53RD ANNUAL VIVIAN ROBINSON AUDELCO RECOGNITION AWARDS – “THE VIV” for Excellence in Black Theatre
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AND THE WINNER IS …
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BEST LIGHTING
Antoinette Tynes | Day of Absence/Remaining Absent | Negro Ensemble Company
BEST SET DESIGN
Harlan Penn | Wednesday Woman | Black Spectrum Theatre Co., Inc.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Kathy Roberson | Day of Absence/Remaining Absent | Negro Ensemble Company
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Bill Toles | The Wash | New Federal Theatre
BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
LaChanze | Wine in the Wilderness | Classic Stage Company
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Kenny Ingram | Purlie | American Theater Group, in partnership with UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
Darrell Grand Moultrie | Goddess | The Public Theater
BEST PLAYWRIGHT
Kelundra Smith | The Wash | New Federal Theatre
FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Milton Craig Nealy | Wine in the Wilderness | Classic Stage Company
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Noma Dumezweni | Duke and Roya | Lucille Lortel Theatre
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Gary Mitchell Jr. | Purlie | American Theater Group, in partnership with UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Daniel J. Watts | Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole | New York Theater Workshop
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
• Nicole Powell | Purlie | American Theater Group, in partnership with UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
The Wash | Rebecca Haden, Bianca LaVerne Jones, Margaret Odette, Alicia Pilgrim, Kerry Warren, Eunice Woods
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
NSangou Njikam | A Freeky Introduction | Atlantic Theater Company
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Dulé Hill | Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole | New York Theatre Workshop
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Amber Iman | Goddess | The Public Theater
LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY (IT’S A TIE)
• Benjamin Rowe | Day of Absence/Remaining Absent | Negro Ensemble Company
• Norm Lewis | Ceremonies in Dark Old Men | Peccadillo Theater Company, NEC and Eric Falkenstein
LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Olivia Washington | Wine in the Wilderness | Classic Stage Company
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Purlie | American Theater Group, in partnership with UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Day of Absence | Negro Ensemble Company
BEST MUSICAL
Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole | New York Theatre Workshop
BEST PLAY (IT’S A TIE)
• The Wash | New Federal Theatre
• The Blood Quilt | Lincoln Center Theater
2025 HONOREES
LEGACY AWARD
· John D. Smith
· Gerry and Audrey Baker
· Crystal Field
· Juanita Howard
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREES
· Vy Higginsen
· Ron Hines
· Marie Thomas Foster
PIONEER AWARD
· Kim Weston-Moran
· Ajene D. Washington
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
· Dr. Indira Etwaroo
· Kenny Seymour
· Adrienne C. Moore
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARD
· Debbie McIntyre
· Linda Armstrong
· Laurie Cumbo
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SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
· Chez Lewis
· Zora Howard
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
· Brenda Prescott
· Evern G. Randolph
AUDELCO SPECIAL HONOR
Black Spectrum Theatre | Celebrating 55 Years of Black Theatre Excellence
53rd ANNUAL VIVIAN ROBINSON
AUDELCO RECOGNITION AWARDS
“THE VIV” for Excellence in Black Theatre
“Celebrate 53 years of AUDELCO Excellence”
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
LIVE PRESENTATION
7:30 PM EDT