Michelle McNulty, casting director for "Randy Jackson presents America's Best Dance Crew" holds the show's American Scene Award. Photo: Beth Coller

'HawthoRNe,' 'ABDC' Honored with American Scene Awards

The TNT series HawthoRNe and MTV’s “Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew” were honored Tuesday night with the American Scene Awards® recognizing excellence in diversity.

The honors were originally presented at AFTRA National Convention in Chicago in August, however the Los Angeles-based programs accepted their awards during the Los Angeles Local’s Annual Membership Meeting. Presenting the awards Tuesday night were AFTRA members Milo Edwards and Annette Young, who were judges for this year's competition and are members of the Los Angeles Local's Equal Employment Opportunities Committee.

“HawthoRNe” was honored with the Television Dramatic Programming Award. Airing on TNT and produced by Sony Pictures Television, in association with 100% Womon Productions, John Masius Productions and Jamie Tarses’ FanFare Productions, “HawthoRNe” stars Jada Pinkett Smith as the Director of Nursing at Richmond Trinity Hospital who juggles her professional responsibilities with her equally important role as a recently widowed mother of a strong and willful teenage daughter.

As the only African American lead actress of a primetime television dramatic program which has created an American Scene rich and diverse in its casting of performers at all levels, Pinkett Smith also doubles as the program’s Executive Producer.

Accepting the award Tuesday was executive producer Glen Mazzara and cast members Christine Moore, Suleka Mathew and Vanessa Lengies.

“Randy Jackson presents America’s Best Dance Crew” garnered the Reality/Talent Competition Program Award.

Known as “ABDC,” the program was honored with an award for showcasing the color- and gender-blind world of street dancing in a life-affirming and dynamic series of weekly competitions. The series praises this street movement by incorporating all types of dancers coming together, ignoring differences and using their talents to create fun, athletic and highly charged dance numbers.

ABDC is produced by Randy Jackson (a judge on the 2007 American Scene Award® winner “American Idol”) and hosted by Mario Lopez and reflects the American scene and brings this positive movement to millions of viewers on MTV.
Accepting the award Tuesday were casting director Michelle McNulty and her casting team, James Ehlers, Lacy Forrest and Lissette Pinon. Also on-hand from MTV for the honors were Vice-President of Production Julie Schwachenwald and Manager of Casting and Talent Jonathan Piccirillo.

The American Scene Awards® is a national competition that recognize excellence in the employment and portrayal of women, ethnic minorities, seniors, people with disabilities and the LGBT community in a positive, balanced and realistic manner. Celebrating its 15th year, the awards are presented by the AFTRA National Equal Employment Opportunities Committee and are made possible by a generous grant from the AFTRA Foundation. They have been presented since 1986.

Click here to see more pictures from Tuesday night's presentation.

Click here to see photos from the American Scene Awards presentation at the 2009 AFTRA National Convention in Chicago.

Click here to learn more about the AFTRA Foundation.

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