There Were Tales of The Unexpected. Tales of Wholly Unacceptable Treatment. And Tales of Wonderful, Magical, And Knowing Determination, Perseverance And Achievement Regardless.
This Is One Example of How This Thespian Event Continues To Survive’ And Grow From Strength To Strength In The Face of Some Very Challenging Incidents And Does Good Work.
So Within The Next Half Decade May It Now Thrive’ And Be Officially Immortally Recognised As The Big, Bold, And Beautiful Bastion of Black Theatreland Artistry, Joy & Excellence That It Is. Just Like Vaudeville, Webber, Mackintosh, Garrick, Gielgud, Sondheim And So Many More Who Have Been Immortally Recognised Before. God Dang It!
Strictly Star @Layton Williams Took A Break From Rehearsals To Present An Award At The BBTAs Sunday October 29 2023. Stunning Outfit. Photo: Getty Images Stuart C. Wilson
This Star Presenter Knows How To Rock An Outfit & Make An Entrance!
Pure Joy Right Here. So Adorable! Layton Williams With Hiedi Williams Star of Matilda. (Wondering If They Do An Adult Version of That Pretty In Pink Princess Dress As We’d Love One! And The Pink Doc Martens She Wore With Them.)
Best Producer Award (Sponsored By Disney Theatrical Group) Jazz Lintott & Frank Scully; Going For Gold ~ UK Tour (Creative Group). And Indeed What A Magical Disney Story It Is! This Photo & Next Two: @IvanWeiss.London
Three Times A Lady!
@Lisa Lintott Wrote The Play ‘Going For Gold’ Because She Was Sick & Tired of Her Son Being Repeatedly Cast In Terrorist Roles, Something About Which She Saw Him Getting Increasingly Upset.
And So She Undertook A Masters Degree In Creative Writing To Prove Things Didn’t Have To Be That Way.
Her Subsequent Play, Written Especially For Her Son, Won The BBTA Best Play Award (Play Group). Its Third Award of The Night.
She Spectacularly Proved Her Point!
And Amen To That!
Respect!
Jazz.Lintott Punch Drunk With Happiness With His Award For Best Lead Male Actor In A Play, Going For Gold – UK Tour (Play Group). Jazz & Lisa Lintott Received A Standing Ovation After Jazz (Also Pictured Above Earlier With His Mum, Frank Scully, & Co,Stars) Explained The Moving Story In A Jaw-Dropping Speech Full of Incredulity As It Revealed The Power of A Mother’s Love. Theirs Is A Story In & Of Itself.
The Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick Award (For Outstanding Work Within The Industry Over The Last Year) Cedric Neal (Achievement Group). Photo: Ivan Weiss.London
Nadine Benjamin MBE Soprano Opera Singer @NadinBenjamin On Winning The BBTAs Best Opera Performer Award (Creative Group) Along With Jazz Lintott Who Spoke Beautifully About His Mother, And Ms Ove Who Spoke Beautifully About Her Father, Spoke Inspirationally of How She Was Rejected By Every Single Conservatoire But Refused To Let Their ‘Nos’ Stop Her Find Her Own ‘Yes’. They Insisted She Could Only Sing Jazz. But She Wanted To Sing Opera. And Refused To Be Dettered. And Now She’s An International Opera Star.
It Moved Us Because In Our May Tina Turner Special Earlier This Year When She Ascended To The Rock Arena In The Sky, We Posted A Similar Clip of Her Sharing A Similar Set of Experiences About Other People Insisting She Sing R & B Instead of Rock. Suffice To Say Her Perserverance And Achievements As A Rock Star Legend Means We Know When We Meet These People In Our Lives We Just Need To Tell Them Our Own Sweet Version of Naff Off!
(That All Said, Someone Might Want To Look At Fixing Up The Backdrop of That Particular Part of The Stage Which Looks At Lot Less Glamourous Than The Stars Appearing On It.)
There Is A Quote From Nelson Mandela Which Presenter @Brenda Emmanus Has Printed On The Back of Her Business Card Which Says “A Winner Is A Dreamer Who Never Gives Up.”
He Proved That To Be True By Living It As Have Tina Turner, Lisa Lintott, Nadine Benjamin, Jazz Lintott & So Many More Whose Stories & Performances Deserve To Be Documented & Immortalized In What We’re Calling For Now ‘The Double O’ Dang’ Theatre, Where They Are Afforded The Esteem They Deserve Just Like The Webbers & Mckintoshes And Garricks, Gielguds, Sondheims And Such of This World.
I Had A Real Hard Time Because I’m Black. In America Radio Programmers Don’t Programme You As A Black Person For Rock n’ Roll. You’re R n’ B. Because of Your Colour.
Rock Legend (Who Overcame) Miss Tina Turner Back In The Day (1980s)
I Was Told I Would Never Sing Opera & Should Go & Sing Jazz. I Was Turned Away From Every Conservatoire. Don’t Let Other People’s ‘NOs’ Stop You Having Your Own ‘YESs’
Opera Legend Nadine Benjamin, Modern Day 2023 (2000s)
A Camera Span of The Auditorium Broadcast Live On A Widescreen To The Audience Showed Little Hiedi Williams’ Face Light Up When The Cast of Tina: The Musical Appeared On Stage To Perform A Medley of Some Classic Hits From The Show.
And On Her Parent-Managed Instagram Page She Congratulated Elesha On Her Win, Having Been Nominated In The Same Category As The ‘Tina’ For Her Lead Role In Matilda. What A Classy Young Lady She Is. She Also Thanked Her Mum & Dad, Uncle & Godmother And @sylviayoungagency As Well.
The 2023 Awards Are Broken Down Into Five Main Groups:
The Creatives Group
The Recogniton Group (For A Body of Work):
The Achievement Awards
Plays:
Musicals:
In The Creatives Group
(There Are 6 Subcategories)
(*Notably This Is The Only Group With Both A Director & Producer Award)
Best Director Award
Best Producer Award
Best Musical Director Award
Best Choreographer or Movement Director Award
Best Opera Production or Performer Award
Best Dance Production or Performer Award
The Recognition Group (For A Body of Work):
(There Are 5 Subcategories):
Best Lighting Design
Best Sound Design
Best Theatre Design
Best Playwright
Best Book & Lyrics
In The Achievement Awards Group
(There Are 6 Subcategories):
Best Recent Graduate Award
Best Teacher Award
Disability Champion Award
LGBTQIA+ Champion Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick Award
In The Plays Group
(There Are 6 Subcategories):
(*Notably There Is No Director Award In This Group, Even Though There Is A Producer Award)
Best Supporting Female Actor In A Play Award
Best Supporting Male Actor In A Play Award
Best Lead Female Actor In A Play Award
Best Lead Male Actor In A Play Award
Best Non Binary Performer In A Play Award
Best Production Play Award
In The Musicals Group
(There Are 6 Subcategories):
(*Notably There Is No Director Award In This Group, Even Though There Is A Producer Award)
Best Supporting Female Actor In A Musical Award
Best Supporting Male Actor In A Musical Award
Best Female Lead Actor In A Musical Award
Best Male Lead Actor In A Musical Award
Best Non Binary Performer In A Musical Award
Best Musical Production Award
~ And The Winners Are ~
Kyrelle Lammy (Supported By His Parents) Delivered A Naturally Cute Comedy Line On Receiving His Second Award of The Night When He Innocently Pronounced “I Didn’t Know”. Photo: Ivan Weiss.London
Whilst Going For Gold Won The Most Awards of The Night (Three In Total) A Number of Others Had Double Wins Including Kyrelle Lammy (Pictured) & Toyin Ayedun-Alase Across The Achievement Awards, Musical Awards, And Play Awards. Kyrelle Won Disability Champion (Achievement Group) & Best Supporting Male Actor In A (Musical Group). And Toyin Won For Both Best Supporting Female Lead & Best Female Lead In Two Very Different Productions (In The Play Group). Nina: By Whatever Means Also Won Double. This Time In Just One Category (Creatives Group). Mtuthuzeli November For Best Choreography (In The Creatives Group). And Isabela Coracy Best Dance Performance (In The Creatives Category).
‘Going For Gold’ Co. Stars @Jazz.Lintott & Daniel Francis Swaby @Swabz Pictured With Actor & Producer @Rakie Ayola Who Presented Them With One of The Film’s Three BBTAs. Actor @Marissa Jospeh Also Stars. Jazz Dedicated The Award To Francis Lucas Himself & The Windrush Generation (Asked To Help Rebuild Post War Britian ~ @75Windrush.
(The Film Tells The Story of Racism Within Britain’s 1970s Olympic Boxing Team & Its Rejection of Boxer Francis Lucas Even Though He Was A Boxing Champion. And The Mental Health Impact That Had On Him).
This Production Highlights The Power & Importance of Writing, Storytelling & Protecting Mental Health @mindcharity.
In The Creatives Group
Best Director Award (Sponsored By Disney Theatrical Group) Mya Onwugbonu; Hear Me Now ~ Southwark Playhouse Theatre
Best Producer Award (Sponsored By Disney Theatrical Group) Jazz Lintott & Frank Scully; Going For Gold ~ UK Tour
Best Musical Director Award, Sean Green; Sylvia, At The Old Vic
Best Choreographer or Movement Director Award (Sponsored By Italia Conti (Performing Arts School) Mtuthuzeli November; Nina: By Whatever Means ~ UK Tour
Best Opera Production or Performer Award ~ Nadine Benjamin; Blue ~ English National Opera
Best Dance Production or Performer Award ~ Isabela Coracy; Nina: By Whatever Means ~ UK Tour
The Recognition (For A Body of Work) Group :
Best Lighting Design Award (Sponsored By Harrix Group) ~ Joshie Harriette
Best Sound Design Award ~ Xana
Best Theatre Design Award ~ (Sponsored By Black Apron) ~ Debbie Duru
Best Playwright Award ~ Adenike Ojo
Best Book & Lyrics Award ~ Gerel Falconer
There Were Some Deeply Moving Presentations & Speeches During The Night Including That By IndraOve @IndraOve67 In Honour of Her Father The Late Pioneering Filmmaker Horace Ove OBE Who Passed In September @horaceovearchives.
And Jazz Lintott In Honour of His Dedicated Mother Who Was With Him In Person And Received A Standing Ovation (Outlined Above). Nadine Benjamin Echoed Words of Tina Turner (As Outlined Directly Above Lefthand Column).
And The Performances of Danny Sapani & Cedric Neal Were Outstanding (As Aforementioned At The Beginning). Presenter Emmanuel Akwafo’s Entrance To The Stage Was Hysterical (Again Mentioned At The Beginning Top Right Hand Column). The Whole Evening Was Exceptional. Amen! Roll On Next Year!
Kim Tatum @MzzKimberley, A Firm Friend of BBTAs From The Very Beginning, Was In Attendance To Present An Award, Looking Very ‘Sex In The City’ In This Amazing Bespoke Gown. She Told TO.P (TheOrator.Press) That She Sourced It From A Local Vintage Shop And Customized A Couple of Great Discoveries To Make One Wonderful Style Statement. Very Impressive. You Go Girl! Photo: Ivan Weiss.London Vintage Shop: FaraCharity.Org
Presenter Kim Tatum @MzzKimberley Works The Red Carpet In Style At The BBTAs 2023
Video: (0.50 Secs) Created By @valentina_borgo In Association With Photographer IvanWeiss.London Selected & Edited By theoratordotpress7608 ~ ‘That’s How The Winners Roll’. Presenters @BrendaEmmanusOBE (Here Showing The Back of Her Lovely Glitzy Silvery Dress), Layton Williams, And Kim Tatum Are Rolling With The Winners, Including; Adenike Ojo With Her Recognition Award For Best Playwright (Recognition Group) Alongside Brenda & Her Said Silver Dress, Cedric Neal @iamcedricneal With His Outstanding Contribution To The Industry Award (Achievement Group), And Just Before Him @Myles Hart With His LGBT+ Champion Award (Achievement Group) Alongside Previous Winner of The Same Award Layton (In His Stunning Bespoke-Broke-Back-Mountain-Esq Dinner Jacket, Which He Worked Good n’ Hard).
Our Fav Dress Has To Be Best Recent Graduate Winner (Achievement Group) @LeahVassell (The Simplicty of A Sleek Little Black Dress With A Whole Lot of Glamour Created By A High Neck With A Square Cut Out Is A Style Triumph).Elesha Paul Moses, Best Female Lead Actor In A Musical, For Her Performance In Tina: The Tina Turner Story (Musical Group) Wore A Bronze/Golden Stunning Dress Which We’re Loving Matched Paired With Some @KurtGeiger Shoes. Also Loving The Entrance of Double (Play Group) Winner Toyin Ayedun-Alase @tee_luvs In Her Stunning Orange Dress And That of Her Fellow Actor, Award Presenter, Emmanuel Akwafo @ Eman.Akwafo
Here He Shook His Tush, And Previously He Had Made The Funniest of Entrances of The Night On Stage To Present An Award. He’s Wholeheartedly Loving Life Right Now!
Great To See Cush Jumbo Former New Cross Resident, And Still South East London Lady, Now A Hollywood Heavyweight After The Likes of Hit Legal Dramas ‘The Good Fight’ & ‘The Good Wife’ Holding Hands With Yvonne Jones Brewster OBE Who Was Holding Onto Her Lifetime Achievement Award (Achievement Group).
And There’s Also Frank Scully, @Jazz.Lintott, & Jazz’s Mum (@Lisa Lintottt), Whose Team Won Best Producer Award, Best Lead Male Actor Award, Best Play Award).
Yes! Within Just Two Different Groups, There Was A Triple Achievement. The Biggest of The Night. (The Creatives Group, Once.) (And The Play Group, Twice)!
Jazz’s Subsequent Speech Was One of The Best of The Night. So Much So He Received A Standing Ovation (He Made Two Actually But It Was Acknowledging His Mum That Especially Moved The Audience).
Along With Lisa Lintott, This Mother & Son Team Stole The Show.
And That Was No Easy Feat As The Night Was Packed With Talent. And That Room Had Tales To Tell of Alot of Struggle. That’s Why When It Comes, The Triumph of Black Success Is Truly Terrific And Means So Much To All of Us As The Win Is Often So Much Harder Fought For!
Award Presenter Kim Tatum Enters Next And More Stars Follow.
Great Video! Great Music! Great Night!
Elesha Paul Moses Sitting Pretty With Her Award For Best Female Lead Actor In A Musical –
Tina: The Tina Turner Story.
And It Looks Like The Fiesty Tina Turner Spirit Is Shining Through Right Here In This Photo With Elesha’s Cheeky Triumphat Rock Star Pose. Photo: Ivan Weiss.London
Yvonne Jones Brewster OBE With Lifetime Achievement Award (Achievement Group) Photo: Ivan Weiss.London
Isobela Coracy Wins BBTAs Best Dance Award For Her Ballet Performance In Nina: By Whatever Means ~ UK Tour (Creative Group) Photo: Ivan Weiss
Mtuthuzeli November Ballet Choreography & Isobela Coracy Ballet Dancing In Nina: By Whatever Means ~ UK Tour. The Music. The Dance. The Simplicity That Only Comes After A World of Technicality. It Moves Us Every Time. Stunning. What Absolute Poetry, Beauty, & Freedom!
Thank You
I Hope You Can Be And Are Proud of The Work We’ve Done Together.
This Is For You. The Whole Team From The Smallest Roles To The Biggest.
My Deepest Gratitude To You.
An Extract of Mtuthuzeli November’s Address To His Team The Day After Winning His Best Choreography & Movement Award At The BBTAs 2023. Click To See The Full Statement & His Original Nomination Announcement
The Wonderfully Named Mtuthuzeli November Posted His Best Choreographer & Movement Award On Insta With A Thank You Note (Above). Nice Move! (Creative Group Category)
Video (0.19Secs):
BBTAs 2023 Created By @valentina_borgo In Association With Photographer IvanWeiss.London. Selected & Edited By theoratordotpress7608
‘That’s How The Winners & Their Presenters Roll’!
Rising Child Star Hiedi Williams Also Posted What An “Amazing” Night It Had Been By Simply Saying “The Best!” on Her Instagram Page (Managed By Her Mum & Dad).
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