Your favorite Black stage actor’s favorite award show is back in it’s 53rd installment

 

I was posing for a photo on the second floor landing of the newly revealed Studio Museum atrium when I heard my name. As I turned around to see who’d called me, my confusion only grew. 

 

“I thought you moved to LA!” I shrieked. 

 

“I did! I’m just in town for the AUDELCO Awards. I was nominated.” 

 

The shrieking intensified. After I’d learned what an AUDELCO was (an award for excellence in Black theatre), where the ceremony would be (at the Alhambra catty-corner from the museum), and that the award show was happening the next day (at the same time as my ‘day job’), it was decided that I should be there. Phone calls were made: one to rearrange my work responsibilities and the other to request an addition to the press list. The request was approved. There were no seats left for the ceremony, but I could come for the red carpet.

 

With less than 30 hours to prepare, I charged my mics, tried — unsuccessfully — to level my tripod, and pored over the nominee list. The upside was that I’d seen a solid portion of the nominated productions and felt confident that I’d recognize the onstage performers by visage. The downside was the handful of shows I hadn’t seen and behind-the-scenes people I’d have to look up and try to commit to memory: costume, lighting, and set designers, writers, choreographers, and directors who prefer a low profile. I’ve remarked on Dede Ayite’s costumes countless times (This World of Tomorrow, Purpose, The Brothers Size, Jaja’s African Hairbraiding, Goddess), but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pick her out if she attended. At a red carpet opening at the Apollo in May 2024, I was given a color-printed packet of faces and names. With bold naïveté, I prayed this was a standard practice.

 

I relaxed when I arrived at the Alhambra, a Harlem Renaissance-era performance venue turned ballroom situated across from both the Hotel Theresa and a statue of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. marching ever upward and toward a rugged wind. Even though I’d arrived late for the press calltime, I was still earlier than I needed to be. I paid my $2 to the coat room attendant who directed me, in between mouthfuls of fish and rice, toward the buffet in the Crystal Ballroom. I carried my plate to the nearest table and exchanged introductions with Rome Neal, an actor, director, and producer of Banana Puddin’ Jazz; Felix Omozusi, a playwright, actor, and candidate for New York State Assembly 82nd District; and Tina Fabrique, a Broadway performer best known for singing the original theme song for the children’s television show Reading Rainbow. Joining the table felt like staying for food and fellowship after a Baptist service; I was the first-time visitor in the congregation. 

 

 

An hour before the 7:30 start time, the step and repeat was hoisted in the lobby near the elevators. Nominees, special guests, and AUDELCO voting members waited behind a velvet rope to have their photo taken and record a video with Mr. Neal. I carved out a corner for myself over on the side to ease the congestion, but it made me hard to find. I stopped as many people as I could reach and recognize, easing between attendees in velvet suits, fur coats, and taffeta gowns as they queued for coat check and carpet shots, and swapped family reunion-style greetings. Those in the know arrived well after the start time and joked about fixing plates for later since they figured the ceremony would stretch on past midnight, as it apparently has in the past. 

 

Everyone I interviewed was gracious and willing. In place of polite toleration and hints of begrudging obligation, actors thanked me for seeing their shows. Each of the 10 performers I spoke to emphasized the importance of supporting each other and investing in Black spaces. Destinee Rea, nominated for Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Goddess, explained, “we should hold these awards with the same esteem that we hold our Antoinette Perry’s [Tony Awards].” Arica Jackson, who was featured alongside Rea in Goddess and received a nomination in the same category, echoed the idea saying, “It’s so exciting and rewarding to be recognized by the Black community. There’s so many stories that need to be told, especially diverse stories, so to be celebrated in this way is everything.” 

 

Issa Rae’s popular red-carpet retort “I’m rooting for everybody Black” hits different when every face in the category could book a Fashion Fair ad. The community is tightly knit even in an arts landscape that manufactures scarcity. Because there are far fewer roles for Black actors than their white counterparts, today’s co-star is often tomorrow’s competitor. But, when I asked nominees who else they were rooting for, each answer revealed support and respect for their colleagues. India Stachyra and Tiffany Renelle from Rita Is The Goat counted Good Bones among their favorite shows this year. Bryce Michael Wood of Ceremonies In Dark Old Men was rooting for Twelfth Night to commemorate the year of Shakespeare in the Park’s triumphant post-construction return.  

 

 

My fear of missing famous faces came true. I had an entire exchange with choreographer Darrell Grand Moultrie about check-in, coat check, and finding the restrooms without recognizing him. I never got to tell him how much I loved his work on Goddess and Saturday Church or find out who he was rooting for. Meanwhile, there were the people I recognized immediately but couldn’t reach from my corner (Patricia McGregor, Adrienne C. Moore) and the people I watched for diligently but never saw (Olivia Washington, Eric Berryman, James Ijames). 

 

When I packed up my tripod and microphone around 8:30, the 53rd Annual AUDELCO Awards had begun and Ms. Fabrique was on the mic singing “God Bless the Child”. I watched through glass doors frosted with the Alhambra’s initials. Every seat was claimed and standees lined the perimeter of the room. There was no need for seat-fillers or extras here. During my fourteen block bus ride home, I set a reminder to check online for the winners the next morning. I was eager for my favorites, but felt assured that we would win no matter what.  

 

AUDELCO-nominated shows from A-Z: 

(bolded shows are ones I’ve seen, linked shows are ones I’ve reviewed) 

A Freeky Introduction, Amerikin, Bad Kreyol, Be True, Black Spurs, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Chiaroscuro, Day of Absence/Remaining Absent, Duke and Roya, Goddess, Good Bones, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole, Macbeth in Stride, Memnon, Purlie, Rita is the Goat, Searching for Willie Lynch, The Black Wolfe Tone, The Blood Quilt, The Day I Accidentally Went to War, The Gospel at Colonus, The Swamp Dwellers, The Pryor 55, The Wash, Twelfth Night, Wine in the Wilderness, When Gold Turns Black, Wednesday Woman             

  

blacklove 🖤 and starlight 🌟 

 

The 53rd Annual Vivian Robinson AUDELCO Recognition Awards for excellence in Black Theatre took place on Monday, November 17, 2025. Thank you to Hollis O. Heath and Jackie Jeffries for coordinating my attendance. Thank you to Paige Gilbert, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Gayle Samuels, Destinee Rea, Arica Jackson, Bryce Michael Wood, Tiffany Renelle, India Stachyra, Danielle Aziza, and Daniel J. Watts for participating in interviews. You can watch the interviews on TikTok or Instagram.