Black theater had so much to offer the public this past season. It was truly amazing as Black stories were told, Black actors were seen, and Black artistry was on full, glorious display. That is why I’m looking forward to the 54th Annual Vivian Robinson AUDELCO Awards, which will be held on Nov. 16 at the Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem, presenting awards that recognize and reward Black theater excellence. The nominations are officially in and there is a lot to be proud of.
Leading the awards with an impressive 11 nominations is the New York Theatre Workshop’s production of the musical “Saturday Church.” It is nominated for best musical; best music supervisor/arrangements/orchestrations for Jason Michael Webb and Luke Solomon; outstanding musical director — Deah Love Harriott; lead actress in a musical — Joaquina Kalukango; lead actor in a musical — Bryson Battle; featured actress in a musical — Kristolyn Lloyd and B. Noel Thomas; featured actor in a musical — J. Harrison Ghee; choreographer — Darrell Grand Moultrie; director of a musical — Whitney White; and costume design — Qween Jean.
The Public Theater production of Jordan E. Cooper’s “Oh Happy Day!” garnered 10 nominations, including best play; playwright — Jordan E. Cooper; director of a play — Stevie Walker-Webb; choreographer — Eboni Nichols; lead actress in a play — Tamika Lawrence; lead actor in a play — Jordan E. Cooper; featured actress in a play to be shared — Tiffany Mann, Sheila Melod McDonald, and Latrice Pace; featured actor in a play — Brian D. Coats; set design — Luciana Stecconi; and lighting design — Adam Honore.
Tying with 10 nominations is the American Theatre of Actors production of “Home is Sweet Sorrow,” for best play; playwright — Anne L. Thompson-Scretching; director of a play — Anne L. Thompson; lead actress in a play — Patricia Fields; lead actor in a play — Layton Lamell; featured actress in a play — Joy Foster and Kevin Leonard; sound design — Liam Riordan; costume design — E.S.Q. Design-Everett Clark; and set design — Thompson-Scretching.
“44 The Musical” earned nine nominations, for best musical; director of a musical — Eli Bauman; outstanding musical director — Anthony Brewster; choreographer — James Alsop; lead actress in a musical — Shanice; lead actor in a musical — T. J. Wilkins; featured actress in a musical — Summer Nicole Greer; and featured actor in a musical — Chad Doreck and Dino Shorte.
“Chasing Grace,” a production of SheNYC Arts, also received nine nominations: best musical; director of a musical — Elizabeth Addison; best music supervisor/arrangements/orchestrations — Jacinth Greywoode; outstanding musical director — Greywoode; choreographer — Brian Harlan Brooks; lead actress in a musical — Gabrielle Beckford and Harper Miles; and featured actress in a musical — Tracey Conyer Lee and Shamiea Thompson.
The Black Spectrum Theatre Company’s “Watch The Throne” had nine nominations as well: best play; playwright — Felix Omozusi; director of a play — Lawrence Floyd; lead actress in a play — Kenya Wilson; lead actor in a play — David Roberts; featured actor in a play — Kevin Sidney Bronson; costume design — Ria Alexander; set design — Chris Cumberbatch; and lighting design — Allison Ramnarine.
The Negro Ensemble Company’s “No Ordinary Days” received eight nominations, including best play; director of a play — Reginald L. Wilson; lead actress in a play — Wadiah Waliah; featured actress in a play — Johnnie Mae; featured actor in a play — Lamar Cheston; sound design — Linwood Booker; costume design — Katherine Roberson; and lighting design — Leila Wright.
Audible Theater & P3 Productions’ “Mexodus” is nominated for eight VIV Awards: best musical; best music supervisor/arrangements/orchestrations — Mikhail Fiksel, Brian Quijada, and Nygel D. Robinson; director of a musical — David Mendizabal; lead actor in a musical (to be shared by) Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson; choreographer — Tony Thomas; sound design — Mikhail Fiksel; set design — Riw Rakkulchon; and lighting design — Mextly Couzin.
The Cherry Lane Theatre’s “Shifters” earned seven nominations: best play; playwright — Benedict Lombe; director of a play — Lynette Linton; outstanding ensemble performance — Daniel Ezra, Heather Agyepong, and Charity Bedu-Addo; sound design — Tony Gayle; lighting design — Neil Austin; and set design — Alex Berry.
The HERE Arts Center’s “Dream Feed” has six nominations: best musical; director of a musical — Phillip Howze; best music supervisor/arrangements/orchestrations — Justin Hicks, Kenita Miller, and Jade Hicks; lead actress in a musical — Kenita Miller; lead actor in a musical — Justin Hicks; and featured actress in a musical — Hicks.
The New Federal Theatre’s “Blooming in Dry Season” is up for six VIV Awards: best play; playwright — Eljon Wardally; director of a play — Jackie Alexander; outstanding ensemble performance — Nikyla Boxley, Melanie Matthews, and Brian Richardson; set design — Isabela and Moriah Curley-Clay; and lighting design — Antoinette Tynes.
Four productions tied with five nominations each. Harlem Stage’s production of “Freedom Riders: A Journey with No End in Sight” is nominated for best play; director of a play — Indira Etwaroo; outstanding ensemble performance — Lisa Arrindell, Russell Hornsby, Billy Eugene Jones, Angelica Ross, and Stephen Tyrone Williams; best music supervisor/arrangements/orchestrations — Davinity Roxx, Daniel Berrnard Roumaine, and Arden Altino; and lighting design — Devin Cameron.
Lange Productions’ “Lady Patriot” is nominated for best play; playwright — Ted Lange; lead actress in a play — Chrystee Pharris; featured actor in a play — Count Stovall; and costume design — Alex Rockey.
The Lincoln Center Theater’s “The Whoopi Monologues” earned nominations for best play; playwright — Whoopi Goldberg; director of a play — Whitney White; outstanding ensemble performance — Dominique Fishback, Kecia Lewis, Danielle Pinnock, Jurnee Smollett, Kerry Washington, and Kara Young; and sound design — Fan Zhang.
The Shed and Geffen Playhouse’s production of “The Brothers Size” is nominated for best revival of a play; lead actor in a play — Andre Holland; featured actor in a play — Alani Longwe and Malcolm Mays; and choreographer — Juel D. Lane.
Three shows tied with three nominations. The Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of “The Monsters” is nominated for playwright — Ngozi Anyanwu; outstanding ensemble performance — Aigner Mizzelle and Okieriete Onaodowan; and costume design — Mika Eubanks.
The Crossroads Theatre Company’s production of “Crumbs from the Table of Joy” is nominated for best revival of a play; lead actor in a play — Jamil A. C. Mangan; and featured actress in a play — Cloteal L. Horne.
The Gene Frankel Theatre’s production of “(S)kinfolk” is nominated for lead actress in a play — C. Kelly Wright; lead actor in a play — Karon Riley Joseph; and featured actor in a play — Antwain N. Lewis.
The New York Theatre Workshop’s production of “In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat” is nominated for two awards for solo performance — Roger Guenveur Smith and sound design — Marc Anthony Thompson.
The WP Theater’s production of “The Waterfall” is nominated for two VIVs: outstanding ensemble performance — Patrice Johnson Chevannes and Natalie Paul and set design — Teresa L. Williams.
The House of the Redeemer’s production of “Tartuffe” has two nominations: lead actor in a play — Andre De Shields and featured actress in a play — Amber Iman.
The Theater for the New City’s production of “The Popes of Farragut Street” is nominated for lead actor in a play — Ben C. Rowe and featured actress in a play — Hollie Harper.
Numerous productions received one nomination. The Flea’s production of “Hang Time” is nominated for best revival of a play. The Mile Square Theatre’s “The Mountaintop” and Crossroads Theatre Company’s production of “Sizwe Bansi is Dead” are also nominated for best revival of a play.
In the category of solo performance, nominations went to Liza Jessie Peterson for her production “The Peculiar Patriot” presented by the National Black Theatre/New York Theatre Workshop; Sam Jay for “We the People,” presented by Lincoln Center Theater; Luther “Anubis” D. Isler for “The Ballad of Dog God,” presented by the Harlem Bomb Shelter and New Heritage Group; and Michael Green for “39 Steps Toward Freedom,” presented by Shades of Truth Theatre.
The Negro Ensemble Company’s production of “The House of the Negro Insane” is nominated for outstanding ensemble performance — Sidney Hatcher, Rob Penty, Benjamin C. Rowe, and Wadiah Waliah.
“Heaux Church,” presented by Ars Nova in association with Lena Waithe, is nominated for best musical.
Seaview & Wagner Johnson’s production of “Gruesome Playground Injuries” received a nomination for lead actress in a play — Kara Young. The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s production of “Othello” earned a lead actor in a play nomination for James Udom.
The MCC Theater/Clubbed Thumb/Page 73’s production of “Cold War Choir Practice” received a nomination for featured actress in a play for Lizan Mitchell.
In addition to all these amazing nominations for work well done, AUDELCO annually honors our people’s accomplishments. The hosts for this year’s awards will be singer/actress Alyson Williams and actor/comedian Petri Byrd. Special achievement awards will go to Nambi E. Kelley and Daniel Carlton. Outstanding achievement awards will be presented to Benja Kay, David Roberts, and Liza Jessie Peterson. Ronnie Wright and Basir McChawi will receive board of director awards. Pioneer Awards will be given to Joyce Sylvester and Aziza Miller. Lifetime achievement awards will go to Elmo Terry Morgan, Eileen J. Morris, Dyane Harvey, Abel Salaam, and Roger Guenveur Smith. Legacy awards will be presented to icons Antonio Fargas, Kermit Smith, and Anne L. Thompson-Scretching. A Rising Star award will be presented to Sidney Hatcher.
The Alhambra Ballroom is at 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. in Harlem. For ticket information, visit AUDELCO’s website at www.audelco.org.
