This is quite the week for the company of Broadway's Once On This Island! On Sunday night, the production was named the 2018 Tony winner for Best Musical Revival, and now the show's chorus has been honored with Actors' Equity's 12th annual Outstanding Broadway Chorus Award.
"This talented cast brings to life the culture that gives Once On This Island its distinct personality," said Broadway vet Jen Cody, 2nd Vice President and Chair, Equity's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs. "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 10 individual recipients of Equity's 2018 Chorus Award—all of whom were part of the Once On This Island chorus on the revival's 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. The award will be presented on June 19 at 4:00pm during Equity's National Council meeting in New York. Each original chorus member will receive a plaque.
Past recipients of Equity's Chorus 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 (2016) and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2017).
Check out show clips from Once On This Island below.