The Black Theater Alliance has announced the nominees for its 2019 awards. The nominees are as follows:

The Negro Ensemble Company Award
Best Play (Drama or Comedy)
Black and Blue – MPAACT
Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company
The Mountaintop – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company

The African Grove Theater Company Award
Best Play (Musical or Revue)
Crowns – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater
Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation

The Joseph Holmes Award
Best Music/Dance Program
An Inspired Past A Jubilant Future – Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Feeling Good A MADD Tribute To Nina Simone – MADD Rhythms
New Dimensions – Muntu Dance Theatre Of Chicago
Smells Like Freedom – Praize Productions
Testimony: An Inspirational Musical – Mahdi Theatre Company

The Lorraine Hansberry Award
Best Writing of a Play
Shepsu Aakhu – Black and Blue – MPAACT
Christina Anderson – How To Catch Creation – Goodman Theatre
Jire’h Breon Holder – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company
Ike Holter – Lottery Day – Goodman Theatre
Leonard House – One 4 The Road – MPAACT
Sam Kebede – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company
Tina Landau and Tarell Alvin McCraney – Ms. Blakk For President – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Lisa B. Thompson – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company

The August Wilson Award
Best Writing of a Musical
Phyllis Curtwright and Kamesha Khan – Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation
Kyla Frye – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater
Margaret Mahdi – Testimony: An Inspirational Musical – Mahdi Theatre Company
Jackie Taylor – Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater

The Target Community Relations Award
Best Ensemble
Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater
Nina Simone: Four Women – Northlight Theatre
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre
Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation

The Lloyd Richards Award
Best Direction of a Play
Lili-Anne Brown – Lottery Day – Goodman Theatre
Chika Ike – In The Blood – Red Tape Theatre
Sophiyaa Nayar – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company
Ron OJ Parson – Radio Golf – Court Theatre
Niegel Smith – How To Catch Creation – Goodman Theatre

The Oscar Brown, Jr. Award
Best Direction of a Musical
Daryl Brooks – Women Of Soul With A Tribute To Aretha Franklin – Black Ensemble Theater
Lili-Anne Brown – Caroline, Or Change – Firebrand Theatre with TimeLine Theatre Company
Kemati Porter and Jonathan Wilson – Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation
Margaret Mahdi – Testimony: An Inspirational Musical – Mahdi Theatre Company
Jackie Taylor – Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater

The Douglas Alan Mann Award
Best Direction of an Ensemble
Wardell Julius Clark – The Shipment – Red Tape Theatre
Ilesa Duncan – Eclipsed – Pegasus Theatre Chicago
Taron Patton – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Tim Rhoze – The Mountaintop – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Seret Scott – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre

The Sidney Poitier Award
Best Leading Actor in a Play
Jalen Gilbert – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company
Allen Gilmore – Radio Golf – Court Theatre
David Goodloe – Defiance – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
Maurice Jones – Hamlet – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Tarell Alvin McCraney – Ms. Blakk For President – Steppenwolf Theatre
Michael Aaron Pogue – The Recommendation – Windy City Playhouse
Kelvin Roston, Jr. – Ma’ Rainey’s Black Bottom – Writers Theatre

The Ossie Davis, Jr. Award
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Debo Balogun – Red Rex – Steep Theatre Company
David Lawrence Hamilton – Hela – Sideshow Theatre Company
Brian Keys – The Recommendation – Windy City Playhouse
Cage Sebastian Pierre – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company
Joseph Primes – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company
Keith Randolph Smith – How To Catch Creation – Goodman Theatre
Andre Teamer – Sweat – Goodman Theatre

The Ruby Dee Award
Best Leading Actress in a Play
Tyla Abercrumbie – PipeLine – Victory Gardens Theater
Karen Aldridge – How To Catch Creation – Goodman Theatre
Ayanna Bria Bakari – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company
J. Nicole Brooks – Lottery Day – Goodman Theatre
Sydney Charles – Nina Simone: Four Women – Northlight Theatre
Jyreika Guest – In The Blood – Red Tape Theatre
Jazzma Pryor – Sunset Baby – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre

The Hattie McDaniel Award
Best Featured Actress in a Play
Jasmine Bracey – How To Catch Creation – Goodman Theatre
Brianna Buckley – Crumbs From The Table Of Joy – Raven Theatre Company
Felicia Fields – Ma’ Rainey’s Black Bottom – Writers Theatre
Tiffany Renee Johnson – Flyin’ West – American Blues Theatre
Joslyn Jones – Flyin’ West – American Blues Theatre
Jennifer Latimore – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company
Gabrielle Lott-Rogers – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company

The Ben Vereen Award
Best Performance By An Actor in a Musical
Jarrin Comer – Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation
Robert Cornelius – The Total Bent – Haven Theatre Company and About Face Theatre
Gilbert Domally – The Total Bent – Haven Theatre Company and About Face Theatre
Donterrio Johnson – Pippin – Mercury Theater Company
Tristian Arnez Whitaker – Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation

The Diahann Carroll Award
Best Performance By An Actress in a Musical
E. Faye Butler – Gypsy – Porchlight Music Theatre
Rashada Dawan – Caroline, Or Change – Firebrand Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company
Robin DaSilva – Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater
Nicole Michelle Haskins – Caroline, Or Change – Firebrand Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company
Rhonda Preston – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater

The Harry Belafonte Award
Best Actor in an Ensemble
Patrick Agada – Dutch Masters – Jackalope Theatre Company
Eric Gerard – The Shipment – Red Tape Theatre
Jayson Lee – Hooded or Being Black For Dummies – First Floor Theatre
Juwan Lockett – Black and Blue – MPAACT
Jelani Pitcher – The Mountaintop – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Namir Smallwood – True West – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Justin Walker – Black and Blue – MPAACT

The Ethel Waters Award
Best Actress in an Ensemble
Tiffany Addison – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Adia Alli – No Child… – Definition Theatre Company
Melissa DuPrey – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre
Shadana Patterson – The Mountaintop – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Ginneh Thomas – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Anji White – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre

The Denzel Washington Award
Most Promising Actor
Jarrin Comer – (Stand Up!) – eta Creative Arts Foundation
Matthew James Elam – (PipeLine) – Victory Gardens Theater
Omari Ferrell – (One 4 The Road) – MPAACT
Jayson Lee – (Hooded Or Being Black For Dummies) – First Floor Theater
Freedom Martin – (Ethiopianamerica) – Definition Theatre Company
Tristian Arnez Whitaker – (Stand Up!) – eta Creative Arts Foundation

The Phylicia Rashad Award
Most Promising Actress
Jayla Williams-Craig – (Women Of Soul With A Tribute To Aretha Franklin) – Black Ensemble Theater
Daryn Whitney Harrell – (Gypsy) – Porchlight Music Theatre
Bre’ Jacobs – (Caroline, Or Change) – Firebrand Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company
Adhana Reid – (Eclipsed) – Pegasus Theatre Chicago
Sola Thompson – (Eclipsed) – Pegasus Theatre Chicago

The Duke Ellington Award
Best Musical Direction
Jermaine Hill – The Total Bent – Haven Theatre and About Face Theatre
Ben Johnson – Feeling Good A MADD Tribute To Nina Simone – MADD Rhythms
Robert Reddrick – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater
Daniel Riley – Nina Simone: Four Women – Northlight Theatre
Clifton Robinson – New Dimensions – Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago

The Katherine Dunham Award
Best Choreography in a Play
Breon Arzell – The Total Bent – Haven Theatre Company
Leah Casey – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre
Destiny Casson – Stand Up! – eta Creative Arts Foundation
Lemond Hayes – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater

The Joel Hall Award
Best Choreography in a Music/Dance Program
Gary Abbott – Parallel Lives from An Inspired Past A Jubilant Future – Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Iddrissu Alahassan – Agbekor from New Dimensions – Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago
Reesie Davis – The Fight Within – from Smells Like Freedom – Praize Productions

The Alvin Ailey Award
Best Choreography (Non-Resident)
Tristan Andrews – Pride and Joy The Marvin Gaye Musical – Marvin Gaye lll and New Day Entertainment
Donald Byrd – Rambunctions Iteration #3 – Columbia College Chicago and Spectrum Dance Theater
Rennie Harris – Lazarus – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

The Shirley Prendergast Award
Best Lighting Design
Natalia Janusz – Black and Blue – MPAACT
Denise Karczewski – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater
Ed Richardson – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Eric Watkins – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company

The Ruth E. Carter Award
Best Costume Design
Jos N. Banks – Single Black Female – Congo Square Theatre Company
Rueben Echoles – Style and Grace In Tribute To Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson – Black Ensemble Theater
Samantha C. Jones – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf – Court Theatre
Alexia Rutherford – Too Heavy For Your Pocket – TimeLine Theatre Company

The Mike Sargent Award
Best Sound Design
Desta Sound – Black and Blue – MPAACT
Marissa Geocaris – The Mountaintop – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
David Samba – Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater
Joshua Willcox – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company

The Ed Burbridge Award
Best Set Design
Eleanor Kahn – Ethiopianamerica – Definition Theatre Company
Bek Lambrecht – Mahalia Jackson Moving Thru The Light – Black Ensemble Theater
Jacqueline Penrod – Eclipsed – Pegasus Theatre Chicago
Therese Richie – No Child…- Definition Theatre Company

The Andre’ DeShields Award
Best Performance in a Play (Non-Resident)
Kourtney Lenton – Pride and Joy The Marvin Gaye Musical – Marvin Gaye lll and New Day Entertainment
Jarran Muse – Pride and Joy The Marvin Gaye Musical – Marvin Gaye lll and New Day Entertainment
Chae Stephen – Pride and Joy The Marvin Gaye Musical – Marvin Gaye lll and New Day Entertainment