Black British Theatre & Performance Programme

Explore Programme

BADA’s four-week Black British Theatre & Performance Programme (BBTAP) provides an overview of contemporary Black British theatre and performance.

Play texts by major Black British writers such as Roy Williams, Winsome Pinnock and debbie tucker green, will be explored from theatrical, social and cultural contexts framed by theories of identity, representation, nationalism, race, gender, sexuality and class.

British American Drama Academy
Movement Class

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Programme Overview

This programmee provides an overview of Black British theatre by exploring the social, cultural, intellectual and political developments that have come to define the theory, practice and aesthetics of its practitioners. The programme interrogates how Black people were represented on stage by White writers before plays by Black theatre practitioners began to gain greater visibility on the British stage, and work such as C.L.R James’ The Black Jacobins will introduce the participant to the anti-colonial aspect of Black British writing. The programme will then trace the concerns of early black writers of the seventies like Mustapha Matura and Michael Abbensetts up to the writers of the present day.

The programme explores key texts that exemplify representations of the Black British experience against notions of Britishness, as well as the confluence of influences from Africa, the Caribbean and the United States to illustrate the diasporic, hybrid nature of Black British theatre and how these influences shape identity and representation through the lens of multiculturalism. The programme maps the dominance of writers of Caribbean descent post-Windrush to the growing visibility of writers of African descent, and exposes participants to seminal writings on British culture and history with which to contextualise the plays being studied.

Practical studio sessions led by actors, directors, writers, dramaturge and disciplinary specialists in movement and actor training will explore the material analysed in seminar sessions. As well as theatre visits to see relevant plays, participants will visit sites of interest including the Black Cultural Archives, the George Padmore Institute, the British Library, the V&A Archive, the National Theatre Black Plays Archive, and Talawa Theatre Company.

BADA’s home at 14 Gloucester Gate

This historic Crown Estate building, designed by John Nash in 1837 is located in one of London’s most beautiful and historic residential areas, adjacent to the beautiful Regent’s Park and close to vibrant Camden Town.

14 Gloucester Gate, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4HG, United Kingdom

Get directions

Curriculum Details

This programme presents an exciting opportunity for participants to learn about and experience Black British theatre and performance. We will analyse key playtexts that dramatise the Black-British experience as well as identify their dramaturgical and aesthetic underpinnings. There will be visits to places of interest and to performances that will support our understanding of the environment in which these plays are developed. We shall invite key professionals to shed light on their practice and to offer insight into the practicalities of working in the British theatre industry.

The work of the programme is evenly divided between seminars and studio work. It appeals to a wide range of applicants from undergraduate and graduate level, and to professionals at any stage in their career.

The analytical modules will be taught by academics, directors and writers expert in the field of Black Theatre. Practical classes are delivered by acting and movement practitioners, directors, writers and dramaturgs. Analytic and practical work is complementary and integrated.

Though not specifically an actor training programme, BBTaP will build on any actor or theatre-maker’s craft and analytical skills.

Classes include:

Developments and Contexts of Black British Theatre led by Anton Phillips: will examine the development of theatre in Britain as performed by people of the African Diaspora. The course will survey the different contributions of practitioners from Africa, the Caribbean and America. It will chart Black British theatre’s rise through the contributions of its practitioners, theatre companies in the face of political and social changes.
Female Narratives led by Natasha Bonnelame: starts by contextualising and situating the development of black women playwrights and black theatre companies with a gender specific remit. It locates the arrival of radical young black female artists in the 1980s, and examines their determination to challenge their absence from the mainstream. This period is the foundation for the rest of the course which interrogates the works of contemporary female Black playwrights and black female theatre companies looking at their concerns, influences and performance styles as distinct from their male and white female counterparts.
The Dual Heritage Experience: looks at the work of writers like Mojisola Adebayo and Lynette Linton to understand how the experience of Britons of dual heritage is explored in their work.
African-British Narratives led by Oladipo Agboluaje: explores the growing presence of black playwrights of African descent like Inua Ellams and Bola Agbaje. It shall look at how these writers and Black African-led theatre companies like Tiata Fahodzi and Utopia theatre are influencing the definition of what it means to be Black British.
Diasporic Performance in a British Context led by Patrice Naiambana: uses Shakespeare’s Othello as a catalyst text to create an African Diasporic performance. Within this performance paradigm, students will study voice/text analysis, story-making, working as an ensemble, body, voice and rhythm awareness.

There will be twice-weekly theatre trips to watch performances at venues such as the National Theatre, Bush Theatre, Arcola Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. There will also be visits to places of relevance to broaden the contexts of the programme, such as the Black Cultural Archives, Talawa Theatre Company, the V&A Museum, and a theatre-focused tour of London by Black History Walks.

BADA is not an accredited US institution; we are unable to provide academic credit for the programme.

With its intensive workload, 88 contact hours and 40 further unsupervised work hours, this programme has a suggested credit equivalency of two 3 credit courses, in line with other programmes BADA runs. You will finish the programme with a portfolio of work, and the programme director can provide a written assessment for your home institution.

Classroom and programme work breakdown by hours

88 Hours of contact time

Classroom time – 60 hours
Masterclasses – 16 hours
Visits & Tours – 12 hours

40 hours of unsupervised work

Theatre Trips – 24 hours
Report on each theatre show we see – 8 x 2 = 16 hours

In addition to in-class acting and academic work and out of class preparation, participants will submit and present additional work drawing from the theatre visits, site visits, Masterclasses and in-class conversations.

Theatre Reports (8 total)
Research Project

Guest Artists who have recently joined our Black British Theatre & Performance Programme include:

Ola Animashawun
Brian Cox
Chinonyerem Odimba
Kwame Kwei-Armah
Winsome Pinnock
Roy Williams

Behind the scenes

The Black British Theatre & Performance Programme Faculty is comprised of distinguished teaching artists from a variety of theatrical backgrounds.

Programme Logistics

Key Dates 2026

Saturday 30 May	Participants arrive in London
Monday 1 June	Programme starts
Friday 26 June	Programme ends
Saturday 27 June	Participants depart

BADA’s Black British Theatre & Performance Programme takes place in an historic Crown Estate building in one of London’s most prestigious residential areas which is home to a number of national embassies and ambassadorial residences.

Inside BADA you will find a full range of facilities including 6 teaching spaces, each named after a different playwright, a Library, a collection of recorded performances, and a private Green Room for participants to relax or study in-between classes.

There are also designated computer and printing facilities for participants and wireless internet connection available throughout the building.

Crown Estate building

London

BADA is located beside the beautiful Regent’s Park, perfect for walks between classes and springtime picnics. BADA’s location offers easy access to the theatres in London’s West End and it’s only a short walk from Camden Town, famous for its bustling markets, coffee bars, health food stores, art house cinemas and distinctive shops.

BADA also lies close to Primrose Hill (home to many actors, directors, writers and other celebrities) and the perfect place to get a panoramic view across London.

The 2026 Black British Theatre and Performance Program fees are: $7,650 *

Program fees include tuition, all excursions (theatre trips, site visits, museum admission and tours, etc.), required books/scripts and accommodation while on the programme.

All fees are payable in US dollars. Please contact Finance Director Helen Ainsworth at hainsworth@www.bada.org.uk should you wish to settle the fees in UK Sterling so that an appropriate rate can be agreed.

* London Accommodation

Should you wish to arrange your own accommodation for the duration of the programme then the reduction in the programme fee will be $1,650. Participants must confirm on acceptance whether they wish to make their own accommodation arrangements or use that arranged by BADA. Due to the high demands for accommodation in London during the summer months, we cannot guarantee that rooms can be made available should a later decision be made to take up the offer of accommodation booked through the programme.

Please note, in addition to the fees payable to BADA, participants are responsible for:

Roundtrip Airfare to the UK
Insurance
Meals
Spending money

Spending habits obviously vary widely between participants, but London is an expensive city. We recommend a minimum of £150 ($190) a week for food, laundry and transport if you mostly prepare your own food and use only public transport. Regular coffees, takeaways, meals out or use of cabs can quickly push the cost of subsistence and transport up beyond £200 ($250) per week.

Black British Theatre and Performance Program Refund Policy

A deposit of $500 is required on acceptance, which is non-refundable. Fees are payable by the due dates as outlined in your acceptance letter. Any fees paid will be forfeited should you withdraw from the programme. Participation in the programme will not be permitted if programme fees have not been paid in full before the start date and any fees paid will be forfeited.

If the programme is canceled by BADA due to circumstances beyond our control, all fees, with the exception of the application fee, will be refunded. BADA accepts no responsibility for personally incurred expenses such as flights or pre-booked ground transportation.

Financial Assistance

Limited awards from the BADA scholarship fund are available to assist accepted applicants in defraying the costs of attending BADA’s summer programmes. These awards are based on need and merit.

Before applying to the program, please note the fees and consider how you will fund the experience should you be accepted. Only a very small number of applicants accepted to the summer 2026 programs will be chosen to receive scholarship funding from BADA. Awards could be a small as a few hundred dollars. Most accepted applicants will need to provide their own funding.

If you would like to discuss the possibilities of receiving scholarship funding prior to submitting an application, please feel free to contact our Summer Programmes Admissions Coordinator, Jennifer Rockwood: jrockwood@bada.org.uk.

Note: Fees for BADA’s summer programmes are not eligible for payment under the federal loan system nor do they qualify as higher education expenses under the 529 plan as they are not credit bearing. Unfortunately, BADA is not in a position to assist in the retention of any additional outside grant or loan assistance.

What are the programme dates for 2026?

The 2026 Black British Theatre and Performance Programme will run 30 May – 27 June.

What are the programme fees for 2026?

The 2026 Black British Theatre and Performance Program fees are: $7,650 *

Program fees include tuition, all excursions (theatre trips, site visits, museum admission and tours, etc.), required books/scripts and accommodation while on the programme.

What’s not included in the programme fees?

Please note, in addition to the fees payable to BADA, participants are responsible for:

Round trip Airfare to the UK
Insurance
Meals
Spending money

Spending habits obviously vary widely between participants, but we recommend a minimum of £150 ($190) a week for food, laundry and transport if you mostly prepare your own food and use only public transport. Regular coffees, takeaways, meals out or use of cabs can quickly push the cost of subsistence and transport up beyond £200 ($250) per week.

Do you offer financial assistance? How do I apply for a scholarship?

BADA only has a small scholarship fund from which awards will be made to applicants who indicated that they would like to be considered for funding. These awards are based on need and merit. Need is demonstrated by checking the box, asking to be considered. Merit is demonstrated in the audition. Unfortunately, BADA is not in the position to support all accepted applicants who request funding. In addition, most awards are in the range of a few hundred dollars.

Although BADA by no means wants to discourage applicants from applying to the program, we do feel it is important for applicants to understand that most participants will be asked to pay the full fees. Before applying to the program, please note the fees and consider how you will fund the experience should you be accepted.

If you have questions on financial assistance, please contact Jennifer Rockwood prior to submitting an application. Jennifer can be reached at jrockwood@www.bada.org.uk.

Can I pay the programme fees with federal loans or with a 529 Savings Plan?

Fees for BADA’s summer programmes are not eligible for payment under the federal loan system nor do they qualify as higher education expenses under the 529 plan as they are not credit bearing.

Unfortunately, BADA is not in a position to assist in the retention of any additional outside grant or loan assistance.

What is the refund policy?

Refund Policy

Please note: the $55 application fee is also non-refundable.

When will I hear whether I have been accepted onto the programme?

You will receive an admissions decision by early March.

Please be patient; you will absolutely hear from us one way or another. Admissions decisions are distributed via the Acceptd messaging system.

Is transportation included in the fees?

No. Participants are responsible for their own airfare as well as ground transportation to and from the airports.

Admissions & Applications

The programme is open to anyone aged 18 and over: from undergraduate or graduate level, or professionals at any stage in their career. Applicants aged 18 must have at least one year’s experience away from home to be considered for this programme.

Applications for the Black British Theatre & Performance Programme are closed. Applications for Summer 2027 will open in autumn 2026.

Your application to the Black British Theatre & Performance Programme includes:

Application Form
Proposal (approximately 500 words): Tell us why you would like to attend this programme.
Academic/Professional Recommendation
Resume
Zoom interview with Programme Director

If you would like to be notified when applications open, please sign up for our Black British Theatre & Performance Programme mailing list.

Spend the whole summer in the UK with BADA by taking the Black British Theatre & Performance Programme followed by Midsummer in Oxford for a 10% discounted rate, a total cost of $14,625 as opposed to $16,250. Application deadline: Feb. 6.

From late May, you would study Black British Theatre & Performance Programme based in London; followed by our renowned four-week acting intensive Midsummer in Oxford (now in its 42nd year!) based at Magdalen College, Oxford University from early July to early August.

Please note: participants are responsible for their own food, accommodation, and transportation between the end of the Black British Theatre & Performance Programme and the start of the Midsummer in Oxford Programme.

Contact Jennifer Rockwood on jrockwood@www.bada.org.uk with questions.