Nominees for 2022 Black British Theatre Awards revealed

The shortlist has been revealed for this year's Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs).

Celebrating Black excellence both on stage and in creative roles, the awards themselves will be taking place on Sunday 16 October at the National Theatre in London.

Solange Urdang and Omar F Okai, co-directors of the BBTAs, said today: "2022 brings an unprecedented year for the BBTAs in support from industry recognition and creative growth. The public votes have quadrupled since 2021, heralding a clear and positive bright future for the ongoing work of the Black British Theatre Awards. This year we are exceptionally excited to be holding the awards The National Theatre."

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The shortlist is as follows:

Creatives Group
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
- Matthew Xia, The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre
- Ryan Calais Cameron and Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, 
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court
- Dermot Daly, My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, Red Ladder Theatre Company UK Tour

BEST PRODUCER AWARD
- Jasmyn Fisher-Ryner, For Black Boys Who Have Considered -Suicide 
When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court
- Shanay Holmes and Chris Steward, West End Musical Christmas, Lyric Theatre
- Ameena Hamid, The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR AWARD
- Femi Temowo, Rockets and Blue Lights, National Theatre
- Sean Green, Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
- John Pfumojena, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide 
When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER OR MOVEMENT DIRECTOR AWARD
- Leah Hill, The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre
- Theophilus O Bailey-Godson, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide 
When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court
- Kane Husbands and Mateus Daniel, Passionfruit, New Diorama Theatre

BEST OPERA PRODUCTION OR PERFORMANCE AWARD
- April Koyejo-Audiger, Jenufa, Royal Opera House
- Pumeza Matshikiza, The Cunning Little Vixen, London Coliseum

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION AWARD
- Run it Back, Talawa, Fairfield Halls
- Ballet Black Double Bill, Ballet Black, Barbican
- Saturn Returns, Gateway Arts Productions, Brixton House

BEST SOLOIST IN A DANCE PRODUCTION AWARD
- Mthuthuzeli November, Ballet Black Double Bill, Barbican
- Cira Robinson, Ballet Black Double Bill, Barbican
- Isabela Coracy, Ballet Black Double Bill, Barbican

BEST USE OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AWARD
- Mawa Theatre Company, What's Past is Prologue, YouTube
- Natalie Edwards Yesufu, Enter.Stage.Write, YouTube
- Ballet Black, Eightfold, Channel 4

Recognition Group (body of work)

LIGHT AND/OR SOUND RECOGNITION AWARD
- Simisola Majekodunmi
- Joshua Harriette
- Kayodeine Gomez

COSTUME DESIGN RECOGNITION AWARD
- Maybelle Laye
- Natalie Pryce

- Jessica Cabassa

BOOK AND LYRICS RECOGNITION AWARD
- Lux Knightley
- Ryan Calais Cameron
- Safaa Benson-Effiom

CASTING DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD
- Heather Basten
- Isabella Odoffin
- Tonia Daley Campbell

Plays
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY AWARD
- Terique Jarrett, Daddy, Almeida Theatre
- Dior Clarke, Passionfruit, New Diorama Theatre
- Michael Fatogun, Foxes, Theatre 503

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY AWARD
- Shareesa Valentine, Forgotten Voices, Hope Mill Theatre
- Selina Jones, An unfinished man, The Yard Theatre
- Shakira Newton, Things I Can Laugh About Now, Brixton House

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY AWARD
- Gabriel Paul, Macbeth, Leeds Playhouse
- Hayden Mampasi, Passionfruit, New Diorama Theatre
- Habib Nasib Nader, Life of Pi, Wyndham's Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY AWARD
- Ashh Blackwood, The Play That Goes Wrong, Duchess Theatre
- Sasha Frost, Folk, Hampstead Theatre
- Charlotte Gosling, Passionfruit, New Diorama Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY AWARD
- Rochelle Rose, Rockets and Blue Lights, National Theatre
- Emmanuel Akwafo, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide 
When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court
- Misha Duncan-Barry, My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, Red Ladder Theatre Company UK Tour

BEST PRODUCTION PLAY AWARD
- My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, Red Ladder Theatre Company UK Tour
- For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Royal Court
- Things I Can Laugh About Now, Brixton House

Musicals
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
- Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, Legally Blonde, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
- Michael Duke, Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
- Tarik Frimpong, The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
- Nicole Raquel Dennis, Dreamgirls, UK and Ireland tour
- Courtney Bowman, Legally Blonde, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
- Courtney Stapleton, Beauty and the Beast the Musical, UK and Ireland tour

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
- Jordan Shaw, Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
- Shem Omari James, Dreamgirls, UK and Ireland Tour
- Cameron Bernard Jones, The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
- Nadine Higgin, Legally Blonde, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
- Nicolle Smartt, Domitius, Conway Hall
- Jocasta Almgill, Grease, Dominion Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL AWARD
- Billy Nevers, Legally Blonde, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
- Amara Okereke, My Fair Lady, London Coliseum
- Nicole Raquel Dennis, Dreamgirls, UK and Ireland Tour

BEST PRODUCTION MUSICAL AWARD - Domitius, Conway Hall - Dreamgirls, UK and Ireland Tour - The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre

Achievement Awards

LGBTQIA CHAMPION AWARD
- Alex Thomas-Smith
- Nicole Raquel Dennis
- Courtney Stapleton

BEST TEACHER AWARD
- Angeline Bell, Urdang Academy
- Hakeem Onibudo, Impact Dance
- Carolyn Elaine Bolton, Shockout

BEST RECENT GRADUATE AWARD
- Grace Melville, D&B Academy
- Shonah Buwu, Bird College
- Dianté Lodge, Laine Theatre Arts

BEST UNDERSTUDY/SWING IN A THEATRE PRODUCTION AWARD - Mitchell Zhangazha, Dear Evan Hansen, Noël Coward Theatre
- Jemal Felix, The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre
- Zara MacIntosh, & Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre