Actors' Equity Association has presented Once on This Island with the twelfth annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. Presented by Equity’s Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA), the ACCA Award is the only industry accolade of its kind to honor the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical.
The 10 individual recipients of the 2018 ACCA Award – all of whom were part of the Once on This Island chorus on the musical’s December 23, 2017, Broadway opening night – are Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, T. Oliver Reid and Aurelia Williams.
“This talented cast brings to life the culture that gives Once on This Island its distinct personality,” said Jen Cody, 2nd Vice President and ACCA Chair. “And they reinforce the messages of love and unity, which is what the show is all about. It becomes obvious when you see a show like this that everyone on that stage feels important.”
The award was presented on Tuesday, June 19, during Equity’s National Council meeting in New York. Each original chorus member received a plaque.
In reviewing the chorus of each Broadway musical that opened in the 2017-2018 theatrical season, ACCA considered the chorus requirements made by each production’s director, choreographer and musical director; the caliber of technical skill used to execute those requirements; and the unique contributions made by the entire chorus to the overall production. Members of the ACCA, all of whom have worked on a chorus contract and have seen all of the ACCA-nominated musicals during the season, cast their vote for the winning chorus.
Past recipients of the ACCA award are the original chorus members of Legally Blonde (2007), In the Heights (2008), West Side Story (2009), Fela! (2010), The Scottsboro Boys (2011), Newsies (2012), Pippin (2013), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (2014), An American in Paris (2015), Shuffle Along, Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed (2016) and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2017).
