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Bed-Stuy's Billie Holiday Theatre Receives Six AUDELCO Nominations

The theatre's play, DOT, nominated for "Best Revival of the Year," amongst others
DOT
(l to r) Jamil Jude, associate director; Amber A. Harris, actress (Averie); Benedetto Robinson, actor (Fidel); Gilbert Glenn Brown, actor (Donnie); Kenny Leon, Director of DOT; Denise Burse, actress (Dotty); Rhyn McLemore Saver, actor (Jackie); Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, actress (Shelly); Lee Osario, actor (Adam); and Dr. Indira Etwaroo, executive director

The Billie Holiday Theatre, in association with Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company, receives six AUDELCO nominations for its adaptation of Colman Domingo's play, Dot, including Best Revival of the Year.

DOT was directed by Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon (American Son currently on Broadway starring Kerry Washington, A Raisin in the Sun, and August Wilson's Fences).  

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the newly-reimagined Billie Holiday Theatre and to present True Colors' production of Colman Domingo's Dot to Brooklyn audiences," remarked True Colors' Artistic Director Kenny Leon. "Dot allows us the opportunity to come together as community; not just as individuals, but as two theaters committed to the best, wisest and most challenging parts of ourselves and our stories."

Emmy Award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre alumna Denise Burse (Black Mirror, Tyler Perry's House of Payne) who starred as the title character in Dot has been nominated for Best Actress.

Other nominations include Best Featured Actress in a Play for Tinashe Kajese-Bolden; Andre C. Allen for Lighting Design; Jarrod Barnes for Costume Design; Matthew Head for Sound Design, and the Best Revival of the Year.  

"To curate storytelling for the largest African-American community in the nation, Central Brooklyn, demands that we bring our audiences stories that matter," said Dr. Indira Etwaroo, The Billie's executive director. 

When announcing the move of the production from Atlanta to Brooklyn a year ago, both Etwaroo and Leon were committed to using Colman Domingo's Dot to create a necessary national pipeline between two institutions that are committed to framing the African-American story as central to the American story.

And this certainly isn't the The Billie Holiday Theatre's first acquaintance with AUDELCO: From 2017 to 2019, the theatre has received 24 AUDELCO nominations and eight wins, including Best Play of the Year in 2017, Best Play of the Year in 2018, and Best Revival of the Year in 2018.  

"Excellence and relevance are in the very DNA of this production and partnership," Etwaroo said.




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