Black Ensemble Theater Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor at the 23rd Annual Black Excellence Awards presented by the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago on November 6, 2023. Photo Credit: Out The Box Creative Group
The best, brightest and most dynamic Black artists in dance, film, literature, music, theater, visual art and digital media received their flowers at the 23rd Annual Black Excellence Awards, held on Monday at the venerable Black Ensemble Theater.
Since the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago launched this event in 2001, the Black Excellence Awards have become a total celebration of all things art and culture—a feast for the eyes, ears and soul.
Monday night’s show was no different, as it featured performances by Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young, Sam Thousand and The Soul Vortex, Forward Momentum Chicago, Perceptions Theatre and DJ Rae Chardonnay. Melissa Duprey and Christopher Chase Carter were the event hosts.
Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young at the 23rd Annual Black Excellence Awards presented by the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago on November 6, 2023. Photo credit: Out The Box Creative Group
Winners included the Black Ensemble Theater, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre’s Tracey Franklin, and filmmakers Marquis Simmons, and Kimberly M. Vaughn, among many others. Vincent E. Williams, Erin Harkey and young also received special honors.
Moreover, esteemed artists from the community were inducted into the inaugural Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame. The inductees, honored for their vision, legacy and lasting impact, included Jackie Taylor, Chuck Smith, Ron OJ Parson, Pemon Rami, Abena Joan Brown, Okoro Harold Johnson, Useni Perkins and Joan Gray.
Below is the complete list of 2023 Black Excellence Award winners in each category and the nominees. The winner of each award is listed in bold.
DANCE
Outstanding Dance Production
Praize Production, Inc., Call Her by Name (winner)
South Chicago Dance Theater, Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley
Red Clay Dance Company, Rest. Rise. Move. Nourish. Heal.
Outstanding Choreography
Tracey Franklin, Freedom at Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre (winner)
Joel Hall, Widows at Joel Hall Dancers & Center
Era Footwork Crew, Broken Heart at Era Footwork Crew
Taylor Edwards, Brandy Ford, Joshua Hopkins, and Trevon Lawrence, Deep Inside at Chicago Multicultural Dance & Hiplet Ballerinas
Starinah Dixon, Beautiful Love at M.A.D.D. Rhythms
Idy Ciss, Liberte’ at Muntu Dance Theatre
Special Recognition: Outstanding Dance Production
Refraction at Hubbard Street Dance (winner)
Special Recognition: Outstanding Producer
The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (winner)
THEATER
Outstanding Theater Production
Black Ensemble Theater, Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire (winner)
Black Ensemble Theater, Blue Heaven
Black Ensemble Theater, The Real Housewives of Motown
Theater 47, Imitation of Life
Congo Square Theatre, How Blood Go
MPAACT, Ezekiel’s Wheel
Perceptions Theatre, Panther Women
Outstanding Director
John Ruffin, Imitation of Life at Theater 47 (winner)
Tiffany Fulson, How Blood Go at Congo Square Theatre
Lauren Lundy, Ezekiel’s Wheel at MPAACT
Daryl Brooks, Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire at Black Ensemble Theater
Daryl Brooks, Blue Heaven at Black Ensemble Theater
Michelle Bester, The Real Housewives of Motown at Black Ensemble Theater
John Ruffin, Imitation of Life at Theater 47
Myesha-Tiara, Panther Women at Perceptions Theatre
Outstanding Actor
Darren Jones, Ezekiel’s Wheel at MPAACT (winner)
Aaron Reese Boseman, Blue Heaven at Black Ensemble Theater
Christian Bufford, Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire at Black Ensemble Theater
KC Lee, Imitation of Life at Theater 47
Trequon Tate, The Real Housewives of Motown at Black Ensemble
Marcus D. Moore, How Blood Go at Congo Square Theatre
Outstanding Actress
Jyreika Guest, How Blood Go at Congo Square Theatre (winner)
Miciah Latham , Blue Heaven at Black Ensemble Theater
Keya Trammell, Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire at Black Ensemble Theater
Fania Bourn, Imitation of Life at Theater 47
De’Jah Perkins, The Real Housewives of Motown at Black Ensemble Theater
Britt Edwards, The Real Housewives of Motown at Black Ensemble Theater
Melanie McCullough, The Real Housewives of Motown at Black Ensemble Theater
Yolonda Ross, How Blood Go at Congo Square Theatre
Noelle Klyce, Ezekiel’s Wheel at MPAACT
Special Recognition – Producing Advocate, Theater: Outstanding Performer
Gabrielle Lott-Rogers, Boulevard of Bold Dreams at Timeline Theater (winner)
TayLar, Arsenic and Old Lace at Court Theatre
Celeste Williams, Arsenic and Old Lace at Court Theatre
Tracey Bonner, Toni Stone at Goodman Theatre
Sydney Charles, Last Night and the Night Before at Steppenwolf Theatre
Ayanna Bria Bakari, Last Night and the Night Before at Steppenwolf Theatre
Karen Aldridge, Is God Is at A Red Orchid Theatre
Special Recognition – Producing Advocate, Theater: Outstanding Director
Marti Gobel, Is God Is at A Red Orchid Theatre (winner)
Ron OJ Parson, Trouble In Mind at Timeline Theatre
Malkia Stampley, Boulevard of Bold Dreams at Timeline Theatre
Valerie Curtis-Newton, Last Night and the Night Before at Steppenwolf Theatre
MUSIC
Outstanding Jazz Musician
Yvonne Gage (winner)
Bruce A Henry
Phil Seed
Outstanding R&B Musician
Jimmy Burns Band (winner)
Yana Renea
Sam Thousand
FILM/DIGITAL MEDIA
Outstanding Film Direction
Marquis Simmons, Broke Down Drone (winner)
McKenzie Chinn, A Real One
Addison Belhomme, A Thin Line Between Black and White
Patrick Wimp, Mr. Abbott
Outstanding Film
Hindsight, Kimberly M. Vaughn | Suburban Blvck Girl Production (winner)
The Pulpit, Tosin Morohunfola
The Come Up, LaTaryion Perry | MissedTurn Productions
Almost 30, Shandrea Funnye
Broke Down Drone, Willie “Roc” Round
LITERATURE
Outstanding Non-Fiction Work
Lowell Thompson, Images of America: African Americans in Chicago (winner)
Holle Thee Maxwell, Freebase Ain’t Free
Jelahn McCoy & Cynthia McCoy Scott The Real McCoy
Andre L., Is the Black Man Falling
Outstanding Fiction Work
Damone Bester, Mendel: Sometimes Ya Gotta Run for Your Life (winner)
Tracy Clark, Broken Places
Danny Gardener, A Negro and an Ofay
Outstanding Poetry Work
Growing Concerns Poetry Collective, First You Need A Body (winner)
avery r. young, Neck Bone
Harold R. Greene III, Black Roses
Jamila Woods, Black Girl Magic
VISUAL ARTS
Outstanding Visual Artist
Maxwell Emcays, Englewood Public Unveiling (winner)
Quinton Foreman, Homecoming: Black Craft & Design in Chicago
Alan Emerson Hicks, Diasporal Rhythms
Outstanding Exhibition
All Children Draw, Blanc Gallery (winner)
Black Light Cinema, Southside Community Art
Exhibits with Candice Hunter and George Crump, Faie Gallery
ADDITIONAL SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Special Recognition: Black Arts Advocate
Vincent E. Williams – Black Theatre Alliance Awards
Special Recognition: Black Arts Advocate
Erin Harkey – Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner
Special Recognition: Black Arts Advocate
avery r. young – Chicago Poet Laureate
CHICAGO BLACK ARTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023
Karis A. Jackson (representing Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame honoree Okoro Harold Johnson), Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame honorees Jackie Taylor and Pemon Rami, Black Arts & Culture Alliance President Charlique C. Rolle, Turiya Gray (representing Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame honoree Joan Gray) andChicago Black Arts Hall of Fame honorees Chuck Smith and Ron OJ Parson at the inaugural Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame ceremony on November 6, 2023. Photo credit: Michelle Reid
The Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago, in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, announced the inaugural Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame, recognizing the work of Black artists, administrators, and advocates who have and continue to pave the way for the next generation of Black Chicago artists. The following pillars of Chicago’s Black arts community were honored as the first class of inductees:
Abena Joan Brown
Joan Gray
Okoro Harold Johnson
Ron OJ Parson
Useni Perkins
Pemon Rami
Chuck Smith
Jackie Taylor
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