The 2024 recipients of the Black British Theatre Awards were revealed at the Lyceum Theatre.
Marking its sixth anniversary, the BBTAs persist in recognizing Black creatives' accomplishments and impact on the dynamic landscape of the UK's theatrical world.
These awards have become a major part of the theatre community, honoring achievements in acting, writing, directing, and technical work.
The festive event featured the creativity and diversity of the Black British theatre community, serving as a platform to present the abundant talent in the industry.
Solange Urdang OBE and Omar F. Okai, co-founders of the BBTAs, said in a statement, "We are thrilled to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Black artists in the UK theatre industry."
"The BBTAs are committed to amplifying diverse voices and recognizing the invaluable contributions of Black professionals to the theatre landscape."
The BBTAs persist in fostering discussions on catalyzing progress within the field, in light of the revelations presented in the latest Act for Action report, shedding light on key concerns like racial prejudice, inclusivity, employment challenges, and insufficient financial backing.
Urdang and Okai went on, "Findings from the report revealed that 71% of respondents reported experiencing racial bias, while over 70% expressed concerns about authentic representation."
"Employment instability remains a significant challenge faced by many black theatre professionals, with many individuals entering the industry feeling the effect of tokenism and its impact on mental health."
Below are the winners:
CREATIVES GROUP
BEST PRODUCER
WINNER: Landé Belo, Ain't I A Woman?, The Tower Theatre
BEST DIRECTOR
WINNER: Nancy Medina, Choir Boy, Bristol Old Vic
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
WINNER: Sean Green, MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER OR MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
WINNER: Mthuthuzeli November, The Waiting Game, Ballet Black
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION OR PERFORMER
WINNER: Ebony Thomas, The Waiting Game, Ballet Black
RECOGNITION GROUP (BODY OF WORK) AWARDS
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
WINNER: Ryan Day
BEST SOUND DESIGN
WINNER: Xana
THEATRE DESIGN
WINNER: Jessica Cabassa
BOOK AND LYRICS
WINNER: Lady Lykez
BEST PLAYWRIGHT
WINNER: Siana Bangura
BEST CASTING DIRECTOR
WINNER: Selma Nicholls
PLAY AWARDS
BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Terique Jarrett, Choir Boy, Bristol Old Vic
BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Tiwa Lade, My Father's Fable, The Bush Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Joshua-Alexander Williams, Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York's Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Freema Agyeman, Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York's Theatre
BEST PRODUCTION – PLAY
WINNER: Choir Boy, Bristol Old Vic
MUSICAL AWARDS
BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Ivano Turco, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Tour
BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Karis Anderson, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Marley Fenton, The Wizard of Oz, Norwich Theatre Royal
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Elèna Gyasi, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
WINNER: MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
CHAMPION AWARDS
BEST CHILD PERFORMER (UNDER 16)
WINNER: Janai Bartlett, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
BEST NON BINARY PERFORMER
WINNER: Claudia Kariuki
LGBTQIA+ CHAMPION
WINNER: Layton Williams
DISABILITY CHAMPION
WINNER: Linseigh Green
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
BEST TEACHER
WINNER: Dannika Dudfield, Soar Performance Academy
BEST GRADUATE
WINNER: Kwamé Kandekore, MJ the Musical, Emil Dale Academy
LORD Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick AWARD
Shanay Holmes and Chris Steward, West End Musical Productions
FOUNDERS CHOICE AWARD
Danny Sapani, King Lear, Almeida Theatre
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Namron OBE
