Black Women on Broadway Unveils 2026 Honorees: Chase, White, Bowers & Lilly to Be Celebrated at Fifth Annual Awards

The Black Women on Broadway Awards has revealed the 2026 honorees for its fifth annual ceremony: producer Debra Martin Chase, director Whitney White, performer Alana Raquel Bowers, and casting director Destiny Lilly. The ceremony is scheduled for June 1, 2026, at Current, the waterfront event venue at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

“This milestone year is a powerful reminder of why we started the Black Women on Broadway Awards. This moment is designed to uplift and celebrate the achievements of Black women in theater and enjoy an afternoon where this incredible community can really see and feel the impact that we have made both in the industry and for each other.”

The co-founders of BWOB, Danielle Brooks, Amber Iman, and Jocelyn Bioh, shared this statement.

2026 Honorees and Their Awards

• Debra Martin Chase will receive the Audra McDonald Legacy Award, recognizing significant theatrical achievements across a storied career. Her recent credits include the 2025 Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning Purpose, as well as The Outsiders, Illinoise, Topdog/Underdog, and A Strange Loop.
• Whitney White will receive the Kathy A. Perkins Behind the Curtain Award for backstage artistry. White is the Obie Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated director of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, The Last Five Years, and Liberation.
• Alana Raquel Bowers will receive the Florence Mills Shining Star Award, recognizing early-career talent. Bowers made her Broadway debut in Chicken and Biscuits in 2021 and is also an actor, dancer, and producer.
• Destiny Lilly will receive the Special Citation Trailblazer Award for her casting work. A three-time Emmy nominee for Only Murders in the Building, Lilly’s Broadway credits include A Strange Loop, Purlie Victorious, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Clyde’s.

About Black Women on Broadway

Black Women on Broadway (BWOB) was founded in 2019 by Brooks, Iman, and Bioh. The organization maintains a comprehensive list of every Black woman involved in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions each season. For the 2025-26 season, the list includes nearly 600 women—the highest number since BWOB began tracking. The awards ceremony has grown significantly, from 75 attendees in 2022 to over 200 in 2025.

“We are proud to honor these four incredibly talented and hardworking women—Debra Martin Chase, Whitney White, Alana Raquel Bowers, and Destiny Lilly—for their outstanding accomplishments and lasting impact both on and off Broadway.”

The founders emphasized their goal to expand the BWOB Awards, with a long-term vision to include every Black woman involved in every show each season.