Cheryl L. Davis’ Maid’s Door Sweeps AUDELCOs with 7 Wins; Complete List of 2014 AUDELCO Recipients

Billie Holiday Theatre’s production of Cheryl L. Davis’ Maid’s Door was the big winner at Remember, Reflect, Celebrate!, the 42nd Annual Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO “VIV” Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre, held in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space in New York, on Monday, November 17, 2014.

Scottie Mills and Nicola d’Alessandro in “Maid’s Door,” at The Billie Holiday Theatre. Photo: Helen L. Collen

This year’s awards ceremony honored those who dedicate their lives and talent to entertaining through Black Theatre. The honorary co-chairs were Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Ebony Jo-Ann, Debbie McIntyre and Billy Mitchell.

Maid’s Door won seven awards including Dramatic Production of the Year, Best Lead Actress for Scottie Mills, Best Supporting Actress for Melissa Joyner, Best Supporting Actor for Nate James, Best Set Design for Patrice Andrew Davidson, Best Playwright for Cheryl L. Davis and Best Director/Dramatic Production for Jackie Alexander.

New Federal Theatre’s revival of Ed Bullins’ The Fabulous Miss Marie garnered two AUDELCOs-Best Lead Actor for Roscoe Orman and Best Costume Design for Ali Turns. The Morningside Players’ production of The Old Settler directed by Ajene Washington won Best Revival.

Tonya Pinkins and Roscoe Orman in New Federal Theatre’s revival of Ed Bullins’ The Fabulous Miss Marie at Castillo Theatre. Photo by Lia Chang

“The VIV” Awards, the annual Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO Recognition, are the only formally established awards presented to the black theatre community. AUDELCO (Audience Development Committee, Inc.) was established and incorporated in 1973 by the late Vivian Robinson, to stimulate interest in, and support of performing arts in black communities.

The International Communications Association and AUDELCO presented a surprise award to legendary actress Vinie Burrows for her Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and the Community.

The complete list of winners of the 42nd Annual Vivian Robinson AUDELCO Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theater awards. Congrats!!!

 2014 WINNERS

Best Lighting Design
Thom Weaver/ August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned

Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Signature Theatre’s production of August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned. Photo by Joan Marcus

Best Set Design
Patrice Andrew Davidson/ Maid’s Door

Best Costume Design
Ali Turns/ The Fabulous Miss Marie

Best Director/Dramatic Production
Jackie Alexander/ Maid’s Door

Best Playwright
Cheryl L. Davis/ Maid’s Door

Best Supporting Actor
Nate James/ Maid’s Door

Best Supporting Actress
Melissa Joyner/ Maid’s Door

Outstanding Performance in a Musical – Female
Dee Dee Bridgewater/ Lady Day

Outstanding Performance in a Musical – Male
Derrick Baskin/ Piece of My Heart

Best Choreographer
Leslie Dockery/ Ugly Is A Hard Pill

Outstanding Ensemble Performance
Sassy Mamas/ HADLEY Players
Richarda Abrams
Donald Dash
Nicholas Miles Newton
DeSean Stokes
M. Drue Williams
Cooki Winborn

Best Solo Performance
Helena D. Lewis/ Call Me Crazy

Best Lead Actor
Roscoe Orman/The Fabulous Miss Marie

Best Lead Actress
Scottie Mills/ Maid’s Door

Best Revival
The Old Settler/The Morningside Players

Dramatic Production of the Year
Maid’s Door/Billie Holiday Theatre

Special Achievement
Norm Lewis
André De Shields
David Greer

Special Achievement Award- Dance
Loretta Abbott

Outstanding Pioneer
Chapman Roberts

Board of Directors Award
Cherine Anderson
Lawrence Evans

Rising Star Award
Colby Christina
Nicholas A. Jenkins

Other articles on the Audelcos:
Chapman Roberts, Loretta Abbott, André De Shields, David Greer, Norm Lewis, Cherine Anderson, Lawrence Evans, Colby Christina & Nicholas A. Jenkins to Receive Special AUDELCO Awards on Nov. 17; 2014 AUDELCO Nominees Announced
2014 AUDELCO Nominations Announced; Ceremony at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space on November 17
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Colman Domingo and Sharon Washington, and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington 
Knock Me a Kiss Sweeps Audelcos with 9 Wins Including Best Dramatic Play, André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Charles Smith and Chuck Smith
Photos: André De Shields, Erin Cherry, Gillian Glasco, Marie Thomas, Sean Phillips, Morocco Omari, Charles Smith and Chuck Smith Among 13 Audelco Nods for Knock Me a Kiss
Costume Designer Karen Perry Receives Audelco Nod for The Public’s Brother/Sister Trilogy by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe, MTC’s Ruined, De Shields and Nottage Among 2009 Audelco Winners
AUDELCO 2009 “The VIV” Nominees for the 2008-2009 Theatre Season

National Black Theatre Festival Photos
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: 7/30/13 Power Play
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: 7/29/13 Gala
National Black Theatre Festival 7/29/13 Press Conference Photos
National Black Theatre Festival Photos 7/28/13
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Remembering Garland Lee Thompson, Sr. (1938-2014); Memorial Set for February 14, 2015
Q & A with Danny Ramm, Co-writer of Joe Mantegna Helmed ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 10 Episode to Honor the late Meshach Taylor; Airs January 21, 2015
Yellow Sound Label to Release BD Wong’s Debut CD HERRINGBONE on December 2, 2014
NYU Theatrical Production Presents the World Premiere of Rajiv Joseph’s Describe the Night in the Shubert Theatre at Tisch School of the Arts
Photos: Ron Domingo, Julie Fitzpatrick, Julienne Hanzelka Kim, Moses Villarama, Jeena Yi, Jojo Gonzalez at Ma-Yi’s Chairs and a Long Table
Photos: BD Wong, Cindy Cheung, Brooke Ishibashi,Thom Sesma, Manna Nichols, Steven Eng, Ariel Estrada and Lori Tan Chinn at Leviathan Lab’s Ghost Stories
New York Times Critics’ Pick OUR LADY OF KIBEHO by Katori Hall, extends through December 14
The Public Theater Extends Suzan-Lori Parks’s FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS through December 7
Ken Watanabe, Kelli O’Hara, Ruthie Ann Miles, Conrad Ricamora, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Paul Nakauchi and More Set for Lincoln Center Theater’s The King and I 
Dec. 8: Tony Winner BD Wong, Raymond J. Lee, Pearl Sun, Marc delaCruz, Thom Sesma, Arielle Jacobs, Cindy Cheung, Daniel J. Edwards, Kamala Sankaram, Mel Sagrado Maghuyop, Christine Toy Johnson & More Set for The Asian American Composers and Lyricists Projects’ “Arriving In Asian America” 
Apple Video Podcast: New York Post Writer Michael Riedel Interviews David Byrne, Jaygee Macapugay, Jose Llana and Conrad Ricamora of Here Lies Love
Dec. 1: National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) presents DISCOVER: New Musicals – Marcus Yi’s Lost at Sea, Timothy Huang’s Missing Karma, Christine Toy Johnson and Michael Mott’s Riding Out the Storm and Azusa Fujikua’s Sign
Six Questions for Melody Butiu, Currently Appearing as Estrella in David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim’s Here Lies Love at The Public
Q & A with Playwright Camille Darby, 2014-15 Dramatists Guild Playwrighting Fellow
Photos: Tommy Tune, Bob Avian, Lee Roy Reams, Christine Toy Johnson, Orville Mendoza, Lori Tan Chinn, Raul Aranas, Virginia Wing and More Celebrate 2014 Paul Robeson Citation Award Recipient Baayork Lee
Geoffrey Holder, Artist, Actor, Dancer, Choreographer, Two-Time Tony Award-winning Director and Costume Designer for The Wiz, Dies at 84; Son Pens Intimate Account of Last Days
Photos: Art Salon with Artist Yang Chihung and Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang at New-York Historical Society
Celebrating my Mom – AN ACTIVE VISION: BEVERLY UMEHARA…LABOR ACTIVIST…1945-1999
Photos: Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion on View through April 19, 2015 at New York Historical Society
Coming to America through The Angel Island Immigration Station
Joe Mantegna to Helm ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 10 Episode to Honor the late Meshach Taylor
Photos: Maxine Hong Kingston, Billie Tsien, Bill T. Jones, Linda Ronstadt, John Kander, Julia Alvarez, Jeffrey Katzenberg Receive 2013 National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama 
Photos: Artist Arlan Huang, One Brush Stroke at a Time
Late Night Singing with Garth Kravits at 54 Below with The Skivvies, at Jim Caruso’s Cast Party at Birdland and Michael Raye’s Soul Gathering 
Joe Mantegna, Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, President Bill Clinton and More Remember Meshach Taylor
Crafting a Career
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Lia Chang Photo by GK

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, and made her jazz vocalist debut in Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz “LADY” at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York. She is profiled in Jade Magazine.

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