Wikipedia
AUDELCO, the Audience Development Committee, Inc., was established in 1973 by the late Vivian Robinson to honor excellence in New York African American Theatre through presentation of Vivan Robinson/AUDELCO Recognition Awards (aka Viv awards). The awards were created to promote "recognition, understanding and awareness of the arts in the African-American community".
The AUDELCO Viv awards recognize the following, whether Broadway or off-Broadway:
- Productions by Black companies
- Shows written or directed by Blacks
- Black actors in shows
AUDELCO has an office in Central Harlem, New York, with an active board of directores, including Executive Director, Carrie Jackson. The organization has thousands of members, a newsletter, and a black theater collection of books, photos, slides and scripts as well as an extensive clipping file on black theater companies and productions.
The AUDELCO awards are limited to productions mounted by professional, not-for-profit theater organizations which have been in existence for at least two years and have had a minimum of 500 hours of rehearsal, performance, or training. Additionally, productions have to have been performed over 12 times between September 1 of one year and August 31 of the next. Workshop productions and works-in-progress are not eligible.
The AUDELCO Viv awards allow celebrities and everyday people to get to share their love of theater and their appreciation for the incredible performances, scripts, direction, costumes and sets that have been presented during the last theater season.
Michael O'Hare was the first white actor to win this award presented by the black theater community of New York for his performance in the play "Shades of Brown" which examined the effects of apartheid in South Africa.