The time has come again! The Black Theatre Alliance has announced the nominations for the 2015 Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards in the Chicago Sun-Times. Founded in 1995, the ceremony is a celebration and recognition of Black artists and their phenomenal efforts in the performing arts in Chicago. It’s a great way for African American excellence and artistry to be recognized. The talent continues to expand with each passing year.
Men of Soul, the dynamic Black Ensemble Theater production celebrating many African American men and their contributions to music, leads the pack with a total of thirteen nominations, with writer and director Darryl Brooks scoring a nomination and four of the actors (Matthew Hunter, Daniel Phillips, Kyle Phillips, and Rashawn Thompson) receiving acting nods. The production will run until August 30th and tickets can be purchased here. Twisted Melodies, a production by Congo Square Company, received seven nominations. The play, written by Kelvin Roston Jr., is a fictionalized account of the life of musical icon, Donny Hathaway and runs until September 13th. Tickets for that production can be purchased at the company’s website.
Other notable nominees include Goodman Theatre’s productions of Two Trains Running, Stop Reset, and The Upstairs Concierge; Black Ensemble Theater’s “At Last: a Tribute to Etta James”; and Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago’s “Legend”. Congratulations to all of the nominees! A full list of the nominees can be found here.
The ceremony will take place on October 19, 2015. Tickets for nominees are $40 and for the general public, tickets are $50. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Black Theatre Alliance website.
Did you see any of the productions? Are you planning on attending the ceremony? Sound off in the comments below!
Photo Credit: Liz Lauren & The Goodman Theatre | 2015 Two Trains Running
