Black Theatre Alliance Awards 2026 Nominations Announced

The Black Theatre Alliance Awards (BTAA) has announced the nominees for its 2026 awards, recognizing another year of Black theatre, performance, and theatrical artistry throughout the Chicagoland area.

This year's nominations recognize an impressive range of artists, designers, directors, writers, musicians, and theatre companies whose work has contributed to the vitality and continued excellence of Chicago theatre.

The 2026 nominees were selected by the BTAA five-member board: Cheryl Gatson, President; McKinley Johnson, Vice President; Valorie J. Harris, Secretary & Treasurer; Toney Hall, Chaplain; and J. Michael Jones, Board Member.

The 2026 Black Theatre Alliance Awards will be presented on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th Street, Chicago, Illinois. The evening will bring together members of Chicago's theatre community for a celebration of the actors, directors, writers, designers, musicians, technicians, and theatre companies whose work has distinguished the 2025–2026 theatrical season.

A special highlight of this year's ceremony will be the presentation of the BTAA Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed director Pemon Rami, honoring his extraordinary career and his enduring contributions to Chicago theatre.

The 2026 nominations reflect the breadth of theatrical work presented across Chicagoland, with productions from The Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Black Ensemble Theatre, eta Creative Arts Foundation, APC Theater, Definition Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Theater 47, Beverly Arts Center, The Drama Group, MPAACT, Bramble Theatre, Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre, Collaboration Theatre, Urban Broadway Theatre Group NFP, and others represented among this year's nominees.

From new works and classic plays to musicals and musical revues, the nominees represent the range of voices, stories, and artistic disciplines that continue to make Black theatre an essential part of Chicago's cultural landscape.

Black Theatre Alliance Awards 2026 Nominees

BEST PRODUCTION — MUSICAL

Men Of Soul — Black Ensemble Theatre

The Jackie Wilson Story — Black Ensemble Theatre

Return To Motown — APC Theater

BEST PRODUCTION — PLAY

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — Goodman Theatre

Covenant — Goodman Theatre

1800 VS 2020 — APC Theater

BEST ACTRESS — MUSICAL

Mariah Lyttle — Catch Me If You Can The Musical, Marriott Theatre

Erline Dorcy — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

Britt Edwards — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST ACTRESS — PLAY

Greta Oglesby — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Ora Jones — Merry Wives Of Windsor, Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Alana Arenas — Windfall, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Jewell Redman — In The Continuum, Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre

Michelle Renee Bester — A Lot To Unpack, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Anji White — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

BEST ACTOR — MUSICAL

Jaitee Thomas — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

Victor Musoni — Rome Sweet Rome, Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Will Akins — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

Nathaniel Stampley — Catch Me If You Can, Marriott Theatre

BEST ACTOR — PLAY

Joshua L. Green — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Patrick Newson Jr. — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Byron Glenn Willis — Mop and Bucket Blues, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Jaylon Muchison — Hamlet, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

Kelvin Roston Jr. — Miss Julie, Court Theatre

Jacque Miller — Mika Scrooge, Urban Broadway Theatre Group NFP

Al Jaleel McGhee — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Goodman Theatre

BEST FEATURED PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL REVUE — MALE OR FEMALE

Laniece Dennis — Return To Motown, APC Theater

Makeda Grier — Power Of Love, Theater 47

Jaitee Thomas — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

Vincent Jordan — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

Dwight Neal — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Robert Reddrick — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

Robert Reddrick — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

Jason Jones — Return To Motown, APC Theater

Michael Barr — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

Berris Bolton — Power Of Love, Theater 47

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — MUSICAL

James Earl Jones II — Catch Me If You Can The Musical, Marriott Theatre

Brandon Thomas — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

Vincent Jordan — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — PLAY

Ronald L. Conner — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Glenn Davis — Windfall, Steppenwolf Theatre

Mysun Aja Wade — Trial In The Delta – The Murder of Emmett Till, Collaboraction Theatre

Destin Warner — A Lot To Unpack, eta Creative Arts Foundation

DeMorris & Demetrius Burrows — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — MUSICAL

Liane Williams — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

Rhonda Preston — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — PLAY

Deborah A. Ross — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Madison Savannah — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Teena Marie — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Liane Williams — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, The Drama Group

Felicia Oduh — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

Ashli Rene Funches — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Daryl D. Brooks — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

Jackie Taylor — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

Richard Gallion — Return To Motown, APC Theater

Lorenzo Rush Jr. — Ragtime, Beverly Arts Center

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Ron OJ Parson — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Ericka Ratcliff — Black Cypress Bayou, Definition Theatre

Richard Gallion — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Donn Carl Harper — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Cordaro Johnson — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, The Drama Group

Chuck Smith — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Goodman Theatre

Malkia Stampley — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

BEST WRITING OF A PLAY

Theodore Ward — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Ben F. Locke — Rooted, Bramble Theatre

G. Riley Mills & Willie Round — Trial In The Delta – The Murder of Emmett Till, Collaboraction Theatre

Rueben D. Echoles — A Lot To Unpack, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Richard Gallion — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY — MUSICAL OR PLAY

Deidre Goodwin — Catch Me If You Can The Musical, Marriott Theatre

Kailisha Micole — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Andre McCaskey — Power Of Love, Theater 47

Tanji Harper — Rome Sweet Rome, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

Breon Arzell — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST MUSICAL REVUE

Return To Motown — APC Theater

Power Of Love — Theater 47

Men Of Soul — Black Ensemble Theatre

BEST ENSEMBLE — MUSICAL OR PLAY

Big White Fog — Court Theatre

Black Cypress Bayou — Definition Theatre

Sun Tea — MPAACT

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf — eta Creative Arts Foundation

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — Goodman Theatre

Covenant — Goodman Theatre

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Yvonne L. Miranda — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Sheila Peele Miller — Mika Scrooge, Urban Broadway Theatre Group NFP

Corinne Enning — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Gregory Graham — Men Of Soul, Black Ensemble Theatre

Jackie Taylor — The Jackie Wilson Story, Black Ensemble Theatre

Evelyn M. Danner — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Goodman Theatre

Evelyn M. Danner — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

Jack Magaw — Big White Fog, Court Theatre

Carma Newman — Mop and Bucket Blues, eta Creative Arts Foundation

Delena Bradley — Rooted, Bramble Theatre

Russell Hoganson — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, The Drama Group

Linda Buchanan — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Goodman Theatre

Ryan Emens — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

Carmen Marseille — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Levi Wilkins — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, eta Creative Arts Foundation

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Henry Toohey — Rooted, Bramble Theatre

Conchita Avitia — Black Cypress Bayou, Definition Theatre

Cherlora Williamson — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Levi Wilkins — For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf, The Drama Group

Gina Patterson — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Willow James — Black Cypress Bayou, Definition Theatre

LaVell — 1800 VS 2020, APC Theater

Daniel Johnson, Franklin 'Hurricane' Marks & Joshua 'j-Wiz' Nash — Return To Motown, APC Theater

Dee Etti-Williams — Covenant, Goodman Theatre

2026 Black Theatre Alliance Awards

Monday, October 26, 2026

Beverly Arts Center

2407 W. 111th Street, Chicago, IL

Refreshments: 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Awards Presentation: 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Tickets: $40.00

Purchase via Zelle: 773-290-4058

Cash App: $CVGATSON