubio; and set design — Harry Feiner.
The Basic Stage Firm served up a incredible manufacturing of “Wine within the Wilderness,” which additionally tied with 9 nominations: greatest revival of a play; director of a play — LaChanze; lead actress in a play — Olivia Washington; lead actor in a play — Grantham Coleman; featured actor in a play — Milton Craig Nealy; sound design — Invoice Toles; costume design — Dede Ayite; set design — Arnulfo Maldonado; and lighting design — Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew.
There isn’t any doubt that this season, audiences had been handled to a tremendous play written with quite a lot of coronary heart and particulars — “The Wash,” carried out by Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre. This manufacturing garnered eight nominations: greatest play; playwright — Kelundra Smith; director of a play — Awoye Timpo; ensemble efficiency — Rebecca Haden, Bianca LaVerne Jones, Margaret Odette, Alicia Pilgrim, Kerry Warren and Eunice Woods; sound design — Invoice Toles; costume design — Gail Cooper-Hecht; set design — Jason Ardizzone-West; and lighting design — Victor En Yu Tan.
Three productions tied with eight nominations. Hamilton Stage introduced “Purlie” in positive trend and it’s nominated for the VIV for greatest revival of a musical; director of a musical — Kenny Ingram; excellent musical director — Gary Mitchell Jr.; choreographer — Kenny Ingram; lead actor in a musical — Timothy Ware-Hill; featured actress in a musical — Virginia Woodruff and Nicole Powell; and featured actor in a musical — Tyson Jennette.
The Lincoln Middle Theater’s “The Blood Quilt” was a shocking manufacturing and is nominated for greatest play; playwright — Katori Corridor; director of a play — Lileana Blain-Cruz; ensemble efficiency — Lauren E. Banks, Crystal Dickinson, Mirirtai, Adrienne C. Moore and Susan Kelechi Watson; costume design — Montana Levi Blanco; sound design — Palmer Hefferan; set design — Adam Rigg; and lighting design — Jiyoun Chang.
“Trying to find Willie Lynch” from Layon Grey Productions is nominated for seven awards: greatest play; playwright — Layon Grey; director of a play — Layon Grey; lead actress in a play — Raven Jeannette; lead actor in a play — Thaddeus Daniels; featured actress in a play — Sara Jene Beneke; and featured actor in a play — Isaiah Joseph.
The Lucille Lortel Theatre’s manufacturing of “Duke and Roya” earned seven nominations as effectively, together with greatest play; playwright — Charles Randolph Wright; director of a play — Warren Adams; lead actor in a play — Jay Ellis; featured actress in a play — Noma Dumezweni; sound design — Taylor J. Williams; and lighting design — Amina Alexander.
3 times is the appeal, because the Public Theater manufacturing of “Twelfth Night time” is available in with seven nominations for greatest revival of a play; lead actor in a play — Khris Davis; lead actress in a play — Lupita Nyong’o; featured actress in a play — Sandra Oh; featured actor in a play — Junior Nyong’o and Moses Sumney; and costume design — Oana Botez.
The Negro Ensemble Firm’s manufacturing of “Day of Absence/Remaining Absent” is nominated for six awards: greatest revival of a play; director of a play — Patricia R. Floyd; lead actor in a play — Benjamin Rowe; featured actor in a play — Sean Phillips; costume design — Kathy Roberson; and lighting design — Antoinette Tynes.
The Signature Theatre Firm’s “Dangerous Kreyol” additionally is available in with six nominations: greatest play; playwright — Dominique Morisseau; director of a play — Tiffany Nichole Greene; lead actress in a play — Pascale Armand; featured actress in a play — Fedna Jacquet; and sound design — Curtis Craig/Jimmy Keys.
The Public Theater manufacturing of “Good Bones” is nominated for 5 VIVs: greatest play; playwright James IJames; lead actress in a play — Susan Kelechi Watson; featured actor in a play — Khris Davis; and sound design — Fan Nzhang.
“Macbeth in Stride” is nominated for 5 VIV Awards: greatest musical; director of a musical — Tyler Dobrowky and Taibi Magar; excellent musical director — Nygel D. Robinson; choreographer — Raja Feather-Kelly; and lead actress in a musical — Whitney White.
The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s manufacturing of “Memnon” is nominated for 3 VIVs: choreographer — Tiffany Rea-Fisher; lead actress in a play — Andrea Patterson; and lead actor in a play — Eric Berryman.
“Wednesday Lady,” introduced by the Black Spectrum Theatre, is nominated for 2 VIVs: ensemble efficiency — Talli Basile, Valerie Donaldson, Mary Linda Greene, Michael Anthony Inexperienced, Arlene McGruder and Aaron Watkins; and set design — Harlan Penn, Donald Taylor, and Mike Turner.
“A Freaky Introduction,” introduced by Atlantic Theater Firm, has two nominations: solo efficiency — Nsangou Njikam and choreographer — Jill M. Vallery.
The Black Spectrum Theatre’s manufacturing of “Black Spurs” is nominated for 2 VIV Awards, for greatest musical and director of a musical — Lawrence Floyd.
The Nationwide Black Theatre and The Flea’s presentation of “Chiaroscuro” obtained two nominations: greatest play and ensemble efficiency — Sidney DuPont, Paige Gilbert, Ebony Marshall Oliver, Abenaa Quiin, Gayle Samuels, TL Thompson, and Lance Coadie Williams.
A number of productions have a single nomination. Theatre for the New Viewers manufacturing of “The Swamp Dwellers” is nominated for greatest revival of a play. “Rita is the Goat,” introduced by Theater for the New Metropolis, is nominated for ensemble efficiency — Danielle Aziza, Valerie Donaldson, Jonathan Duran, Melanie Maria Goodreaux, India Stachyra, and Tiffany Renelle. “When Gold Turns Black” is nominated for ensemble efficiency — Leon Alexander, Dimitri Dewes Jr., Sania Hyatt, Brian Patterson, Jeffrey Roth, Kelechi Udenkwo, and Jes Washington. “The Prior 55,” introduced by Theater for the New Metropolis and the Fulton Arts Basis, is nominated for ensemble efficiency — Michael Anthony Inexperienced and Martine Fleurisma. Major Levels at 59E59 Theater introduced “Amerikin,” which is nominated for featured actress in a play — Amber Reauchean Williams. Within the solo efficiency class, we discover three productions and artists: Kwaku Fortune, “The Black Wolfe Tone,” introduced by Irish Repertory Theatre and Fishamble; the New Play Firm; DeVon Franklin, “Be True,” introduced by the Audible Theater; and Invoice Posley, “The Day I By chance Went to Warfare,” introduced by the Soho Playhouse.
Along with these nominations, the AUDELCO will current honors to many within the Black theater group. Particular achievement awards might be given to achieved Broadway and Off-Broadway pianist, who additionally performs for Dionne Warwick — Andre Chez Lewis and actress/playwright/director–Zora Howard. Excellent achievement awards might be introduced to the creative director of Harlem Levels — Dr. Indira Etwaroo; musical director/musician — Kenny Seymour and theater/TV/movie star — Adrienne C. Moore. Pioneer Awards will go to producer/actress/director — Kim Weston-Moran, and director/set designer — Ajene D. Washington. Lifetime achievement awards might be bestowed on Mama Basis founder — Vy Higginsen, founder and producing director of the St. Louis Repertory — Ron Himes and actress/educator/founder and creative director of the Kids’s Theater Workshop — Marie Thomas Foster. Board of Administrators awards might be introduced to Viewers developer/usher/actress Debbie McIntyre; Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the Metropolis of New York, 35 District Councilwoman — Laurie Cumbo; and myself — journalist and theater critic for 40 years — Linda Armstrong.
Legacy awards might be introduced to distinguished educator/social justice advocate/group activist/creator — Gerry Baker and educator/group activist/former principal of STAR Academy — Dr. Audrey Baker; creative director for Theater for the New Metropolis — Crystal Subject and educator/singer/actress/counselor/mentor — Juanita Howard. Humanitarian Awards might be introduced to co-founder of Grandparents Round The World/Playwright/clothier — Evern G. Randolph and CFO of Grandparents Round The World/group organizer — Brenda Prescott.
To buy tickets and for more information, go to audelco.org.
I hope to see you there — it is going to be a night of Black Theater Household Love!
