Photos: Go Inside Black Theatre Coalition's BUILDING THE CHANGE Gala

Just last night, the Black Theatre Coalition hosted its Inaugural BTC Gala, celebrating entertainment professionals working in theater, film, television, cultural institutions, and music. The special night honored Producer and Director Ava DuVernay with the first Poitier-Belafonte Award for Cultural Activism, La La Anthony with the Lynn Nottage Bold Beacon Award, National Black Theatre with the Chadwick Boseman Change Maker Award.

Honorary Gala Host Committee members include Alicia Keys, André De Shields, Naturi Naughton, Hugh Jackman, Alex Newell, Irene Gandy, Temah Higgins, Yvonne Durant, and Cordey Lash. The gala is sponsored in part by AARP.

 Black Theatre Coalition was founded by T. Oliver Reid, Warren Adams and Reggie Van Lee during the Summer of 2019. They identified the disparity between the growing inclusivity onstage, versus the almost non-existence of Black professionals off stage. Black Theatre Coalition’s mission is to remove the “illusion of inclusion” in the American Theatre by building a sustainable ethical roadmap that will increase employment opportunities for Black theatre professionals.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski