The third annual Black Women On Broadway Awards were held June 10 at The Lighthouse in New York. The awards are dedicated to celebrating the legacy and achievement of Black women in the Broadway community, and this year's ceremony honored Irene Gandy, Aisha Jackson, and Dede Ayite. See photos from the event below.
Special guests included two-time Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun, Skeleton Crew), Tony nominee Maleah Joi Moon (Hell’s Kitchen), Tony nominee Juliana Canfield (Stereophonic), Nichelle Lewis (The Wiz), and more.
Black Women on Broadway was founded by Danielle Brooks, Amber Iman, and Jocelyn Bioh in 2020 in an effort to provide Black women in the theatre with creative guidance and mentorship during the pandemic, when many in the community were feeling lost. The project, which started as an Instagram account, has since expanded to include the annual awards.
Amber Iman, Danielle Brooks, and Jocelyn Bioh
Amber Iman, Danielle Brooks, and Jocelyn Bioh
Amber Iman, Danielle Brooks, and Jocelyn Bioh
Juliana Canfield
Maleah Joi Moon
Maleah Joi Moon
Nichelle Lewis
Aisha Jackson
Phylicia Rashad and Danielle Brooks
Vanessa Calloway, Danielle Brooks, Jocelyn Bioh, Phylicia Rashad, Irene Gandy, and Amber Iman
Amber Iman, Kathy A. Perkins, Danielle Brooks, Phylicia Rashad, Irene Gandy, Dede Ayite, Aisha Jackson, and Jocelyn Bioh
Amber Iman, Kathy A. Perkins, Danielle Brooks, Phylicia Rashad, Irene Gandy, Dede Ayite, Aisha Jackson, and Jocelyn Bioh HR
Amber Iman, Kathy A. Perkins, Danielle Brooks, Phylicia Rashad, Irene Gandy, Dede Ayite, Aisha Jackson, and Jocelyn Bioh HR
Ayite received the Kathy A. Perkins Behind the Curtain Award, created to honor a Black woman whose work backstage shines brightest on stage, following Kathy A. Perkins' legacy in lighting design. Ayite worked on six shows this season on and Off-Broadway, and received Tony nominations for her work on Appropriate, Hell's Kitchen, and Jaja's African Hair Braiding.
Jackson received the Florence Mills Shining Star Award, created to honor a Black woman performer whose work over the years is finally being celebrated, or a rapidly rising star. Jackson has been working on Broadway for the last 10 years in shows like Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Waitress, and Frozen, where she made history as the first Black actress to play the role of Anna in the production.
Gandy received the Audra McDonald Legacy Award for her achievements in producing and marketing on Broadway. Gandy is a 2020 Tony Honoree for Excellence in Theatre. Her Broadway producing credits include Ohio State Murders, Purlie Victorious, and The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, for which she received the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
“We are thrilled to be able to host the 3rd Annual Black Women on Broadway Awards Celebration," Brooks, Iman, and Bioh said in a joint statement. "It is our goal as an organization to honor and celebrate the achievements of Black women in theatre both on and off Broadway each season. This year, we are proud to honor Aisha Jackson, Dede Ayite and Irene Gandy—three incredibly hard-working women in theatre whose achievements deserve to be celebrated. It is so important that we continue to shine a light on the outstanding contribution that Black women in the theatre community bring on and off stage. For the past two years, we have seen how inspiring and vital this celebration has been and we hope for it to be a mainstay of the theatre awards season."
Visit BlackWomenonBroadway.com.
