Nominations Announced For 2025’s Black British Theatre Awards

Beverley Knight, Anne Odeke, Johannes Radebe and Omari Douglas.

The UK’s biggest night in Black Theatre returns to the West End this Autumn, with a ceremony taking place at the Piccadilly Theatre in London on Sunday 26 October.

For decades, Black artists in the UK have been transforming theatre— from trailblazing pioneers who challenged the status quo to contemporary stars redefining what the West End can be. The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) honour this enduring legacy, celebrating excellence, representation, and the cultural contributions of Black artists 365 days a year.

See full list of 2025 BBTA nomiees: 

BEST PRODUCER
Chuchu Nwagu, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,  The Royal Shakespeare Company
Mwansa Phiri, Positive, Southwark Playhouse Borough
Sponsored Thomas Hopkins Productions Ltd

BEST DIRECTOR
Lynette Linton, Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse
Prime Isaac, Bitch Boxer, Watford Palace Theatre
Robin Belfield, Princess Essex, Shakespeare's Globe

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Ashton Moore, Play On!, UK Tour
Takisha Sargent, The Women of Llanrumney,  Theatre Royal Stratford East
XANA, Alterations, National Theatre
Sponsored by YOU Management Ltd

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER OR MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
Christopher Tendai, CAKE: The Marie Antoinette Musical, The Other Palace
Shelley Maxwell, Alterations, National Theatre
Ingrid Mackinnon, Princess Essex, Shakespeare's Globe

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION OR PERFORMER
Ballet Black: Shadows, Hackney Empire
Inside Giovanni's Room, Phoenix Dance Theatre -  Sadler's Wells East
Our Mighty Groove, Sadler's Wells East & Uchenna Dance

RECOGNITION GROUP (BODY OF WORK) AWARDS

BEST SOUND AND/OR LIGHTING DESIGN
Eamonn O'Dwyer
Joshua Harriette
Warren “Flamin Beatz” Morgan-Humphreys

THEATRE DESIGN
Bolu Dairo
Georgie Lynch
Stella-Jane Odoemelam
Sponsored by Disney Theatrical Group

BOOK AND LYRICS
Trish Cooke
Winsome Pinnock FRSL
Sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide UK

BEST PLAYWRIGHT
Anne Odeke
Coral Wylie
Ntombizodwa Nyoni
Sponsored by Brixton House in Association with The Writers Group

BEST CASTING DIRECTOR
Heather Basten
Selma Nicholls
Sponsored by Spotlight

PLAY AWARDS

BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Arinzé Kene, Alterations, National Theatre
Kyle Ndukuba, Romeo and Juliet, Belgrade Theatre
Omari Douglas, This Bitter Earth, Soho Theatre

BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anne Odeke, Princess Essex, Shakespeare's Globe
Beverley Knight, Marie & Rosetta, The Rose Theatre
Suzanne Packer, The Women of Llanrumney, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Sponsored by LAMDA

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Andre Antonio, Romeo and Juliet, Belgrade Theatre
Emmanuel Akwafo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre
Tyreke Leslie, Princess Essex, Shakespeare's Globe

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Cash Holland, A Raisin in the Sun, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Miranda Mufema, Stranger Things, Phoenix Theatre
Nicola Hughes, Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse

BEST PRODUCTION - PLAY
Alterations, National Theatre
Pig Heart Boy, Unicorn Theatre and on Tour
Shifters, Duke of York’s Theatre
Sponsored by AKA

MUSICAL AWARDS
BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jay Perry, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Jeevan Braich, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Newtion Matthews, Kinky Boots The Musical. UK & Ireland Tour

BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Georgina Onuorah, Shucked, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Natalie Kassanga, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre
Shanay Holmes, Oliver! The Musical, Gielgud Theatre
Sponsored by Link-Artists

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Cedric Neal, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
C.J. Borger, Back To The Future The Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Ryan Carter, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, UK Tour
Sponsored by The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind a new musical produced
by Kenny Wax and Chuchu Nwagu

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Georgia Bradshaw, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, UK Tour
Georgia Gillam, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, UK and Ireland Tour
Jade Marvin, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Sponsored by I'm Every Woman

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
Sponsored by TodayTix

CHAMPION AWARDS

BEST CHILD PERFORMER (UNDER 16)
Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, UK and Ireland Tour
Keilah Kofi, The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre
Riley-Ann Nicholls Murphy, Our Mighty Groove, Sadler's Wells East

LGBTQIA+ CHAMPION
Johannes Radebe
Layton Williams
Newtion Matthews

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

BEST TEACHER
Claudimar Neto, Insight Dance Company
Kamara Gray, Artistry Youth Dance
Stewart Avon-Arnold, Studio 59
Sponsored by LIPA - Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

LORD Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick AWARD
Liam Godwin

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Nicola Blackman