PAST WINNERS

2007 AACTA Onyx Awards

2007 Special Awards 

            Best Play – “Relativity” by Kuntu Repertory Theatre

            Best Musical – “Sarafina” – by Kuntu Repertory Theatre

            Best Actor – Kevin Brown

            Best Actress – Stephanie Batiste

            Best Actress – Mamothena Mothupi 


2007 Musical Awards 


2007 Play Awards 

 

 

2006 AACTA Onyx Awards
Winners & Nominees

 
Best Production of a Drama or Comedy
1) Seven Guitars - Kuntu Repertory Theatre
2) Lillie Willie Armstrong Jones - Kuntu Repertory
3) Purlie Victorious - New Horizon Theatre
4) Joe Turner's Come and Gone - PPTCO
   
Best Direction of a Play, Drama, or Comedy
1) Ernest McCarty - Purlie Victorious
2) E.J. Morris - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
3) Vernell Lillie - Lillie Willie Armstrong Jones
4) Ron OJ Parsons - Hood Winked
   
Best Lighting Design of a Play
1) Jason Peroney -Lillie Willie Armstrong Jones
2) Kenneth Carter - Hood Winked
3) Jason Peroney - Seven Guitars
4) Ricki McKissisk - Legend of the Black Mariner
   
Best Costume Design in a Play
1) Michelle Leway - Legend of the Black Mariner
2) Heddie Thomas/EJ Morris - Joe Turner's
3) Heddie Thomas - Steal Away
4) June Seale - Lillie Willie Armstrong Jones
   
Best Leading Actress in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Kimberly Ginyard - Seven Guitars
2) Kimberly El - American Menu
3) Jeannine Foster-McKelvia - American Menu
4) Vanessa Germany - Steal Away
   
Best Leading Actress in a Musical or Revue
1) Teri Bridget - Mahalia Jackson
2) Teri Bridget - Xmas is Comin' Uptown
3) Violet Berry - Black Nativity
   
Best Leading Actor in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Wali Jamal - A Soldier's Play
2) Joshua Ray - Legend of the Black Mariner
3) Wali Jamal - Purlie Victorious
4) Leo Beatty - A Soldier's Play
   
Best Leading Actor in a Musical or Revue
1) Kevin Brown - Xmas is Comin' Uptown
2) Rich Huthchins - Mahalia Jackson
3) Jonathan Berry - Black Nativity
   
Best Minority Actor in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Jerry Wienand - Purlie Victorious
2) Mark Thompson - Hood Winked
3) John Palucka - Purlie Victorious
4) Nathan Hollabaugh - A Soldier's Play
   
Best Up and Coming Youth Actor
1) Roger Randolph - Xmas is Comin' Uptown
2) Emmanual Walker - Legend of the Black Mariner
3) Michael Curry - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Ensemble in a Play
1) American Menu - New Horizon Theatre
2) Hoodwinked - PGH Playwriters Theatre Co.
3) Seven Guitars - Kuntu Repertory Theatre
4) Legend of the Black Mariner - PGH Playwriters
    
Best Direction of a Musical, Revue, or Dance
1) Vernell Lillie - Mahalia Jackson
2) Monn Washington - Black Nativity
3) E.J. Morris - Xmas is Comin Uptown
4) 
    
Best Sound Design in a Play
1) Wayne Gaines - Seven Guitars
2) Mark Whitehead - Hood Winked
3) Sean Donaldson - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
4) Wayne Gaines - Lillie Willie Armstrong
    
Best Set Design in a Play
1) Seven Guitars - Kenny Ellis/ Diane Melchitzky
2) American Menu - Jame Thomas/ Matt Ferrucci
3) Joe Turner's - Mark Southers
4) Hood Winked - Diane Melchitzky/Mark Southers
    
Best Supporting Actress in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Mayme Williams - Legend of the Black Mariner
2) Rita Gregory - Seven Guitars
3) Candice Smith - Lillie Willie Armstrong
4) Brenda Marks - Purlie Victorious
    
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical or Revue
1) Genna Styles - Mahalia Jackson
2) Jeannine Foster-McKelvia - Xmas is Comin' Uptown
3) Willa Cotten - Black Nativity
    
Best Supporting Actor in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Nathan James - Lillie Willie Armstrong
2) Nathan James - Seven Guitars
3) Wali Jamal - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
4) KL Brewer - Purlie Victorious
    
Best Equity Actor in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Ben Cain - Lillie Willie Armstrong Jones
2) Doug Pona - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
3) 
    
Best Minority Actress in a Play, Drama or Comedy
1) Barbara Russell - Hood Winked
2) 
3) 
4) 
    
Best Up and Coming Youth Actress
1) Tvia  Arrington - Legend of the Black Mariner
2) Taylor Whitley - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
3) Maya Randolph - Xmas is Comin'Uptown
 
 
AACTA Rob Penny Lifetime Achievement Award:
William Mayfield
 
 
2005 AACTA Onyx Awards
 
Plays
 
Best production: "Fences," Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre.
 
Direction: Eileen Morris, "Fences."
 
Ensemble: "Fences."
 
Lighting: Kenneth Carter, "Fences."
 
Sound: Sean G. Donaldson, "Nine Days in the Sun," Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre.
 
Set Design, Construction and Stage Dress: Mark Southers, Kenny Carter, Houston Parks and Corey Rieger, "Fences."
 
Costumes: Heddie Thomas, "Fences."
 
Supporting actor: Kevin Brown, "Fences."
 
Supporting actress: Linda Haston, "Crumbs From the Table of Joy," New Horizon Theater.
 
Lead actress: Rita Gregory, "Fences."
 
Lead actor: Jonas Chaney, "Fences."
 
Musicals
 
Best production: "Sophisticated Ladies," Kuntu Repertory Theatre.
 
Direction: Elizabeth Van Dyke, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Ensemble: "Bubbling Brown Sugar," Kuntu Repertory Theatre.
 
Lighting: Jason Peroney, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Choreography: Greer Reed, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Music direction: James Anthony Alston, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Set Design, Construction and Stage Dress: Kenny Ellis and Richard Jackson, "Bubbling Brown Sugar."
 
Costume Design: Heddie Thomas and Betty Pendleton, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Supporting actor: Kevin Brown, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Supporting actress: Ja'Sonta Roberts, "My Soul Looks Back and Wonders," African Grove Performance Ensemble.
 
Lead actress: Christina Maria Acosta, "Sophisticated Ladies."
 
Lead actor: Kevin Brown, "Christmas Is Coming Uptown," Renaissance Publications Presents.
 
Up and Coming Youth Male Performer: Carter Redwood, "Christmas Is Coming Uptown."
 
Up and Coming Youth Female Performer: Taylor Erniece Whitley, "Fences."
 
Other
 
Up and Coming Youth Minority Performer: Nadia Cook, "Nine Days in the Sun."
 
Minority Actor: Mark Thompson, "Nine Days in the Sun."
 
Minority Actress: Jennifer Sinatra, "Nine Days in the Sun."
 
AACTA Rob Penny Lifetime Achievement Award: Visual artist, collector and curator Emory Biko.
 
 
2004 AACTA Onyx Awards
 
Plays
Best production: "Blue," New Horizon.

Direction: (tie) Eileen Morris, "Blue," and Tracey Turner, "Harriet Tubman Loved Somebody," Pittsburgh Playwrights.

Ensemble: "Hambone," Pittsburgh Playwrights.

Lighting: Jason Peroney, "She'll Find Her Way Home," Kuntu.

Sound: Michael Moats, "Blue."

Set: "When the Water Turns Clear," Pittsburgh Playwrights.

Costumes: June Seale, "Blue."

Supporting actor: Jay Jones, "When the Water Turns Clear."

Supporting actress: Eileen Morris, "Rain and Rivers," New Horizon.

Lead actress: Victoria Thompson Bey, "Rain and Rivers."

Lead actor: Art Terry, "Hambone."


Musicals

Best production: "Christmas Is Comin' Uptown," Renaissance Publications.

Direction: Eileen Morris, "Christmas ... Uptown."

Ensemble: "Black Nativity," Shona Sharif African Dance & Drum Ensemble.

Lighting: Michael Moats and Mark Southers, "Christmas ... Uptown."

Choreography: Stacee Walters, "Black Nativity."

Music direction: Trini Massie, "Black Nativity."

Costumes: Betty Pendleton, "Christmas ... Uptown."

Sets: Emory Biko, "Good Morning Revolution, Sankofa," African Grove Performance Ensemble.

Supporting actor: Ben Blakey, "Christmas ... Uptown."

Supporting actress: Mayme Williams, "Sankofa."

Lead actress: Teru Bridgett, "Christmas ... Uptown."

Lead actor: Jonathan Berry, "Black Nativity."


Dance
Best production: "Double Explosion," Mazingi & Stowers Production.

Most innovative: "Double Explosion."

Choreographer: Kim Bears-Bailey, "Fast and Furious," Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble.

Costumes: "Double Explosion."


Other

Up and coming male youth: Ruel Davis, "Hambone."

Up and coming female youth: Jessica Burch, "She'll Find Her Way Home," Kuntu.

Philanthropist: Multi-Cultural Arts Initiative.

Rob Penny lifetime achievement: Vernell Lillie.