Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theater, has announced that the chorus of the Broadway musical “New York, New York” will receive the 2023 ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus.
Presented by Equity’s Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA), the ACCA Award was the first industry accolade of its kind to honor the talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical.
“This season, there is extraordinary work being performed in every Broadway chorus musical, but today we honor the chorus members of ‘New York, New York,’” said Actors’ Equity Association’s 2nd vice president and ACCA chair Al Bundonis. “Just like the citizens of the city itself, this chorus makes the world of ‘New York, New York’ a vibrant, diverse, joyful place, and this story simply cannot be told without them. They breathe life into the people, the energy and even the famous architecture of the city. The chorus of ‘New York, New York’ is not just ‘a part of it,’ they are indeed the heart of the music, the story and love of the greatest city in the world.”
The chorus performers in “New York, New York” will receive the award at a private ceremony at the St. James Theatre on July 19.
“New York, New York” lead producers Sonia Friedman and Tom Kirdahy said, “We are over the moon that this phenomenal ensemble of actors, singers and dancers have been recognized by Actors’ Equity Association as this year’s Outstanding Broadway Chorus. Their world-class talent embodies the spirit of those who live in New York City: resiliency, determination and passion, and we are thrilled Broadway audiences get the chance to witness it in person eight times a week.”
In reviewing the chorus of each Broadway musical that opened in the 2022-2023 theatrical season, the ACCA considered the chorus requirements made by each production’s director, choreographer and musical director; the caliber of technical skill used to execute those requirements; and the unique contributions made by the entire chorus to the overall production. Nominators for the ACCA Award are members of the ACCA, all of whom are chorus performers themselves.
The other nominated musicals for this season were “& Juliet,” “KPOP,” “Shucked,” “Some Like It Hot” and “Sweeney Todd.” The winner was determined by a vote of ACCA members and Equity chorus councilors, as well as past recipients of Equity’s Legacy Robe. All voters saw no fewer than five of the ACCA-nominated musicals.
Previous 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); “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” (2017); “Once on This Island” (2018) and “Hadestown” (2019).
In 2022, the ACCA presented two special awards honoring the resilience of everyone in the Broadway choruses of the shuttered 2019-20 Broadway season, as well as in the shows that brought Broadway back in the 2021-22 season.
