The 52nd Annual AUDELCO Awards was filled with Black theater family love, appreciation, pride, and acknowledgment of the great work that has happened in the past theater season. On Monday, Nov. 18, the Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem was the place to be as AUDELCO, which recognizes excellence in Black theater, gathered the community together in a spirit of reunion and joy that was felt throughout the packed ballroom.
Thespians Jerome Preston Bates and Toni Seawright hosted the event; the evening took place due to the tireless efforts of AUDELCO President Jackie Jeffries.
Daniel Koa Beaty and George Faison strike pose at AUDELCO Awards in Harlem Credit: (Linda Armstrong photos) 
Jerome Preston Bates, Lizan Mitchell (Lifetime Achievement recipient) and Elizabeth Van Dyke at AUDELCO Credit: (Linda Armstrong photos) 
Jerome Preston Bates, Douglas Lyons (Playwright award), and Toni Seawright Credit: (Linda Armstrong photos) 
Reginald L. Wilson holds his Special Achievement Award at the AUDELCO Awards Credit: (Linda Armstrong photos) 
Ralph Carter sports his Pioneer Awards for “Good Times” 50th anniversary Credit: (Linda Armstrong photos)
The productions that came away with the coveted VIV Awards, named after AUDELCO founder Vivian Robinson, were extraordinary shows that deserved the kudos they received. This past season saw classics revisited and new works that ignited our souls with joy and delight, and made us think. Going to the theater should be a pleasurable experience and these productions and performers definitely delivered on that.
“Hell’s Kitchen,” produced by the Public Theater, led the evening with five VIV Awards: best musical; outstanding musical director — Adam Blackstone; best choreographer — Camille A. Brown; lead actress in a musical — Maleah Joi Moon; and featured actress in a musical — Kecia Lewis.
“The Refuge Plays,” produced by Roundabout Theatre Company/New York Theatre Workshop, won four VIVs: best play; best director of a play — Patricia McGregor; lead actress in a play — Nicole Ari Parker; and lead actor in a play — Daniel J. Watts.
“Zooman and the Sign,” produced by the Negro Ensemble Company, received three VIV Awards: lighting design — Melody A. Beal; sound design — Twan Howard; and featured actor in a play — Reginald L. Wilson. Wilson also walked away with the VIV for lead actor in a play for another production he was in during the season, “Scrambled Eggs,” produced by Faith Steps Productions and the 24 Bond Arts Center. This was in addition to being honored with a Special Achievement Award. Wilson had many walks to the podium that evening, and they were well deserved!
“The World According to Micki Grant,” produced by the New Federal Theatre, won three VIV Awards: best director of a musical — Nora Cole; lead actor in a musical — Brian Davis; and lead actress in a musical — Matelyn Alicia, April Armstrong, and Patrice Bell. This award was presented this way because they all portrayed Grant and were remarkable.
“Table 17,” produced by MCC Theatre, received the VIV for best playwright — Douglas Lyons; and outstanding ensemble — Kara Young, Biko Eisen-Martin, and Michael Rishawn.
The outstanding ensemble category had a tie with the New Federal Theatre’s “Telling Tales out of School.” VIVs went to cast members Richarda Abrams, Elizabeth Van Dyke, Petronia Paley, and June Ballinger.
“Unentitled,” produced by the Negro Ensemble Company, won best revival of a play and set design — Chris Cumberbatch and Angel Smith.
“Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” produced by PAC NYC, received two VIV awards: theater legend Andre De Shields for featured actor in a musical, and costume design for Qween Jean.
The award for outstanding solo performance went to Laurence Fishburne for “Like They Do in the Movies,” produced by the Perelman Performing Arts Center.
“Fabulation: or The Re-Education of Undine,” produced by the Billie Holiday Theater in Brooklyn, won featured actress in a play — Sharon Hope.
Throughout the evening, marvelous people were honored between award categories. June Terry received the Legacy Award for her decades of work in costume design. The 93-year-old took a moment to talk about this honor.
“I feel it’s wonderful,” Terry said. “I’ve been doing costume design for 35 years. I’m just so glad to see they are keeping this organization together and bringing in new people and teaching them that we have to keep our history going. I come out here every day as an African … I work hard; I teach sewing, jewelry-making to seniors. Now I’m into art. I have a painting at a gallery downtown … Art just makes you feel good.
“I am so happy to be here tonight and I’m so happy for the AUDELCO Awards … an All-Black organization that has been here for 52 years. I just love making people look good … all Black folks are queens and kings. We have to think about keeping this (AUDELCO) together. As long as I walk this Earth, I’m going to be a part of it.”
When Daniel Koa Beaty received the Outstanding Achievement award, he said, “I feel real honored to receive this award. I love the AUDELCOs because it’s a time when we celebrate ourselves, and that’s so important.”
He is currently performing his new one-man show, “Love Warrior.” Discussing how he comes up with these plays, he said, “It’s from my love for our people and my deep belief that we can heal, and my determination to tell stories that look at what we are facing in a real way, but also show pathways to healing.”
Trezana Beverly had this to say about receiving a Lifetime Achievement award: “It’s a journey of endurance, it’s a journey of faith. It’s very nice to have your peers honor you for the work that you do, because we are serious artists. We’re true artists and to be an artist is not easy, to make a living at it … I feel very, very blessed to have done that and to continue to do it as long as I have breath.”
She thanked Debra Ann Byrd, who gave her the opportunity to play Medea and King Lear through her Take Wing and Soar Productions. She also thanked AUDELCO’s Jackie Jeffries for inviting her into this theater community and Woodie King Jr. for the opportunities he gave her. “We are a family and we must stick together, because being an artist is very, very special,” Beverly said.
Three other theater lights received Lifetime Achievement awards: A. Dean Irby for his 50 years’ experience in New York Theater; dancer and choreographer George Faison (did someone say “The Wiz on Broadway”?), who received his award from the star of “The Wiz,” the Wizard himself: Andre De Shields. Actress Lizan Mitchell was recognized for her decades of performance in film and both on and off-Broadway.
Obediah Wright, a director, choreographer, dancer, actor, singer, and educator, received a Pioneer award. Members of his male dance troupe performed powerful, dramatic African dance and had the room on its feet. I presented Ralph Carter with a Pioneer award in celebration of the “Good Times” 50th anniversary and his Broadway career. Woodie King Jr., founder of Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre, presented a Pioneer award to Michael Dinwiddie, a playwright, television script writer, and NYU professor.
Layon Gray, a writer/director/producer who makes sure to tell Black stories about our history, also received an Outstanding Achievement award. Over the years, he’s created and presented productions, including “Black Angels Over Tuskegee” about the Tuskegee Airmen.
R&B singer Alyson Williams was also honored with an Outstanding Achievement award for her decades of work.
Board of Directors awards went to Voza Rivers for the 60th year of the New Heritage Theatre Group, the oldest Black nonprofit theater company in New York, and to Stephanie Berry and John-Martin Green for Blackberry Productions, now in its 40th year.
Continuing AUDELCO’s commitment to looking to the future, this year’s Rising Star award recipient was 10-year-old Christopher Woodley, a young actor who has performed in film, TV, and on stage. Recently, he was in “Scrambled Eggs” at the Gene Frankel Theater. Woodley thanked his cast members from “Scrambled Eggs” and his entire family: “The Rising Star means the world to me,” he said. “It means that I should continue what I’m doing, to never forget my passion. It is also a reminder to be consistent. Dreams do come true.”
To learn about becoming a member of AUDELCO, visit the organization’s website at http://www.audelco.org. Please support Black theater — only we can tell our stories.
I hope to see you at the AUDELCO Awards next year!