THE BBTAs have revealed the 2020 Black British Theatre Awards nominee list.

We are pleased to be able to provide a platform at Sky Arts to showcase the very best of Black British Theatre Talent – particularly at a time of such crisis for the theatre industry

Philip Edgar-Jones, Director, Sky Arts

Voted almost entirely by the public, this year’s nominees represent some of the finest work by black performers and creatives in UK theatre.

Building on the ground-breaking inaugural live event hosted by Ore Oduba in 2019, the 2020 awards ceremony will engage and inspire audiences nationwide when it airs on Sky Arts this autumn, as part of the channel’s free to air line-up.

2020 has been a landmark year with unprecedented challenges presented by the impact of Covid-19 and the global call for racial justice, equity and inclusion across all aspects of society.

The 2020 Black British Theatre Awards programme will be Executively Produced by Kwame Kwei-Armah with Producer Shantelle Rochester, and Directors Charlie Di Placido and Kojey Radical.

The socially distanced event will take place at London’s Young Vic Theatre, and nominees together with special guests will attend a vibrant awards ceremony interspersed with live music, interviews, dance and artistic content.

This year’s aim is to highlight, as well as champion, the recognition and representation of Black talent in British theatre.

The Black British Theatre Awards will be broadcast exclusively on Sky Arts late October. Host and presenters to be announced shortly.

BBTA Directors Solange Urdang and Omar F Okai said: “This is an important year with UK Theatre coming to a standstill and The Black Lives Matter movement protests.

“We feel it is important now more than ever to highlight the wonderful Black British talent we have in abundance and hope to bring positivity to such a difficult time”.

Philip Edgar-Jones, Director, Sky Arts, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide a platform at Sky Arts to showcase the very best of Black British Theatre Talent – particularly at a time of such crisis for the theatre industry.

“Art and Culture is even more vital at this point and we know the incredible talent on display here will point the way to a brighter future when the recovery begins”.

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