Comedian, satirist and writer Munya Chawawa today announces the launch of Black Boys Theatre Club, a powerful new community-led initiative that aims to open up the world of theatre to a new generation of young Black boys.
Created by Chawawa and developed quietly over the past year, Black Boys Theatre Club (BBTC) was born from his own experience of discovering theatre, a space full of creative freedom, but one where he felt unwelcome and rarely saw himself represented.
At its core, BBTC is about dismantling the barriers – cultural, financial and emotional – that have historically made theatre feel off-limits to young Black boys. It’s an invitation into a space that has so often overlooked this cohort, and a chance to reshape what the future of British theatre looks like – both on and off stage.
You can watch the Black Boys Theatre Club launch video, written and produced by Chawawa under his creative studio Munz Made It, HERE. The powerful film was shot at Wyndham’s Theatre and stars Chawawa alongside Jordan Stephens, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mohamed Elsandel, Ariyon Bakare and Araloyin Oshunremi.
Black Boys Theatre Club work with several schools across London, with support from key cultural organisations including Nando’s, National Theatre, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Bush Theatre, to combine play-going experiences with Chawawa with real behind the scenes access to the industry, offering not just a seat in the audience, but a look behind the curtain for 15 & 16 year olds.
Each BBTC trip finishes with a debrief at Nando’s, where Chawawa and the boys discuss the play and its themes over food. The ambition is to create a generation of young Black men who feel empowered to enjoy theatre, encouraged to take part themselves, and inspired to contribute to the arts through their own lives and careers.
Speaking about the initiative, Chawawa shares: “Black men consistently dazzle us on stage and on screen, but for young black boys – the bridge between that initial creative spark and its supernova potential isn’t always easy or encouraged. Black Boys Theatre Club will act as the starting point for that journey – a judgement-free, laughter-filled introduction to the world of theatre and creative arts, because trust me, it is a wonderful world. As a recent convert myself, this video is my own personal ode to theatre, the twinkle in my eye brought to life by other amazing young, black actors whom I admire. So much of my work focuses on tackling the baddies and bad news plaguing society, but Black Boys Theatre Club gives me light, hope and many, many belly laughs.”
A long-term philanthropic commitment to culture, access and youth empowerment, Chawawa is determined to use Black Boys Theatre Club to inspire a new generation of young creative talent and, to date, over 120 boys across London have participated in the project, many experiencing theatre for the very first time.
Munya Chawawa is a comedic trailblazer, blending razor sharp satire with absurdity to expertly dissect political chaos and critique cultural moments. His viral sketches and thought-provoking comedy have amassed millions of followers and over one billion views to date.
His success has seen him transcend into acting (‘The Sandman’, ‘Rye Lane’) and presenting (MOBO Awards, BRIT Awards for ITV2) while, with unrelenting creativity, he’s also made his mark on traditional mediums with BBC Radio 4’s ‘Election Doom Scroll’ and Channel 4’s BAFTA nominated ‘How To Survive A Dictator’ and the follow up ‘How To Survive A Dictator: North Korea’.
Next year, Chawawa will star in Delia-René Donaldson’s comedy ‘Schooled’ on Channel 4.
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
