Kim Coles, Quinton Aaron Annouce Nominees For 20th Annual Naacp Theatre Awards

The Beverly Hills/Hollywood (BHH) Branch of the NAACP announced the 20th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards nominees at a press conference this morning at the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) in downtown Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Kim Coles ("Living Single") and Quinton Aaron ("Blindside"- winner for the 2010 Academy Award Best Actress). In attendance were Ron Hasson (President), Tia Boyd (Theatre Awards Executive Producer), and Willis Edwards (1st Vice President). The 20th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards will be held at the Director's Guild of America (DGA) located at 7920 West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood on Monday, August 30, 2010. The festival and award show is sponsored by Verizon, Honda, Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, Southern California Edison, and Rent-A-Center.

This year's award show will be hosted by NAACP Image Awards nominated actress LisaRaye McCoy (UPN's "All of Us"). This year's distinguished honorees includes Kenny Leon (Director and Broadway actor) for the Trailblazer Award, Mr. Wren T. Brown (American film, theatre, and television actor) for the Community Service Award, and Kim Sentovich (Sr. VP Pacific Region, on behalf of Wal-Mart) for the President's Award, and special performance from Bobby Valentino (Capitol Records recording artist, NAACP Images and Soul Train Nominee). The Spirit Award and Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced at a later date.

2010 NAACP Theatre Awards Nominees:

Best Set Design-Equity
The First Wives Club-Peter J. Davidson
Stormy Weather-James Noone
Eclipsed-Sibyl Wickersheimer

Best Set Design-Local
Sticky Fly-John Lacovelli
The River Niger-John Paul Luckenback
Tree-Brian Sidney Bembridge

Best Sound-Equity
The First Wives Club-Jon Weston
Baby It's You!-Martin Carrillo
Sammy-John H. Shivers and David Patridge

Best Sound-Local
Schoolhouse Rock Live Too!-Fionnegan Justus Murphy
Chicago Club Rumboogie-Lloyd Reese
Blues for Central Ave-Christian Cook

Best Director-Equity
Sarafina! A Story of Liberation-Denise Dowse
Eclipsed-Robert O'Hara
Black Women-State of the Union-Nataki Garrett and Ayana Cahrr

Best Director-Local
Sticky Fly-Shirley Jo Finney
Bronzeville-Ben Guillory
Coming Home-Stephen Sachs

Best Playwright-Equity
Eclipsed-Danai Gurira
Sarafina! A Story of Liberation-Mbongeni Mgema
Sammy-Leslie Bricusse

Best Playwright-Local
Bronzeville-Timothy Toyama and Aaron Woolfolk
Mutiny At Port Charles-Paul Leaf
Someone's Somebody-Regina Louise

Best Lead Male-Equity
The First Wives Club-Kevyn Morrow
Sammy-Obba Babatubde
The Cherry Orchard-Steven Matt

Best Lead Male-Local
Coming Home-Thomas Silcott
The Caterer-Levar Burton
Laws of Sympathy-Joshua Wolf Coleman

Best Choreographer-Equity
Sarafina! A Story of Liberation-Cassie Crump and AlFred Johnson
Baby It's You!-Brigitte Mutrux
Sammy-Keith Young

Best Choreographer- Local
Schoolhouse Rock Live Too!-Rick Sparks
Chicago Club Rumboogie-Chester Whitmore
Howlin' Blues and Dirty Dogs-Pysa Noel

Best Costumes-Equity
Monty Python's Spamalot-Tim Hatley
Ain't Misbehavin-Randy Barcelo
Crowns-Dana Rebecca Woods

Best Costumes-Local
Bonita & Billie-Kevin James
Mutiny At Port Charles-Sarah Figoten
Toni Morrison's-The Bluest Eye-Maisie Klompus

Best Music Director-Equity
The First Wives Club-Ron Melrose
Sarafina! A Story of Liberation - Stephan Terry
Sammy - Ian Fraser

Best Music Director- Local
Howlin' Blues and Dirty Dogs - Barbara Morrison
"WWWJD...What Would Jimi Do?" - Felicia D. Henderson
Blues for Central Ave - Lou Briggs

Best Lighting- Equity
The First Wives Club - Mark McCullough
Monty Python's Spamalot - Hugh Vanstone
Baby It's You! - Howell Binkley

Best Lighting- Local
Bronzeville - Luke Moyer
Mutiny At Port Charles - Rachel Fishman
Toni Morrison's - The Bluest Eye - Will Sammons

Best Director of a Musical- Equity
The First Wives Club - Francesca Zambello
Sarafina! A Story of Liberation - Stephan Terry
Sammy - Keith Glover

Best Director of a Musical- Local
Howlin' Blues and Dirty Dogs - Carla Dufree Clark
Bonita & Billie - Denise Dowse
Chicago Club Rumboogie - Lloyd Reese

Best Supporting Female- Equity
Baby It's You! - Erica Ash
Baby It's You! - Berlando Drake
Sammy - Ann Duquesnay

Best Supporting Female- Local
Jitney - Shonni Albritton
One Woman, Two Lives - Sharon Munfus
Tree - Tessa Thompson

Best Supporting Male- Equity
The Cherry Orchard - Marc Ewing
Stormy Weather - Phillip Attmore
Stormy Weather - Cleavant Derricks

Best Supporting Male- Local
Coming Home - Matthew Elam
Battle Hymn - Robert Manning, Jr.
One Woman, Two Lives - Sammie Wayne

Best Lead Female- Equity
Monty Python's Spamalot - Marle Dandridge
Stormy Weather - Nikki Crawford
Stormy Weather - Leslie Uggams

Best Lead Female- Local
Coming Home - Deidric Henry
Tree - Sloan Robinson
One Woman, Two Lives - Kellita Smith

Best Ensemble Cast- Equity
Sarafina! A story of Liberation
Eclipsed
Crowns

Best Ensemble Cast- Local
Stick Fly
Bronzeville
The River Niger

Best Producer- Equity
The First Wives Club - The Old Globe
Eclipsed - Center Theatre Group
Sammy - The Old Globe

Best Producer- Local
The River Niger - Robey theatre Company and Ben Guillory
Coming Home - Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor
Toni Morrison's - The Bluest Eye - Jack Rowe, Associate Dean (USC School of Theatre)

Best One Person Show
Someone's Somebody - Regina Louise
Manish Boy - Ralph Harris
Did You Do Your Homework? - Aaron Braxton

The prestigious star-studded gala is produced in an effort to honor thespians of color among the best in the field of entertainment. The award show and three-day festival provides a platform for thespians to express their craft and share their contributions with an audience of their peers, the community, and other individuals who crave live theatre in the ‘City of Angels'. This year's festival will be at the NEW LATC theatre in Los Angeles on August 27-29, 2010. For more information regarding the 2010 Theatre Awards Festival and Award Show please visit www.bhwdnaacptheatreawards.com.

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