Broadway Meets the Critics: AAFCA Announces Star-Studded Lineup for the Fifth Annual ‘Goes to Broadway’ Luncheon

NEW YORK — The intersection of Black excellence in film, television, and theater will take center stage this fall as the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) prepares for its marquee annual event. AAFCA has officially unveiled the star-studded roster of honorees for its fifth annual AAFCA Goes to Broadway luncheon.

The high-profile ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 12, taking place at the prestigious Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, nestled in the heart of New York City’s vibrant Theater District. This year’s event promises to be a landmark celebration, spotlighting legendary performers, visionary directors, and influential journalists who have indelibly shaped the cultural landscape of the Great White Way and beyond.

The 2025 class of honorees features a powerhouse group of industry titans: Tony Award winner André DeShields, Tony nominee Brandon Dirden, and Emmy Award winners Jasmine Cephas Jones and Cheryl Wills. Each honoree represents a unique pillar of the performing arts, ranging from trailblazing stage longevity to cutting-edge contemporary performance and cultural journalism.

Main Facts: Celebrating Black Excellence in the Theater District

The AAFCA Goes to Broadway luncheon has rapidly evolved into one of the most anticipated networking and celebratory events on the New York cultural calendar. Established by the nation’s leading organization of Black film critics, the luncheon extends AAFCA’s critical lens from the silver screen to the theatrical stage, recognizing the profound contributions of Black artists to the performing arts ecosystem.

This year’s event will distribute four major honors:

• The Legacy Award: Awarded to stage and screen luminary André DeShields, recognizing a career that spans decades and includes some of the most iconic productions in Broadway history.
• The Beacon Award: Presented to Emmy-winning journalist, author, and news anchor Cheryl Wills for her tireless coverage of the arts and her vital role in chronicling Broadway history.
• The Horizon Award: Bestowed upon Jasmine Cephas Jones, a GRAMMY and Emmy winner whose career trajectory exemplifies the dynamic bridge between Broadway innovation and mainstream television success.
• The Salute to Excellence Award: Given to acclaimed actor and director Brandon Dirden, celebrating his enduring contributions to American theater as both a magnetic performer and a visionary stage director.

Chronology: A Legacy of Stage and Screen

To truly understand the weight of the honors being handed out this October, one must examine the extraordinary timelines of the individuals being recognized. Their collective histories trace the evolution of Black representation in the arts over the last half-century.

André DeShields: A Lifetime of Innovation

André DeShields’ career is a living masterclass in theatrical endurance and reinvention. Emerging in the experimental and counter-culture theater scenes of the 1970s, DeShields quickly made a name for himself with his indelible stage presence. His resume reads like a roadmap of American theatrical history:

• 1970s–1980s: Starred in the original Broadway casts of psychedelic sci-fi musical Warp!, the groundbreaking all-Black musical adaptation of The Wiz (playing the titular wizard), and later captured a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in the landmark 1982 NBC television broadcast of Ain’t Misbehavin’.
• 2000s: Continued to push boundaries, earning critical acclaim and a Tony nomination for his tour-de-force performance in the original Broadway cast of The Full Monty (2000).
• 2019: Reached a monumental career peak by originating the role of Hermes in Anaïs Mitchell’s smash-hit musical Hadestown. The role earned DeShields his long-overdue competitive Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, followed by a GRAMMY Award for the production’s cast album. At over 70 years old, his acceptance speech—urging the audience to "surround yourself with people who only lift you higher"—became an instant Tony Awards classic.

Cheryl Wills: Chronicling the Arts

Cheryl Wills has spent decades as a trusted voice in broadcast journalism, serving as an anchor and host for Focus with Cheryl Wills on Spectrum News NY1.

• Journalistic Milestones: Wills has carved out a distinct niche by using her platform to highlight marginalized communities, civil rights histories (famously writing books about her own ancestor, Sandy Wills, who fought for the United States Colored Troops), and the pulse of New York City’s vibrant cultural arts scene.
• Broadway Advocate: Throughout her career, Wills has consistently used her platform to interview Broadway luminaries, review landmark productions, and ensure that the stories behind the curtains are preserved for the public record.

Jasmine Cephas Jones: A Modern Renaissance Star

Jasmine Cephas Jones represents the modern generation of multidisciplinary talent who seamlessly cross mediums.

• 2015: Burst onto the global stage in the original Off-Broadway and Broadway runs of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s cultural phenomenon Hamilton. She originated the dual, contrasting roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, winning a GRAMMY Award as part of the original cast recording.
• 2020: Cemented her dramatic chops by winning a Primetime Emmy Award for her powerful performance in the Quibi short-form drama series #FreeRayshawn.
• Film & Television: Her stellar resume expanded further with standout performances in critically acclaimed indie and mainstream projects like Blindspotting, Monsters and Men, and the upcoming DC/HBO series Lanterns.

Brandon Dirden: Stagecraft and Direction

Brandon Dirden has quietly and powerfully built a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected actors and directors working in American theater today.

• 2007: Made his Broadway debut in a revival of Prelude to a Kiss, setting the stage for a prolific career defined by rich, nuanced character work, particularly in the works of August Wilson.
• 2025: Reached new critical heights, earning a coveted Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his riveting work in Waiting for Godot.
• Directorial Success: Beyond acting, Dirden has proven to be a formidable force behind the table. Earlier this year, he helmed the Roundabout Theatre Company’s critically lauded production of The Imaginary Invalid, showcasing his deep understanding of classical texts and comedic timing.

Supporting Data: The Expanding Footprint of AAFCA Goes to Broadway

The AAFCA Goes to Broadway luncheon arrives at a time of critical evaluation and growth for the commercial theater industry. While Broadway has made significant strides in diversifying its casts, creative teams, and audiences in the wake of the 2020 racial reckoning, systemic challenges remain regarding sustained institutional support and critical representation.

Data compiled by the Broadway League and independent theater watchdogs over the past five seasons indicates that productions centering Black narratives—and those helmed by Black creatives—frequently overperform in cultural impact and audience engagement, yet often face disproportionate hurdles in commercial longevity compared to traditional mainstays.

Events like the AAFCA luncheon serve a vital data-backed purpose: they provide an independent, external validation metric that influences corporate sponsorships, academic studies, and media coverage. By honoring figures like DeShields, Dirden, Jones, and Wills, AAFCA leverages its powerful media network to direct mainstream attention—and critical dollars—back toward theatrical spaces.

Furthermore, the choice of venue and timing is strategic. Hosting the event in the epicenter of the Theater District during the fall preview season places Black excellence directly at the negotiating table of the commercial theater world, reminding investors and producers that diverse storytelling is both a moral imperative and a commercial engine.

Official Responses: Leaders Reflect on the Power of Theater

The announcement of the 2025 honorees was met with widespread enthusiasm from both the leadership of AAFCA and past recipients who understand the unique mission of the organization.

Gil Robertson IV, president and co-founder of AAFCA, emphasized the philosophical underpinnings of the event in his official statement:

"Broadway is more than a stage. It is a place where careers are launched, creative voices are developed, and stories become part of our cultural history," said Robertson. "AAFCA Goes to Broadway gives us an opportunity to recognize the people who have made those contributions and to celebrate the talent, vision, and commitment that keep theater moving forward. We are honored to bring together the artists and industry leaders who continue to expand what is possible on Broadway and beyond."

Camille A. Brown—the five-time Tony Award-nominated director and choreographer who received AAFCA’s prestigious Salute to Excellence Award in 2024—spoke candidly about the profound impact the initiative has had on the broader theatrical community:

"AAFCA Goes to Broadway has created an important space where the artistry, history, and cultural impact of theater are celebrated with the attention they deserve," Brown shared. "As a past honoree, I know firsthand how meaningful it is to have my work be recognized by a community that understands the power of our stories."

Brown further underscored AAFCA’s vital role in bridging gaps between disparate entertainment sectors:

"AAFCA continues to be committed to amplifying and celebrating Broadway’s role as a launching pad for performers, directors, choreographers, producers, and other creatives. Their luncheon strengthens the bridge between Broadway and audiences, and I’m thrilled to see it continue to grow."

Implications: Bridging Film, Television, and Stage

The fifth annual AAFCA Goes to Broadway luncheon is much more than an awards ceremony; it is a strategic alignment of creative industries. For decades, film, television, and theater operated in relatively distinct silos, with theater often treated as an isolated coastal luxury rather than the foundational incubator for mainstream media talent.

By extending its critical apparatus to Broadway, AAFCA recognizes a fundamental truth of the modern entertainment landscape: Hollywood and Broadway are inextricably linked.

1. Talent Pipeline Acceleration: Major film and television studios increasingly look to Broadway to source marquee acting and directing talent. Honorees like Jasmine Cephas Jones and Brandon Dirden embody this cross-pollination, moving fluidly from multi-camera television sets and indie film sets to the physical rigor of live stage performance.
2. Critical Equity: Film critics have historically held immense sway over box office outcomes. By applying that same critical weight and analytical rigor to stage productions, AAFCA helps institutionalize the evaluation of Black theater, ensuring that groundbreaking theatrical works receive the analytical historical record they merit.
3. Cultural Longevity: As conversations surrounding representation in media continue to evolve, the theatrical stage remains a raw, unfiltered medium for testing narratives that eventually inform the cultural zeitgeist. Events like the AAFCA luncheon ensure that the architects of these narratives receive their flowers while they are actively shaping the culture.

As the theater world gathers at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse on Monday, October 12, the message will be unmistakably clear: Black storytelling on Broadway is not a passing trend, but the beating heart of American artistic expression.