Actors' Equity Association has presented The Heart of Rock and Roll with the 2024 ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. Presented by Equity’s Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA), the ACCA Award is the first industry accolade of its kind to honor the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical.
The 17 individual recipients of the 2024 ACCA Award – all of whom were part of the chorus of The Heart of Rock and Roll on the musical’s April 19, 2024 Broadway opening night – are Mike Baerga, Tommy Bracco, TyNia René Brandon, Olivia Cece, Taylor Marie Daniel, Autumn Guzzardi, Lindsay Joan, Ross Lekites, Robin Masella, Kara Menendez, Joe Moeller, Jennifer Noble, Fredric Odgaard, Michael Olaribigbe, Kevin Pariseau, Robert Pendilla and Leah Read.
The award was presented on Monday, June 24, at the Actors' Equity Foundation Awards, and included the distribution of personalized trophies to each chorus member.
"This year was remarkable, with more chorus musicals in consideration than ever before," said Actors' Equity Association 2nd Vice President and ACCA chair Al Bundonis. "And at the James Earl Jones Theatre, this chorus is the heart of the 1980s... Your energy and joy are infectious. Your artistry and craftsmanship are masterful. Your precision and commitment are exceptional... And that is why we all answer yes when you asked us during the show if we believe in love. And that is why the 2024 ACCA voters are showing all of that love to you, the chorus of The Heart of Rock and Roll!"
"I can't tell you what an extraordinary group of people this is," said Lorin Latarro, the choreographer of The Heart of Rock and Roll. "I would sit in the back of the house with Huey [Lewis], who came to every show, and we were amazed at how you gave 1,000% every single night.
"Last night we closed the show, but today is such a balm. What a beautiful day, because shows open, shows close. They open and they close. But this community keeps us going and keeps us together, and it's all about the work... We talk a lot about, 'The ensemble is the backbone of theatre,' and they are... they don't do it for the money and they don't do it for the fame. But you are the only ones who knows what it feels like to fly. That's dancing."
"The chorus performers of The Heart of Rock and Roll are accomplished singers, dancers, actors, acrobats, bubble wrap tap dancers -- the list goes on!" said Jeffrey Bateman, Equity's field representative for the chorus. "But anyone who's had the pleasure of being around this company will tell you that these artists are also wonderful people, people who support each other and who are just a pleasure to be around."
Voters for this award were Equity chorus councilors, members of the ACCA and previous recipients of Equity’s Legacy Robe, which is awarded to the member of the chorus in each show who has the most Broadway chorus credits. In reviewing each nominated chorus, voters 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.
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), Hadestown (2019) and New York, New York (2023). In 2022, the ACCA issued two special awards, one to all the Broadway choruses working on the 2019-2020 season disrupted by the pandemic, and one for the choruses of the 2021–2022 season that brought Broadway back.
Photo by Michael Courier.
