SPEAKING WITH The Voice ahead of their annual Black British Theatre awards (BBTA), co-founder Solange Urdang said it was a huge feather in their cap to be hosting this year’s event at the Lyceum in London’s West End.

Usually home to The Disney Lion King, the stage has quite literally been cleared in readiness for the sixth consecutive BBTA.

“It’s quite stressful this year, because it’s the biggest we’ve ever done,” Urdang explains. 

“It’s growing and growing and so the team is really under it this year, but they’re getting it all together. It will be fine. We are so looking forward to the whole thing.”

The event will have extra attention due to the Act For Action report released by the BBTA earlier this year.

Their first of its kind, the report found that Black theatre professionals continue to face a number of deep-rooted systemic challenges and inequalities within the UK theatre industry. 

Drawing insights from Black theatre professionals, the Act for Action Report, examines the critical issues impacting their entry into the industry, career development and advancement, financial stability, and mental health and wellbeing. 

The groundbreaking report reveals the persistence of racial bias, lack of meaningful diversity initiatives, and inadequate support systems which have stifled the growth and recognition of Black professionals in British theatre, both on and off the stage. 

“Born from a dedicated effort to amplify marginalised voices, this report serves as a wake-up call for the British theatre industry to not only recognise the structural and systemic challenges faced by Black professionals but to take concrete steps towards creating a more inclusive, equitable and supportive industry,” both Urdang and co-founder Omar F. Okai said.

The report also addresses the inefficacy of current diversity initiatives within the industry, with over 70 per cent of respondents stating that diversity policies and quotas were often symbolic and fail to lead to substantive change.

Key findings from the Act for Action Report include:

● Racial bias and representation:
○ 71 per cent reported experiencing racial bias within the industry, noting the
predominance of White leadership in theatres.
○ More than 70 per cent expressed concerns about the lack of authentic representation
with many roles being based on stereotypical portrayals of Black characters.
○ 53.3 per cent reported experiencing discrimination during job applications based on
their skin colour.

● Barriers to entry:
○ 60.1 per cent of respondents felt unsupported in entering the industry in on-stage roles
and 79 per cent felt unsupported in entering the industry in off-stage roles.
○ Over 70 per cent of young Black respondents cited significant obstacles hindering their
entry into theatre, including inaccessibility due to historical disadvantages.

● Employment instability:
○ 40 per cent of respondents reported inconsistent work in the industry, underscoring the
instability faced by Black professionals in securing sustainable employment.
○ 78.1 per cent of respondents have taken on secondary jobs and 73.3 per cent expressed
concerns about retirement due to financial instability.

● Lack of financial and structural support:
○ Only nine per cent of respondents were aware of available funding specifically aimed at
supporting Black individuals entering the industry.
○ Over 70 per cent expressed frustration at the absence of necessary financial and
structural support, which they deem crucial for advancing their careers.

● Tokenism and mental health:
○ A recurring theme throughout the report is tokenism, with many Black professionals being perceived as the ’token Black’
○ 50 per cent of respondents reported that their experiences in the industry had negatively impacted their mental health.

Asked what she found most surprising from the report, Urdang said: “As well as The Black British Theatre awards, I’m an educator and I’ve seen many students into the West End from training and I can say, hands down that one, it’s a hard job to do anyway but being Black as well,there is stigma along with that, and that’s unfortunately the way the industry is. 

“Different casting directors have different attitudes towards casting. 

“It depends which casting director is casting what show, but there is a lack of understanding from the directors and casting directors as far as casting Black individuals into not only Black shows, but other shows as well, that should be mixed.

“The comments that are said in passing to me, I wouldn’t really be able to justify without this report. But I’ve seen it over the years. It’s there. So, to me that wasn’t so surprising. 

“I don’t know that much about the offstage situations. But Omar, the co-director, works as a creative and people talk to him. 

“You just have to look behind the scenes to see how it’s dominated by white professionals. backstage. The question has to be, why hasn’t that changed over the years? 

“I mean, on stage? It is changing. But off stage I wouldn’t say it’s changing, and that, I think, was more surprising to me.”

The BBTA released The ‘Act for Action Report’ to coincide with the announcement of this year’s Black British Theatre Award nominees. 

Celebrating excellence across the UK’s Black theatre community, the names on this years list span a diverse range of categories, spotlighting both emerging and established talent. 

Some of the celebrated nominees include: Chuchu Nwagu, Landé Belo, Sean Green, Christopher Tendai, Boy Blue, Layton Williams, Simisola, Siana Bangura, Isabella Odoffin, Terique Jarrett, Francesca, Amewudah-Rivers, Joshua Alexander-Williams, Layton Williams, Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, and many more. 

“Celebrating the talent and diverse voices of Black British theatre professionals is not only a recognition of their invaluable contributions to the UK theatre industry but also an urgent necessity in light of the Act for Action report’s findings,” said Urdang and Okai. 

“At a time when systemic inequities and exclusion continue to hinder progress, it’s more important than ever to amplify these voices, challenge the status quo, and champion the change needed to create a truly inclusive and representative theatre landscape.”

Speaking on what she was most looking forward to ahead at the awards ceremony, Urdang enthused: “I think the performances. 

“It’s the first time we’re going to have a whole big stage. We’ve done it at the National for two years. But we’ve always done it on the back of someone’s set. 

“So we’ve never had the stage to ourselves in that sense. That space. 

“So we’re able to bring dance this year. Confidently. So that’s really exciting that we’ll have performances. 

“To have all that space, it’s phenomenal. It’s huge. 

“We normally find out three weeks before what the set looks like, how we can change it to do our awards on a set that’s already in. But the Lion King, they’re going to clear the stage. It’s phenomenal.” 

Watch the full interview below: