CHICAGO — The Black Theatre Alliance Awards (BTAA) proudly announces the nominees for its 2026 Black Theatre Alliance Awards, celebrating another outstanding 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
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.

6:00–7:00 p.m. — Refreshments
7:00–9:00 p.m. — Awards Presentation

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.

Tickets are $40.00.

Purchase via Zelle: 773-290-4058
Cash App: $CVGATSON
Online: btaachicago.com (DONATE)

Come celebrate the artists, artistry, and continuing legacy of Black theatre in Chicago!

2026 BLACK THEATRE ALLIANCE AWARD NOMINATIONS

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