Black British Theatre Awards makes television debut on Sky Arts this October

The nominees for this year’s Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) have been announced along with an exciting new television debut slot on Sky Arts at 9pm Sunday 25 October 2020.

Building on the groundbreaking inaugural live event in 2019, the televised 2020 awards will engage and inspire audiences across the UK, once again bringing to the fore some of the finest work by Black performers and creatives in UK theatre.

Voted for almost entirely by the public, this year’s nominees will join special guests at a vibrant, socially distanced awards ceremony at London’s Young Vic Theatre.

In addition to the move to a televised event, which sees Sky Arts also taking on the role of headline sponsor, joining Executive Producer Kwame Kwei-Armah along with the rest of the original production team, some of the UK’s top Black women creators, have taken on leading roles to bring this event to life. They are producer Shantelle Rochester, Simone Pennant MBE and ​new of Head of Strategy & Partnerships ​Karina H Maynard.

“I’m so proud to be part of the team that will not only celebrate Black excellence in British Theatre but also bring that party to the small screen.”

Pennant, the founder and director of the TV Collective, an organization which supports the economic growth of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic creative communities working in TV, film and digital media, spoke about her involvement in BBTAs. She said:

“With 2020’s focus on Black Lives Matter, I’m so proud to be part of the team that will not only celebrate Black excellence in British Theatre but also bring that party to the small screen. This year, without question, has been the toughest time the UK’s TV industry has ever seen. So, the passion, commitment and support shown by Sky Arts and everyone involved in this project has been nothing less than exemplary.”

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The Black British Theatre Awards 2020 Nominees are:

 

BEST DIRECTOR AWARD FOR A PLAY OR MUSICAL

Clint Dyer, Death of England, National Theatre

Nadia Latif, Fairview, Young Vic Theatre

Ola Ince, Appropriate, Donmar Warehouse

Roy Alexander Weise, ‘Master Harold’… and the boys, National Theatre

 

BEST PRODUCER AWARD

Adrian Grant, Thriller Live, Lyric Theatre

Nicole Raquel Dennis and Ryan Carter, Turn Up, Cadogan Hall

Tobi Kyeremateng, My White Best Friend (and Other Letters Left Unsaid), Royal Court

Theatre

 

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER AWARD

Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy MBE, REDD, Barbican Theatre

Lanre Malaolu, Pass Over, Kiln Theatre

Shelley Maxwell, ‘Master Harold’… and the boys, National Theatre

 

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE PRODUCTION ​AWARD

Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy MBE, REDD, Barbican Theatre

Marcelino Sambé, The Cellist, Royal Opera House

 

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION AWARD

Ingoma, Ballet Black, Theatre Royal Stratford East

REDD – Boy Blue Entertainment, Barbican Theatre

Some Like It Hip Hop – ZooNation, Peacock Theatre

 

BEST USE OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Nicole Raquel Dennis and Ryan Carter, Turn Up, Cadogan Hall

 

LIGHT AND SOUND RECOGNITION AWARD

Carmen Wright

Simeon Miller

Tony Gayle

 

COSTUME DESIGN RECOGNITION AWARD

Jodie Simone Howe

Maybelle Laye

Natalie Pryce

 

BOOK AND LYRICS RECOGNITION AWARD

Arinzé Kene

Roy Williams

Shirley Thompson OBE

 

MUSICAL DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD

Ian Oakley

Sean Green

Shiloh Coke

 

CASTING DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD

Isabella Odoffin

 

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

Lucian Msamati, Master Harold’… and the boys, National Theatre

Paapa Essiedu, Pass Over, Kiln Theatre

Valentine Olukoga, The Fishermen, Trafalgar Studios

 

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

Rakie Ayola, On Bear Ridge, Royal Court Theatre

Ronke Adekoluejo, Three Sisters, National Theatre

Sharon D. Clarke MBE, Death of a Salesman, Piccadilly Theatre

 

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

Arinzé Kene, Death of a Salesman, Young Vic Theatre

Nari Blair-Mangat, Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

Reice Weathers. The Upstart Crow, Gielgud Theatre

 

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

Cherrelle Skeete, The High Table, Bush Theatre

Michele Austin, Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

Rosalind Eleazar, Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre

 

BEST PRODUCTION PLAY

Death of a Salesman, Piccadilly Theatre

Fairview, Young Vic Theatre

Three Sisters, National Theatre

 

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD

Jason Brock, Thriller Live, Lyric Theatre

Jonathan Andrew Hume, Come from Away, Phoenix Theatre

Noah Thomas, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Apollo Theatre

 

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD

Aisha Jawando, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre

Maiya Quansah-Breed, Six the Musical, Arts Theatre

Miriam-Teak Lee, & Juliet, The Shaftesbury Theatre

 

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD

Arun Blair-Mangat, & Juliet, The Shaftesbury Theatre

Nicholas McLean, Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre

Tarinn Callender, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre

 

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD

Melanie La Barrie, & Juliet, The Shaftesbury Theatre

Nicole Raquel Dennis, Dear Evan Hansen, Noël Coward Theatre

Shanay Holmes, The Bridges of Madison County, Menier Chocolate Factory

 

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION AWARD

Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre

Thriller Live, Lyric Theatre

TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre

 

LGBTQ+ CHAMPION AWARD

Arun Blair-Mangat

Layton Williams

Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE

 

DISABILITY CHAMPION AWARD

Chris Fonseca

Rachel Nwokoro

 

BEST TEACHER OF PERFORMING ARTS AS A SUBJECT AWARD

David Blake, WAC Arts

Dollie Henry, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Kamara Gray, Urdang Academy/Artistry Youth Dance

 

BEST RECENT GRADUATE AWARD

Danielle Fiamanya, Guildford School of Acting

Stacy Abalogun, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Tonye Scott-Obene, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts

 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Shirley Thompson OBE

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Visit the Black British Theatre Awards website