The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

bitetheatre Photography:Tony Wellington privilege of doing the show in the West End and the energy of the Caribbean audience. American film, TV and stage actor Ray Shell is re- nowned for his roles as Nomax in Five Guys Named Moe and Rusty in Starlight Express . When he came to the UK in 1978, he revealed that one of his produc- tions was Little Willie Jr's Resurrection , not realising what the term 'little willie' meant at the time. Amara Okereke was awarded Outstanding Performance in a Musical Award for My Fair Lady at the London Col- iseum, Westminster, but was not present, while the Best Production Musical Award went to Domitius . The elegantly flexible former classic ballet dancer Brenda Garratt-Glassman, the first Black student at The Royal Ballet School, demonstrated she could still strike a pose and bust some moves despite no longer doing ballet. The icon presented the Achievement Awards, including the Best Recent Graduate Award to Dianté Lodge, who performs at Laine Theatre Arts, Epsom and Best Teacher Award to Hakeem Onibudo for Impact Dance. Perhaps most famous for his powerful rendition of ‘Higher Ground’ and a semi-finalist on The Voice UK in 2019, American singer and actor Cedric Neal made his West End debut in Motown: The Musical playing Berry Gordy. Before awarding Mitchell Zhangazha the Best Understudy/Swing in a Theatre Production Award for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre, St Martins Lane, Neal sang Sly & The Family Stone's 'It's A Family Affair'. He explained afterwards that he felt the audience and participants were a fam- ily. Accompanying him, Layton Williams, who played the role of Stephen Carmichael in Bad Education , also performed on stage in West End productions B illy Elliott, Rent, Hairspray and Everyone’s Talking About Jamie. The actor looking sensational in a white waist- coat and trouser suit with an eye-catching mask fasci- nator, presented the LGBTQIA+ Champion Award to singer and actress Nicole Raquel Dennis, best known for her role as Alana Beck in Dear Evan Hansen. She was also a semi-finalist in The Voice UK 2019. BBTAs co-founders Solange Urdang and Omar F. Okai presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to the American stage and screen actor, dancer and cho- reographer Charles Augins. The creative began his career in the United States before coming to London to perform in and serve as Assistant Choreographer for Bubbling Brown Sugar in the West End. As a cho- reographer, he worked on Twelfth Night, The Fix and Chorus Girls, and collaborated with Sting, Paul Mc- Cartney, Ringo Starr and Mick Jagger. He and Jack Levin established the American School for the Performing Arts on Drury Lane and taught ballet and jazz. In 1990, Augins and Clark Peters cre- ated Five Guys Named Moe , for which Augins won the 1991 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. He returned to the US when the production hit Broadway and earned a Tony nomination. Augins’ outstanding career has impacted British theatre and inspired generations of Black artists, performers and cre- atives. The BBTAs aim to forge a sustainable platform to further progress in diversifying the UK theatre industry across all fields, to celebrate excellence, illuminate Black role models in UK theatre and support access and pathways into training and employment. Their FundRazr page allows the public to donate to support its initiative and ensure they reach these aims. To participate in this pioneering movement, visit the BBTAs website. www.blackbritishtheatreawards.com