Omar Okai
OMAR F. OKAI is the Co Director/Founder/ of the Black British Theatre Awards (#BBTAS), who's inaugural ceremony was October 2019. Most recently, Omar directed Pinocchio at Theatre Royal Stratford East and Kinky Boots: In Concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
In 2022, Omar directed the world-premiere of David Wood's musical adapation of Floella Benjamin's Coming To England at Birmingham Rep.
Previously, Omar was the Associate Director on Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical in the West End, and before that he worked as Associate Director on Bedknobs and Broomsticks: The Musical - UK Tour.
He has directed/choreographed internationally, France, Spain, Germany and Shanghai and of course Britain, over 90 productions, videos and documentary. Productions included are Five Guys Named Moe, Cabaret, Rent, Annie, Peter Pan, Elegies for Angel’s, Punks and Raging Queens, Smiling State, Honk!, Assassins' (Mountview Theatre School) Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Performance Preparation Academy), and Sweet Charity. He is also an International Musical Theatre Examiner for Urdang International. In Shanghai, Omar has directed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jnr, Honk, and Once On This Island. In his own right Omar is an accomplished West End performer, credits are King, Five Guys Named Moe (original cast), Sweet Charity, My One and Only, Honk!, Candide and Villains Opera.
He is also a an experienced performing arts teacher in dance and drama and has taught in vast array of performing arts schools. Omar is also in preparation for his own penned musical Celia going into workshop.
★★★★ "Fluently directed by Omar F. Okai".
The Stage; Pinocchio, Theatre Royal Stratford East
"...deftly aided by Omar F Okai’s smooth direction".
WhatsOnStage; Pinocchio, Theatre Royal Stratford East
"Very surely directed by Omar F. Okai for Brilliant Theatre."
Jenny Balow; The Last Five Years, Minack Theatre
★★★★★ "Omar F. Okai’s direction deserves some credit, too, as the performances strike a healthy balance between possessing a crowd-pleasing wow factor and not overdoing it or being too hammy."
London Theatre 1; Kinky Boots In Concert, Drury Lane
★★★★ "Director Omar F Okai gives the audience more than they might expect for a concert performance, with costume changes, props and even a few dance routines."
Broadway World; Kinky Boots In Concert, Drury Lane
★★★★ "While we were taking our seats, there were murmurs around the audience about how the show would fair without it’s fabulous sets, costumes, choreography and makeup. Director Omar F. Okai put these fears to rest as the cast moved around the stage, using two sets of stairs to create different locations and scenes. Similarly, Cyndi Lauper’s pop score and Harvey Fierstein’s book stood strong on their own while Lola’s Angels had simple choreography throughout, adding to the overall fabulous experience of this very special Kinky Boots."
Westend Wilma; Kinky Boots In Concert, Drury Lane
