Happy Black History Month! While there are hundreds of thousands of incredible Black theatre artists pouring their heart and soul into their work, Playbill is highlighting 28 people who are working both on stage and behind the scenes to change the paradigm of how theatre gets made and who gets to make it—all while continuing to turn out generation-defining work.
A note: while there are countless legends still working today, this list is focused on those who have reached a significantly higher level in their career in the last five years. From 15 to 69, excellence can be achieved at any age, but we are particularly impressed by the current work conducted by these 28 artists.
Cody Renard Richard (Stage Manager, Producer, Educator)
Richard is a multi-hyphenate powerhouse. With 16 Broadway credits to his name at just 37, he's already a legend behind the curtain. In 2020, he established the Cody Renard Richard Scholarship to encourage more Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, and other students of color to pursue careers in theatrical management and artistic fields. Managed in collaboration with the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, the scholarship is designed to provide a space for the next generation of BIPOC artists to cultivate their leadership skills.
Whitney White (Director, Actor, Musician)
White is one of the most exciting directors working today. An Obie, Drama League, and Lilly Award winner, she was nominated for a Tony in 2024 for her direction of Jaja's African Hair Braiding. Her original musical Definition was featured in the 2019 Sundance Theatre Lab, and she is currently developing a five-part musical exploration of Shakespeare's women and ambition, titled Reach for It, under commission with the American Repertory Theater in Boston. She is also directing The Last Five Years' long awaited Broadway bow coming this spring.
Raja Feather Kelly (Choreographer, Director)
Kelly is an acclaimed director and choreographer known for pushing the boundaries in bold ways. Kelly made his Broadway debut with the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop, and his continued collaborations with Michael R. Jackson Off-Broadway on White Girl in Danger and Teeth have drawn further acclaim. Kelly received a special citation from the Obie Awards earlier this month for his original play The Fires, and his work often explores themes of identity, queerness, and the complexities of personal and cultural histories.
Schele Williams (Director, Writer, Producer)
Previously a performer in Aida, Chess, and HAIR, Williams has transitioned into an impactful career as a director. After several years of working as an associate, she stepped into the spotlight with back-to-back Broadway projects in 2024: The Notebook and The Wiz. Outside of the theatre, Williams is an accomplished children's author, with a best-selling picture book called Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History and an affirming board book Your Legacy Begins: First Words to Empower. Williams is one of the co-founders of Black Theatre United.
L Morgan Lee (Actor)
Lee was the first openly trans actor to be nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in A Strange Loop in 2022. Her talent and advocacy for transgender representation on stage have earned her widespread recognition, and she has broken numerous barriers for transgender actors in the theatre, using her platform to push for more inclusive and diverse roles for the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2024, Lee was honored with a Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign, further establishing her as an inspiring figure.
J. Harrison Ghee (Actor)
Ghee is a Tony-nominated actor and performer celebrated for their versatile and powerful stage presence. Having starred on Broadway in Some Like It Hot and Kinky Boots, Ghee is known for their unique blend of charisma and humor, with significant dance talent to back up their punchlines. In 2023, Ghee won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for their performance in Some Like It Hot, becoming one of the first two openly nonbinary actors to be nominated for and to win a Tony Award in the same ceremony. Ghee was last seen in the Chicago tryout of the Broadway-bound Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, composed by Jason Robert Brown.
Alex Newell (Actor, Vocalist)
Like Ghee, Newell is a barrier-shattering performer. Their breakout role as Unique Adams in Glee propelled them into the spotlight, where their expansive voice and presence became inimitable. In 2017, Newell made their Broadway debut in the Tony-winning revival of Once on This Island. Then, in 2023, Newell won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their performance in Shucked, becoming one of the first two openly nonbinary actors to be nominated for and to win a Tony Award (alongside Ghee in the same ceremony). Outside of Broadway, Newell is an accomplished vocalist, with their Nile Rogers collaboration "Kill the Lights" reaching #1 on the US Dance Club charts.
Nikiya Mathis (Hair and Wig Designer)
Mathis is a renowned hair and wig designer, celebrated for her work on both Broadway and regional productions. Known for her attention to detail and ability to create transformative looks that define characters, Mathis receive a 2024 Special Tony Award for her work on Jaja's African Hair Braiding, making her the first wig designer to ever receive a Special Tony Award for their work on a specific production. Mathis has received 2 Henry Hewes Design Awards, a Drama Desk Award, the Kathleen Perkins Behind the Curtain Award from Black Women on Broadway, and is one of only two African American wig designers to win Obie Awards.
Cynthia Erivo (Actor, Vocalist)
Erivo had a banner 2024 as the star of the mega-successful Wicked film adaptation. While Elphaba took her to new heights, Erivo was already a force in the industry before that, winning a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award for playing Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. She also has additional Emmy nomination for her performance as Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha. Her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the film Harriet brought in her first Oscar nomination, and Erivo is again up for the top honor for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked. Tune in March 2 to find out if she'll take home the win, making her officially an EGOT!
Joshua Henry (Actor)
Henry is a beloved fixture on the Broadway scene, known for his empathetic approach on and off the stage. Henry received his first Tony nomination for his performance in Kander and Ebb's The Scottsboro Boys, and has racked up two additional nominations for Violet and Carousel. His powerful portrayals of complex characters has shot him to the top of the list of dream collaborators for many artists across the industry (including Lin-Manuel Miranda) and his layered baritone is one of the most recognizable on Broadway today. His performance in the New York City Center production of Ragtime drew passionate acclaim, and many are crossing their fingers that we haven't seen the last of his Coalhouse Walker Jr.
Colman Domingo (Actor, Director, Playwright, Producer)
Domingo is an undeniable force in the stage and screen world. These days, Domingo is lending his support to the theatre by producing plays (Fat Ham on Broadway and the upcoming Retrograde in the West End). He's known for his Oscar-nominated performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, as well as his Tony-nominated performance in The Scottsboro Boys, Domingo is a style icon known for his strong sense of color and shape, which bring excitement to traditionally stoic menswear. In 2025, he is co-chairing the Met Gala, where he was personally invited by Anna Wintour to lead the fundraiser alongside Lewis Hamilton, ASAP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and honorary co-chair LeBron James. This year's theme will be "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," honoring the art of Black dandyism and Black male tailoring throughout fashion history. Like Erivo, make sure to tune in to the Oscars March 2 to see if he'll take home the top prize for Sing Sing!
Paul Tazewell (Costume Designer)
Tazewell is an award-winning costume designer whose work on and off stage has received critical and industry acclaim. Known for his fearless embrace of color and his carefully patterned tailoring, he has worked on some of the most iconic Broadway productions of the 21st century, including Hamilton, In the Heights, and The Color Purple. He has received 9 Tony nominations (winning for Hamilton) and an Academy Award nomination for his designs for the film adaptation of Wicked—which are some of the most talked about non-period film costumes in the last 25 years. He is currently the favorite to win the Oscar March 2, but only time will tell!
Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche (Makeup Designer, Nail Consultant)
Cambridge-Del Pesche is one of several cosmetology experts pushing the industry forward in regards to spotlighting Black beauty. With 16 Broadway credits under his belt—including POTUS, Ain't No Mo, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Merrily We Roll Along, The Notebook, Lempicka, The Wiz, and more—he is responsible for some of the most impactful character designs on Broadway, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. Currently, he is working with Disney Theatricals to develop the makeup for Hercules in London, with several other projects in the pipeline.
Qween Jean (Costume Designer, Activist)
Qween Jean is the founder of Black Trans Liberation, a community organization that empowers and celebrates trans and gender nonconforming people. Known for her inventive approach to silhouettes and advocacy within the LGBTQIA+ community, Qween Jean has become a vital part of the intersection between art and activism, with her costume designs becoming the calling card of some of Off-Broadway's most impactful works. Her recent Off-Broadway designs have included Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, One in Two, Siblings Play, Amen Corner, Rags Parkland, Good Grief, Othello, Wig Out!, Playboy of the West Indies, A Doll’s House, and the highly acclaimed What to Send Up, When it Goes Down by Aleshea Harris. With rumblings of the highly acclaimed Cats: The Jellicle Ball returning, we're excited to see Qween Jean's creations again on the runway.
Brian Anthony Moreland (Producer)
Moreland is a Tony-winning Broadway producer known for his commitment to bringing diverse and innovative works to the stage. With producing credits on The Wiz, The Piano Lesson, Macbeth, Funny Girl, and more, he is dedicated to championing new voices and revivals that explore social and cultural issues. Currently, he's lead producing the Broadway revival of Othello, while devoting his spare time to TCG, the Theatre Development Fund, serving as a trustee for BC/EFA and American Academy Dramatic Arts, and serving on the board of governors for The Broadway League.
Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles (Choreographers)
Lyons and Wiles may be a duo on this list, but make no mistake; they are exemplary artists all on their own. Both are key figures in the LGBTQIA+ ballroom scene who have used their talents to elevate queer, Black, and Latinx voices in the arts by representing ballroom culture on the theatrical stage. Known for their collaboration on the smash hit revival of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Lyons and Wiles have been instrumental in bridging performance art with activism, using their work to advocate for social change and greater representation in the mainstream. The pair shared the 2024 Obie Award for Outstanding Direction with Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, and many are crossing fingers than a fresh Jellicle choice will return in the future.
Joel Crump (Journalist, Actor)
At just 16 years old, teenage reporter Crump has established himself as a beloved figure on Broadway red carpets with his eager smile and infectious energy. A sophomore in high school, Crump founded his show Broadway Time during the COVID-19 Lockdown in order to conduct interviews with esteemed Broadway actors, creatives, and professionals. He has also been a treasured face in the 2022 and 2023 Tony Awards media room, and at the Jimmy Award. A performer as well as an endearing interviewer, Crump hopes to be on Broadway someday while maintaining Broadway Time.
Camille A. Brown (Choreographer, Director, Dance Educator)
Brown is a four time Tony-nominated choreographer and director known for her innovative fusion of African American dance traditions with various contemporary performance styles. Her groundbreaking choreography for Choir Boy, Once on This Island, Hell's Kitchen, and the current Gypsy revival has been highly acclaimed. In 2022, she made her debut as a director-choreographer with for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, which netted seven Tony nominations and significant praise. In 2018, Brown created a community engagement platform, Every Body Move (EBM) to cultivate creativity through workshops, summer intensives, artistic encounters, educational experiences, public actions, and celebrations for people of diverse abilities, identities, and ages.
Joy Woods (Actor)
Woods is one of the brightest rising stars in New York today. From her history-making turn as the first Black woman to play the role of Audrey full-time in Little Shop of Horrors to her viral performance as Middle Allie in The Notebook, her unflinchingly clear mezzo soprano seems destined to become one of the dominant voices of the decade. She is currently on Broadway, as a revelatory Louise opposite Audra McDonald's Rose in George C. Wolfe's revival of Gypsy.
Bryan Carter (Musician, Orchestrator, Composer)
A Juilliard graduate, Carter is a musical marvel known for his work in jazz and improvisational music. He is the first Black orchestrator to win the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Orchestrations, and he and his Some Like It Hot co-orchestrator Charlie Rosen were the first orchestrators to win the Outer Critics Circle Award, The Drama Desk Award, and The Tony Award in a single season. They also received a Grammy for their work. In 2019, Carter established Jazz at Pride, a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and creating safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community within the jazz community.
Marc J. Franklin (Photographer)
One of Broadway's most favored photographers, Franklin specializes in production photos, editorial portraiture, narrative visual storytelling, and culture photography. He previously served as the principal photographer and photo editor for Playbill before working for NBC News and MSNBC Digital. Currently, Franklin's work can be seen outside of The Majestic Theatre and The Shubert Theatre, and he has served as the Broadway production photographer for Hell's Kitchen, Uncle Vanya, Purlie Victorious, Some Like It Hot, Topdog/Underdog, A Strange Loop, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enuf, Lakawanna Blues, and has made photo contributions to Gypsy, Oh, Mary!, and many more.
Kenny Leon (Director, Producer, Actor)
Leon is a Tony-winning director and legend known for being one of the busiest men on Broadway. Celebrated for his ability to bring deep cultural insight and emotional resonance to classic texts, he has directed six plays on Broadway since the COVID-19 shutdown, leading Topdog/Underdog, Ohio State Murders, Purlie Victorious, Home, and Our Town to the stage while also juggling commitments Off-Broadway and on screen, where he both directed and performed in Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, a biographical film of gospel legend of Mahalia Jackson. Leon is one of the co-founders of Black Theatre United. Currently Leon is bringing a revival of William Shakespeare's Othello to the stage, starring his longtime leading man Denzel Washington.
Dede Ayite (Costume Designer)
Ayite is one of the most exciting costume designers on the scene. She earned wide recognition for her work on the Broadway production of Slave Play, where her costume designs were lauded for their ability to both reflect and challenge the complex social dynamics within the play, a trait which has continued through her work on both contemporary and period set work. Ayite's design philosophy blends historical research with contemporary aesthetics, creating costumes that are not only visually striking but also deeply embedded in the emotional and narrative arcs of the characters. In 2024, she won the Tony for Best Costume Design in a Play on behalf of her work on Jaja's African Hair Braiding, but she was actually nominated three times that night: against herself in the same category for Appropriate, and in Best Costume Design of a Musical for Hell's Kitchen. She may repeat the same feat again this season, with a remarkable six productions on her slate for 2024–25: Home, Our Town, Purpose, Buena Vista Social Club, Othello, and The Last Five Years.
LaChanze (Actor, Producer)
LaChanze has managed one of the most impressive career pivots in recent theatrical history. A Tony-winning actor, her performance as Celie in the original Broadway production of The Color Purple immortalized her forever in musical theatre history, with her additional performances in Once on This Island, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, and Dessa Rose gilding the lily of her performance career. While she hasn't stopped performing entirely, she made a significant pivot to producing in 2022, receiving 3 more Tony Awards for her work co-producing Kimberly Akimbo, Topdog/Underdog, and The Outsiders. LaChanze is one of the co-founders of Black Theatre United. In short, if it's LaChanze producing a show, you'll want to buy a ticket.
Jocelyn Bioh (Actor, Playwright)
Bioh is an equally gifted playwright and performer who is quickly becoming one of the leading voices in the contemporary American theatre. Known for her breakout comedy School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, her work highlights themes of intersectionality, cultural identity, and the complexities of gender and race. Her Broadway debut as a playwright came in 2023, when her play Jaja's African Hair Braiding was widely acclaimed. The piece received Best Play nominations at both the Drama Desk Awards and the Tony Awards, and currently enjoying a robust, extended tour across the United States. This spring, Bioh's musical Goddess will play at the Public Theater. The advance word-of-mouth is positive so keep your eye on anything that Bioh writes.
Maleah Joi Moon (Actor, Vocalist)
Moon is the reigning winner of the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen, and a rising star. Just 22, she made her Broadway debut with the jukebox musical, bringing in a Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Award in addition to her Tony. She remains with the production, but all eyes are on what her next move may be: sticking with Broadway, or perhaps a record contract of her own?
Amber Iman (Actor, Activist, Creator)
After briefly touring with Lauryn Hill, Iman burst onto the Broadway scene in 2013 as the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone, in Soul Doctor. A co-founder of the Tony winning organization Broadway Advocacy Coalition, as well as Black Women on Broadway (with Bioh and Danielle Brooks), her efforts to demand a more equitable theatre industry are widespread. In 2024, she received her first performance Tony nomination for her portrayal of Rafaela in Lempicka. Later this spring, she will lead Bioh, Michael Thurber, and Saheem Ali's new musical Goddess at the Public Theater.
