Miss Robinson was born in Portsmouth, Va. While working in the advertising department of “The Amsterdam News,” she noticed that many small theater companies were not being covered and volunteered to review their productions for the newspaper. In 1973, she created Audelco ”to generate recognition, understanding and awareness of the arts in black communities and to build new audiences for nonprofit theaters and dance companies.”

Nominees were announced at a ceremony in Harlem, New York on October 15th. Nominees are a result of the consensus of the Audelco Nominating Committee. These committee members are members in good standing who have contributed $50.00 or more to Friends of Audelco.

We must never forget to honor and support organizations such as Audelco, as they put their passion for theatre and the arts into action. Without organizations like this, much of Black Theatre would go unrecognized. Our talent often goes ignored or is grossly undervalued in the world of mainstream award shows. The passion and commitment to honoring Black Theatre is underscored on the Audelco website:

The Committee reaffirms its commitment to recognizing excellence in Black theatre within the five boroughs in the New York metropolitan area. The Committee shall make every effort to see all productions produced primarily by, but not limited to, Black theatre companies, as well as productions showcasing the talents of the performers of color. To that end, due consideration shall be given to all artists regardless of ethnicity.

And now here are some of this years nominees:

Best Revival

Aint Misbehavin’ Irving Street Rep/Faison Firehouse Theater

A Band of Angels New York City Children’s Theater

Flambeaux Obsidian Media Group/Braata Prods.

For the Last Time Clement Arts/Epic Theatre Ensemble

Texas in Paris  York Theatre Company

The Fortress of Solitude  The Public Theater

Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical AnthonyKen, LLC/Sheryl L. Ralph

These are just a few of the nominees and categories. For the entire group of nominees scroll down. The awards ceremony will take place Monday, November 16th at the Peter Norton Symphonyspace in New York City. We salute all of the nominees and wish you best of luck during the awards!

The post Billy Porter, Lillias White, & More Among 44th Annual Audelco Award Nominees appeared first on Broadway Black.

Part performance piece – as meditation on the artistic process – and part actual work session, Parks demonstrates why writer James Baldwin (her creative writing teacher) stated “she may become one of the most valuable artists of our time.” It’s probably safe to say that she has become one of the most important voices of our time.

Parks became the first Black woman to win a Pulitzer for her 2001 Topdog/Underdog; her first Pulitzer nod came in 2000 for In The Blood. Her latest work Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) – which ran at The Public (October-December 2014) and at Harvard University’s The American Repertory Theater (January-March) – received the 2015 Kennedy Prize for Drama and was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Parks talked with Arise 360 about her critically-acclaimed trilogy play which follows Hero, a slave, from West Texas to the Confederate battlefield.

A special “Watch Me Work” installment, during which she performed songs she wrote and composed for Father Comes Home, took place in January at The A.C.T. It was livestreamed by the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at HowlRound.TV.

The free “Watch Me Work” performances at The Public Theater – also to be livestreamed by HowlRound – begin at 5pm and last 75 minutes. Questions can be sent via Twitter at #watchmeworkslp or via email to watchmeworkslp(at)gmail.com. Remaining dates are:

• September 28
• October 5, 12, 26
• November 2, 16, 30
• December 7, 14

You can watch the first performance in its entirety below:

The post Suzan-Lori Parks’ Watch Me Work Series Returns appeared first on Broadway Black.

This year’s nominations gave us tons of excitement for some of Broadway Black’s finest. On this list you’ll find work and performances recognized from that of Suzan Lori Parks, Leslie Odom Jr., Quincy Tyler Bernstine, S. Epatha Merkerson, Lillias White, Tonya Pinkins, & Renée Elise Goldsberry.

The ever so popular musical Hamilton broke the record for most nominations with a total of 12, and the most nominated play was Between Riverside and Crazy with 6 nominations. For more information on the Lortel Awards and previous winners visit their website HERE

The following special awards will also be presented:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Terrence McNally
• Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway Award: Nancy Nagel Gibbs
• Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee: Jeanine Tesori

The 2015 nominations by category are:

Outstanding Play

• Between Riverside and Crazy
  written by Stephen Adly Guirgis
  Produced by Atlantic Theater Company
• Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3)
  Written by Suzan-Lori Parks
  Produced by The Public Theater in association with American Repertory Theater
• The Invisible Hand
  Written by Ayad Akhtar
  Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
• My Mañana Comes
  Written by Elizabeth Irwin
  Produced by The Playwrights Realm
• The Nether
  Written by Jennifer Haley
  Produced by MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical

• The Fortress of Solitude
  Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman
  Book by Itamar Moses
  Produced by The Public Theater in association with Dallas Theater Center
• Hamilton
  Book, Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
  Produced by The Public Theater
• The Lightning Thief
  Music and Lyrics by Rob Rokicki
  Book by Joe Tracz
  Produced by Theatreworks USA
• Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
  Written and Composed by Jonathan Christenson
  Produced by Radio Mouse Entertainment, Martin Hummel, Caiola Productions, Terry Schnuck, Susan Jaffe Tane, Hernreich-Horvath Productions, Catalyst Theatre in association with Fireboat Productions, Mary Cossette, Meredith Lynsey Schade
• Pretty Filthy
  Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman
  Book by Bess Wohl
  Produced by The Civilians in association with Jon B. Platt

Outstanding Revival

• Fashions for Men
  Written by Ferenc Molnár
  Produced by Mint Theater Company
• Indian Ink
  Written by Tom Stoppard
  Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company in association with American Conservatory Theater
• Into The Woods
  Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
  Book by James Lapine
  Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center, a Fiasco Theater production
• Sticks and Bones
  Written by David Rabe
  Produced by The New Group
• The Wayside Motor Inn
  Written by A.R. Gurney
  Produced by Signature Theatre

Outstanding Solo Show

• Every Brilliant Thing
  Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
  Performed by Jonny Donahoe
  Produced by Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, Patrick Daly, Kelpie Arts LLC, Scott Rudin, Marc & Lisa Biales, Terry Allen Kramer, Michael Ostin.
• Josephine and I
  Written and Performed by Cush Jumbo
  Produced by The Public Theater
• Just Jim Dale
  Written and Performed by Jim Dale
  Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company
• The Lion
  Written and Performed by Benjamin Scheuer
  Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Director

• Michael Greif: Our Lady of Kibeho
• Thomas Kail: Hamilton
• Austin Pendleton: Between Riverside and Crazy
• Ken Rus Schmoll: The Invisible Hand
• Ivo van Hove: Scenes From a Marriage

Outstanding Choreographer

• Andy Blankenbuehler: Hamilton
• Camille A. Brown: The Fortress of Solitude
• Denis Jones: Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story
• Laura Krewski: Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
• Lisa Shriver: Into The Woods

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

• Usman Ally: The Invisible Hand
• Carson Elrod: The Heir Apparent
• Stephen McKinley Henderson: Between Riverside and Crazy
• Owiso Odera: Our Lady of Kibeho
• Bill Pullman: Sticks and Bones

Outstanding Lead Actress in a play

• Quincy Tyler Bernstine: Grand Concourse
• Anna Gunn: Sex With Strangers
• Jan Maxwell: The City of Conversation
• S. Epatha Merkerson: While I Yet Live
• Tonya Pinkins: Rasheeda Speaking

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

• Adam Chanler-Berat: The Fortress of Solitude
• Claybourne Elder: Allegro
• Lin-Manuel Miranda: Hamilton
• Leslie Odom Jr.: Hamilton
• Ben Steinfeld: Into The Woods

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

• Michelle Knight: Disenchanted!
• Jennifer Mudge: Into The Woods
• Sally Murphy: The Threepenny Opera
• Phillipa Soo: Hamilton
• Lillias White: Texas in Paris

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

• Victor Almanzar: Between Riverside and Crazy
• Jacob Ming-Trent: Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3)
• Jesse Pennington: Bootycandy
• Will Pullen: Punk Rock
• Scott Shepherd: The Village Bike

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

• Sophia Anne Caruso: The Nether
• Sun Mee Chomet: brownsville song (b-side for tray)
• Liza Colón-Zayas: Between Riverside and Crazy
• Beth Dixon: The City of Conversation
• Deirdre O’Connell: By the Water

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

• Daveed Diggs: Hamilton
• Andy Grotelueschen: Into The Woods
• Brian d’Arcy James: Hamilton
• Kevin Mambo: The Fortress of Solitude
• Steve Rosen: Pretty Filthy
  

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  Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

  • Renée Elise Goldsberry: Hamilton
  • Luba Mason: Pretty Filthy
  • Lulu Picart: Disenchanted!
  • Jessica Tyler Wright: Allegro
  • Emily Young: Into The Woods

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  Outstanding Scenic Design

  • Brett J. Banakis: Big Love
  • Laura Jellinek: The Nether
  • Derek McLane: Into The Woods
  • Walt Spangler: Between Riverside and Crazy
  • Jan Versweyveld: Scenes From a Marriage

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  Outstanding Costume Design

  • Candice Donnelly: Indian Ink
  • Bretta Gerecke: Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
  • Clint Ramos: Bootycandy
  • Paul Tazewell: Hamilton
  • Anthony Ward: Josephine and I

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  Outstanding Lighting Design

  • Howell Binkley: Hamilton
  • David Lander: The Library
  • Tyler Micoleau: The Invisible Hand
  • Ben Stanton: The Nether
  • Japhy Weideman: Punk Rock

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  Outstanding Sound Design

  • Mikhail Fiksel: My Mañana Comes
  • Leah Gelpe: The Invisible Hand
  • Daniel Kluger and Brandon Wolcott: The Nether
  • Nevin Steinberg: Hamilton
  • Matt Tierney: Pocatello

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  The 2015 Lucille Lortel Awards voting committee is appointed by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres & Producers, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, Actors’ Equity Association, the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers, and the Lucille Lortel Foundation, and includes theatre journalists, academics and other Off-Broadway professionals.

  Awarded since 1986, the Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the League by special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Foundation.

The post The Lucille Lortel Awards Announce 2015 Nominations appeared first on Broadway Black.