Black British Theatre Awards winners revealed

The winners of the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards have been revealed.

The evening was hosted by Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) and Danny Sapani (Black Panther), with a variety of guest presenters including Jason Pennycooke (Moulin Rouge!, Hamilton), Miriam-Teak Lee (Hamilton), Dawn Hope (Follies), Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp (Interim CEO at Eclipse Theatre Company), Mzz Kimberley/Kim Tatum (Straight White Men), Matthew Xia (Blue/Orange), Brenda Emmanus (arts, culture and entertainment correspondent), Nadine Benjamin, Layton Williams (Everyone's Talking About Jamie) and Ahmet Ahmet (director of Get Into Theatre).

Taking place at the Old Finsbury Town Hall, London, the event saw the Lifetime Achievement Award given to national treasure Derek Griffiths.

Productions picking up a number of awards across the evening included Miranda Cromwell's production of and breathe… at the Almeida (four awards) and Regent's Park's Romeo and Juliet (four awards). Recent graduate Natasha May-Thomas picked up two awards for her performance in Carousel.

We've highlighted the winners for each category in bold.

CREATIVES GROUP
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD FOR A PLAY OR MUSICAL
Anthony Simpson-Pike, Lava, Bush Theatre
Miranda Cromwell, and breathe…, Almeida Theatre
Tinuke Craig,The Color Purple – at Home, Curve, in association with Birmingham Hippodrome

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Femi Temowo, and breathe…, Almeida Theatre
Ian Oakley, From Here, Chiswick Playhouse
Nadine Lee, Bagdad Cafe, The Old Vic

BEST PRODUCER AWARD
and breathe…, Almeida Theatre
Chris Steward and Shanay Holmes, West End Musical Celebration at Palace Theatre
Tanisha Spring, A Killer Party

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER AWARD
Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe, The Sun, The Moon and The Stars, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Ingrid Mackinnon, Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Sarah Golding, Cruise, Duchess Theatre

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE PRODUCTION AWARD
Joseph Sissens, The Statement, The Royal Ballet

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION AWARD
And Still We Dance!, Afro Dance Xplosion
Far From the Norm, BLKDOG
'Like Water', Ballet Black

BEST USE OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Chris Steward and Shanay Holmes, West End Musical Celebration at Palace Theatre
Ryan Carter, The Secret Society of Leading Ladies, Barn Theatre

RECOGNITION GROUP (BODY OF WORK)
LIGHT AND SOUND RECOGNITION AWARD
Tony Gayle

COSTUME DESIGN RECOGNITION AWARD
Jodie-Simone Howe

BOOK AND LYRICS RECOGNITION AWARD
Annabel Mutale Reed
Benedict Lombe
Yomi Sode

MUSICAL DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD
Ian Oakley
Sean Green

CASTING DIRECTOR RECOGNITION AWARD
Chandra Ruegg
Isabella Odoffin

ACHIEVEMENTS GROUP
LGBTQ CHAMPION AWARD
Alex Thomas-Smith
Jay Perry
Nicole Raquel Dennis

BEST TEACHER OF PERFORMING ARTS AS A SUBJECT AWARD
Ashley Campbell, British Theatre Academy
Hakeem Onibudo, Impact Dance
Kamara Gray, Artistry Youth Dance

BEST RECENT GRADUATE AWARD
Georgina Onuorah, Arts Educational Schools
Kayla Carter, Royal Academy of Music
Natasha May-Thomas, Urdang Academy

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Derek Griffiths MBE

PLAYS GROUP
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
David Jonsson, and breathe…, Almeida Theatre
Michael Balogun, Death of England, National Theatre
Omari Douglas, Constellations, Vaudeville Theatre

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Isabel Adomakoh Young, Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Lava, Bush Theatre
Tia Bannon, seven methods of killing kylie jenner, Royal Court Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Andrew French, Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Ola Ayofe, After Life, National Theatre
Stephen K Amos, My Night With Reg, Turbine Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anoushka Lucas, After Life, National Theatre
Aretha Ayeh, Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Rosalind Eleazar, Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre

BEST PRODUCTION PLAY
and breathe…, Almeida Theatre
J'Ouvert, Harold Pinter Theatre
Lava, Bush Theatre

MUSICALS GROUP

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
Ivano Turco, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Liam Tamne, The Prince Of Egypt, Dominion Theatre
Tyrone Huntley, Jesus Christ Superstar, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
Lucy St Louis, The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre
Marisha Wallace, Hairspray The Musical, London Coliseum
Shanay Holmes, Disenchanted

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
Ashley Samuels, Hairspray the Musical, London Coliseum
Caleb Roberts, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
John Pfumojena, Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL AWARD
Gloria Onitiri, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Natasha May-Thomas, Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Tanisha Spring, The Prince Of Egypt, Dominion Theatre

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION AWARD
The Color Purple – at Home, Curve, in association with Birmingham Hippodrome
The Last Five Years, Minack Theatre
West End Musical Celebration, Palace Theatre

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