The Antonyo Awards are awards recognizing excellence of Black artists in theatre. Founded in 2020, the awards ceremony was produced by Broadway Black and honors Black artists from both the Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre communities.
For their second award season, they renamed the award to The Awards.
Founding and inaugural ceremony The Antonyo Awards were created in 2020 by Drew Shade. Shade founded Broadway Black in 2012, an organization that supports Black theatre and which helped produce the awards ceremony. Dustin Ross, a close friend of Shade, named the ceremony the "Antonyo Awards" as a light-hearted joke in reference to The Tony Awards. An additional purpose of the awards is to shed light on systemic racism in the New York theatre, a mostly-white institution, in the light of the racial protests that rocked America following the murder of George Floyd, and the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and others. No one was paid to participate in or run these awards.
The nominees were selected by a nominating committee. However, since it was not as easy to get voters to see every show due to the shutdown of theatres across the nation due to the pandemic, the winners were chosen by people voting online. Around 8,000 people voted. There were no gendered categories. Also, all presenters and winners had their pronouns listed as well as their names on screen.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no live awards in the inaugural ceremony. The awards took place over a YouTube livestream. The ceremony took place on June 19, 2020, since Juneteenth is the holiday commemorating the freedom from slavery for Black Americans in 1865. However, despite there being no live ceremony, there was a "red carpet" livestream one hour before the ceremony hosted by Chadaé McAlister, as well as an after-party hosted by Amber Iman with music by DJ Dorian, Both featured interviews with nominees and winners. The ceremony was hosted by Drew Shade. The event not only included the announcing of the winners, but also musical performances, skits, and monologues by Black playwrights performed by Black theatre artists that highlighted the struggles, joys and resilience of Black artists. Additionally, due to the coronavirus preventing many graduations from happening, nominee and actor Shereen Pimentel gave a commencement speech to the class of 2020, as she would have been graduating in 2020.
There were four non-competitive awards called the Kinfolk Awards which were created to honor individuals who were committed to the advancement of Black theatre in New York City. The Lorraine Hansberry Award was given to a female identifying or nonbinary femme Black playwright or book writer who incorporates themes of social justice into their work. The Langston Hughes Award was given to a male-identifying or nonbinary masculine Black playwright or book writer who balances storytelling and social justice ideology in their work. The Welcome Award is for a Black newcomer to New York City theatre. The Doors of the Theatre are Open Award is for a theatre company that has been dedicated to uplifting Black voices.
Recipients
2020 Award RecipientProductionBest PlayAziza BarnesBLKSDonja R. LoveOne in TwoLydia R. DiamondToni StoneC.A. JohnsonAll the Natalie PortmansZora HowardSTEWEboni BoothParisBest MusicalTina: The Tina Turner MusicalThe Secret Life of BeesA Strange LoopThe Wrong ManGirl From North CountryJagged Little PillBest RevivalFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when the rainbow is enufWest Side StoryNative SonLittle Shop of HorrorsFires in the MirrorTwo Can PlayBest Actor in a Play Off-BroadwayDanielle BrooksMuch Ado About NothingKara YoungAll the Natalie PortmansPortiaSTEWApril MathisToni StoneKristolyn LloydLittle WomenAto Blankson WoodThe Rolling StoneBest Actor in a Play On BroadwayAudra McDonaldFrankie and Johnny in the Clair de LuneLaChanzeA Christmas CarolJoaquina KalukangoSlave PlayBlair UnderwoodA Soldier's PlayBest Actor in a Musical Off-BroadwayLaChanzeThe Secret Life of BeesCiara RenéeThe Wrong ManJoshua HenryLarry OwensA Strange LoopJanelle McDermothWe're Gonna DieDanyel FultonBroadbend, ArkansasBest Actor in a Musical On BroadwayAdrienne WarrenTina: The Tina Turner MusicalKimber Elayne SprawlGirl From the North CountryIsaac Cole PowellWest Side StoryShereen PimentelDaniel J. WattsTina: The Tina Turner MusicalBest Featured Actor in a Play Off-BroadwayOkwui OkpokwasiliFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ when the rainbow is enufLeland FowlerOne in TwoNicco AnnanThe Hot Wing KingCrystal Lucas-PerryA Bright Room Called DayJohn-Andrew MorrisonBlues for an Alabama SkyLatoya EdwardsThe Rolling StoneBest Featured Actor in a Play On BroadwayChalia La TourSlave PlayDavid Alan GrierA Soldier's PlayAto Blankson-WoodSlave PlayZawe AshtonBetrayalGrantham ColemanThe Great SocietyJordan BarbourThe InheritanceBest Featured Actor in a Musical Off-BroadwayJasmine Cephas JonesCyranoJohn-Andrew MorrisonA Strange LoopL Morgan LeeStarr BusbyOctetSaycon SengblohThe Secret Life of BeesTaylor Iman JonesScotland, PABest Featured Actor in a Musical On BroadwayCelia Rose GoodingJagged Little PillSahr NgaujahMoulin Rouge!Jeanette BayardelleGirl From the North CountryDharon E. JonesWest Side StoryBest Solo PerformanceMichael Benjamin WashingtonFires in the MirrorDonnetta Lavinia GraysWhere We StandDierdra McDowellDown to EarthaBest DirectorLileana Blain-CruzAnatomy of A SuicideStevie Walker-WebbOne in TwoRobert O’HaraBLKSWhitney WhiteOur Dear Dead Drug LordColette RobertSTEWRaja Feather KellyWe're Gonna DieBest ChoreographyCamille A. BrownFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when the rainbow is enufRaja Feather KellyA Strange LoopEdisa WeeksNovenas for a Lost HospitalAdesola OsakalumiCoal CountryByron EasleySlave PlaynicHi DouglasSkinfolk: An American ShowBest Quarantine ContentDaniel J. WattsThe Jam IG LiveEdward Mawere#BroadwayRemixChallengeCamille A. BrownSocial Dance for Social DistanceDrew ShadeInside The Mind, a Mental Wellness SeriesJordan E. CooperMama Got A CoughSisLiving with Sis IG SeriesBest Lighting DesignAllen Lee HughesA Soldier's PlayToni StoneAlan C. EdwardsThe Hot Wing KingStacey DerosierNovenas For A Lost HospitalBest Scenic DesignLawrence E. Moten IIIsNative SonBest SoundRucyl FrisonAnatomy of a SuicideJustin EllingtonOne in TwoLuqman BrownThe Hot Wing KingBest CostumesToni-Leslie JamesFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when the rainbow is enufDede AyiteBLKSAndy JeanOne in TwoKaren Perryrunboyrun/ In Old AgeSarita P FellowsNative SonAri FultonNovenas for a Lost HospitalBest Hair & Wig DesignNikiya MathisFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when the rainbow is enufSTEWCookie JordanToni StoneA Strange LoopGreg Cooper SpencerA Soldier's PlayBest OrchestrationsSkinfolk: An American ShowThe Secret Life of BeesA Strange LoopTina: The Tina Turner MusicalWe're Gonna DieThe Wrong ManBest Original ScoreThe Secret of Life BeesA Strange LoopBroadbend, ArkansasThe Wrong ManWe're Gonna DieBest BookMichael R. JacksonA Strange LoopLynn NottageThe Secret Life of BeesKatori HallTina: A Tina Turner MusicalHarrison David RiversBroadbend, Arkansas
Non-competitive awards Lifetime Achievement Award: Chuck Cooper
The Kinfolk Awards AwardRecipientLangston Hughes AwardDonja R. LoveLorraine Hansberry AwardLoy. A. WebbWelcome AwardDharon E. JonesThe Doors of the Theatre are Open AwardThe National Black Theatre
In memoriam 2020
Lucien Barbarin Diahann Carroll Walter Dallas Ja'Net DuBois Margaret Holloway Andile Gumbi Mykal D Laury II
Dr. Vernell Lillie Lloyd Cornelius Porter Keldon Price L. Kenneth Richardson Darius Smith Danny Tidwell
References