Once on This Island Wins ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus

The Actors' Equity Association has announced that Once on This Island will receive the 12th annual "ACCA" Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. Presented by Equity's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA), the ACCA Award is the only industry accolade of its kind to honor the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical.

The 10 individual recipients of the 2018 ACCA Award — all of whom were part of the Once on This Island chorus on the musical's December 23 Broadway opening night — are Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, T. Oliver Reid, and Aurelia Williams.

"This talented cast brings to life the culture that gives Once on This Island its distinct personality," said Jen Cody, second vice president and ACCA chair. "And they reinforce the messages of love and unity, which is what the show is all about. It becomes obvious when you see a show like this that everyone on that stage feels important."

The award will be presented on Tuesday, June 19, at 4pm during Equity's National Council meeting in New York. Each original chorus member will receive a plaque.

Past recipients of the ACCA award are the original chorus members of Legally Blonde (2007), In the Heights (2008), West Side Story (2009), Fela! (2010), The Scottsboro Boys (2011), Newsies (2012), Pippin (2013), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2014), An American in Paris (2015), Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (2016), and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2017).

Once on This Island earned the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, with direction by Michael Arden, the production is currently running at Circle in the Square Theatre.