Nominees announced for inaugural Black British Theatre Awards!
Published on 19 September 2019
Last updated on 9 October 2023
The West End is finally getting the diversity it deserves with the arrival of the** inaugural Black British Theatre Awards**, which will recognise black talent in the performing arts all across the UK. The shortlist has just been released today for the all-new ceremony, which is set to be held on 27 October 2019. Among the big-name nominees are Death of a Salesman actress Sharon D Clarke for her roles in both DoaS and Caroline, or Change, Arinzé Kene for his monologue Misty, Layton Williams for his portrayal of Jamie New, and Natasha Gordon for her record-smashing play, Nine Night. Read the nominees in full below!
2019 Black British Theatre Awards – and the nominees are...
The new Black British Theatre Awards features five different award groups (Recognition, Creatives, Plays, Musicals, Achievements), each with their own set of categories. The Recognition Group is designated for awards for a complete body of work and not a particular work.
Here is the full list of nominees below.
Plays
Aaron Pierre, King Hedley II
Arinzé Kene, Misty
Kwami Odoom, The Half God of Rainfall
Gloria Williams, Bullet Hole
Rakie Ayola, The Half God of Rainfall
Sharon D Clarke, Death of a Salesman
Lenny Henry, King Hedley II
Osy Ikhile, Sweat
Sule Rimi,* All My Sons*
Cherrelle Skeete, King Hedley II
Martina Laird, King Hedley II
Michelle Greenidge, Nine Night
*Nine Night
Small Island
The Half God of Rainfall*
Musicals
Jay Perry, Motown
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical
Layton Williams, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Maiya Quansah-Breed, SIX
Rachel John, Hamilton
Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, or Change
Arun Blair-Mangat, Leave to Remain
Cavin Cornwall, Jesus Christ Superstar
Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
Amara Okereke, Les Miserables
Beverley Knight, Sylvia
Kelly Agbowu, Waitress
Madeline Appiah, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
*Hamilton
Motown
TINA: The Tina Turner Musical*
Achievement awards
Angeline Bell, Urdang Academy
Dollie Henry, Trinity Laban
Amara Okereke, Arts Educational Schools London
Maiya Quansah-Breed, Guildford School of Acting
Sharon D Clarke
Creatives Group
Lynette Linton, Sweat
Nancy Medina,* The Half God of Rainfall*
Roy Alexander Weise, Nine Night
Tobi Kyeremateng for Babylon Festival,
Bush TheatreAlesandra Seutin, Reckonings,
Sadler’s WellsRachael Nanyonjo, Sleeping Beauty, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Shelley Maxwell, Equus
Porgy and Bess,
ENOCarlos Acosta, Don Quixote
Precious Adams, Manon by
English National BalletPrentice Whitlow, *The Rite of Spring *by Phoenix Dance Theatre
Sylvia, Zoonation
The Suit/Dream Within a Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ballet Black
The Rite of Spring, Phoenix Dance Theatre
Recognition Group
Arinzé Kene
Debbie Tucker Green
Inua Ellams
Tony Gayle
Benjamin Kwasi Burrell
Michael Henry
Sean Green
Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey
Have you seen these Black British Theatre Award-nominated shows?
Be sure to catch some of these award-nominated West End shows that are now currently booking with some on special offer!
By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.