Alonge Hawes, the multi-hyphenate behind Jaro Media’s hit heist series ‘Silver & Gold’ was announced as the winner of the Best Series Script category at Saturday night’s Minnesota Webfest awards ceremony. Marking the second consecutive victory for both him and the series in that category.
Held at Duluth Minnesota’s Blacklist Brewing Co. The awards ceremony featured a who’s who of the web/digital series and Audio Podcast industry’s A-list talent. Veronica Maccari (Best Comedic Performance in a Series) Richard P. Doyle (Best Thriller/Horror Podcast) and Blake Pfeil (Best Drama Podcast/Best Podcast Editing) were all on hand to accept their awards. Host Lori Hoovers and Minnesota Webfest founder/CEO George Reese kept the roughly 35 category awards ceremony brisk and entertaining throughout the night. Past winners Dipu Bhattacharya, Melissa Malone, and Diann Filiatrault were also on hand providing support and encouragement throughout the night’s festivities. Hawes and Silver & Gold entered the night as 5-category nominees, having picked up additional nods in Best Mystery/Thriller Series, Best Dramatic Ensemble in a Series, Best Dramatic Performance, and Best Representation of Communities of Color.
When Hawes was announced as the winner for Best Series Script, he thanked his late mother Pantheah Hawes for being “The first character in his life who believed in him” as well as series co-executive producer Eduardo Bryant and every creative in attendance, remarking “I am you and you are me,” before ending his speech with a quote from James Baldwin. The entire acceptance speech can be viewed at the link below.
Hawes’s winning script was for the first season’s third episode, “The Brilliance Meijin Affair”. In which the series protagonists must solve an increasingly complex array of riddles and in search of a stolen diamond necklace. The adventure takes them across various landmarks in Atlanta that serve as clues to a larger puzzle. The episode was acclaimed upon its release, with critic Corey Ware stating that it was “lively and engaging.” Hawes’s previous win in the category was in 2022 for the series pilot episode “The Birth of The Cool.” The award was not presented during the 2023 Minnesota Webfest, making this year’s win Hawes’s consecutive victory.
‘Silver & Gold’ is created, written, and directed by Hawes. It stars Quentin Williams as gentlemanly thief Charles Goldar. Brittaney Traylor as his seductively charming paramour Bahiya Payne. Shani Hawes as brilliant computer hacker Cierra Valentine. And Roberto Cruz Jr as stoic conman Sosa Gerena. Julian Robinson, Joshua Quinn, Eduardo Bryant, Roxzane T. Mims, Pantheah Hawes, Angela Van Tassel and Hawes himself round out the supporting cast. The series is executive produced by Hawes, Bryant, Mary Bouche, and Richard DeVaughn. Joshua Dennard, Jamal Mcclendon, Shani Hawes, Cordarol Sanders, Rodderick Fedd and Quentin Williams serve as producers.
The ten-episode first season is available to stream via Jaro Media.
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