Black British Theatre Awards Spearheads the Return to the British Stage

The Black British Theatre Awards is spearheading the return to British stages with an exciting awards ceremony to recognise the contribution made by black britons to UK Theatre. 

Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) is finding ways to harness inventiveness and creativity to ensure that this year’s awards can still go ahead virtually. The awards promise to be a joyous occasion, bringing the community together virtually for a fun and exciting celebration of each other’s achievements. The event will be hosted by Ore Oduba, and live-streamed so that it can be enjoyed by audiences throughout the UK and beyond. 

Omar F Okai, Co Director and Founder of BBTAS comments:

‘Our industry has been devastated. All plays, musicals and creative pieces have come to a sad and frightening halt, the effects are felt and have had a deep impact on our performers, creatives and students in training. The Black British Theatre Awards team are determined to present the ceremony in some form, and help get the spirit we so sorely need in our industry back’ 

The team behind the BBTAs are working hard to ensure that COVID-19 will not impact this year’s celebration of black talent working in the theatre sector. They are keen to ensure that despite all the challenges this year the BBTAs will inject some hope and positivity for all involved in theatre during this difficult time and are harnessing inventive and creative ideas to develop new initiatives so that the BBTAs can still take place. 

In addition, a Virtual BBTA Outreach Day aimed at 12-20 year olds, will take place to coincide with Black History Month. This will be a full day packed with workshops, masterclasses and presentations from current performers, creatives and technicians working in theatre, designed to inspire and pique the interest of the next generation of black talent in the theatre. 

Lastly, a set of new awards have been introduced to ensure that the awards are as inclusive as possible inspired by how theatre has had to adapt and change during this time of crisis. 

The new awards include:- 

Best use of Innovation and Technology – in recognition of the use and adaptation of technology for the public access to theatrical and theatrical associated events

Casting Director Recognition Award – to recognise impact on casting to progress inclusivity and representation and to provoke as well as enable theatre makers to effect change. 

LGBTQ+ Champion Award – This award is for the person/persons or organisation, that have contributed awareness in theatre, through creativity and advancement of the LGBTQ+ community

Disability Champion Award – to recognise a venue, company or individual who has shown consideration and commitment to taking steps toward inclusion. 

Solange Urdang, Co Director and Founder of BBTAS

“We hope that these four new awards categories will continue incredible impact, success and momentum that last year’s inaugural awards ceremony achieved, and ensure that the BBTAs are a firmly established and widely recognised event in the theatre sector’s calendar” 

Nominations for the 28 awards categories go live on 1 June the Awards event will take place on 8 November.