Sharon D Clarke and Layton Williams among winners at Black British Theatre Awards
The inaugural Black British Theatre Awards took place on 27th October 2019 at the Old Finsbury Town Hall, with The Half God of Rainfall and Hamilton awarded best production of a play and best musical production respectively.
Sharon D Clarke took home the award for best female actor in a musical for her performance as Caroline Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change at the Playhouse Theatre, as well as the lifetime recognition award.
Other winners at the awards ceremony included Lynette Linton winning best director for Sweat, Lenny Henry for best supporting male actor in a play for his performance in King Hedley II at Theatre Royal Stratford East, while Layton Williams won best male actor in a musical for his performance as Jamie New in Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
The full list of winners from the 2019 Black British Theatre Awards are listed below:
Recognition Group
Light and Sound Recognition Award
Tony Gayle
Set Design Recognition Award
Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey
Book and Lyrics Recognition Award
Debbie Tucker Green
Also nominated:
Arinze Kene
Inua Ellams
Musical Director Recognition Award
Benjamin Kwasi Burrell
Also nominated:
Michael Henry
Sean Green
Creatives Group
Best director
Lynette Linton, Sweat
Also nominated:
Roy Alexander Weise, Nine Night
Nancy Medina, The Half God of Rainfall
Best Producer
Tobi Kyeremateng, Babylon Festival, Bush Theatre
Best Choreographer
Shelley Maxwell, Equus
Also nominated:
Alesandra Seutin, Reckoning, Sadler's Wells
Rachael Nanyonjo, Sleeping Beauty, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Best Opera Production
Porgy and Bess, English National Opera
Best Dance Performance
Prentice Whitlow, Rite of Spring, Phoenix Dance Company
Also nominated:
Carlos Acosta, Don Quixote
Precious Adams, Manon, English National Ballet
Best Dance Production
Rite of Spring, Phoenix Dance Company
Also nominated:
The Suit/Dream Within a Midsummer Nights Dream, Ballet Black
Sylvia, ZooNation
Plays
Best Male Actor in a Play
Arinze Kene, Misty
Also nominated:
Kwami Odoom, The Half God of Rainfall
Aaron Pierre, King Hedley
Best Female Actor in a Play
Gloria Williams, Bullet Hole
Also nominated:
Rakie Ayola, The Half God of Rainfall
Sharon D Clarke, Death of a Salesman
Best Supporting Male Actor in a Play
Lenny Henry, King Hedley
Also nominated:
Osy Ikhile, Sweat
Sule Rimi, All My Sons
Best Supporting Female Actor in a Play
Michelle Greenidge, Nine Night
Also nominated:
Cherrelle Skeete, King Hedley
Martine Laird, King Hedley
Best Production of a Play
The Half God of Rainfall
Also nominated:
Musicals
Best Male Actor in a Musical
Layton Williams, Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Also nominated:
Jay Perry, Motown the Musical
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
Best Female Actor in a Musical
Sharon D Clarke, Caroline or Change
Also nominated:
Rachel John, Hamilton
Maiya Quansha-Breed, Six the Musical
Best Supporting Male Actor in a Musical
Cavin Cornwall, Jesus Christ Superstar
Also nominated:
Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
Arun Blair-Mangat, Leave to Remain
Best Supporting Female Actor in a Musical
Also nominated:
Amara Okereke, Les Miserables
Kelly Agbowu, Waitress
Madeline Appiah, Tina the Musical
Best Musical Production
Also nominated:
Achievement Awards
Best Teacher of Performing Arts as a Subject
Angeline Bell, Urdang Academy
Also nominated:
Dollie Henry, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Best Recent Graduate Award
Amara Okereke, ArtsEd
Also nominated:
Maiya Quansah-Breed, Guildford School of Acting
Lifetime Recognition Award
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