Pauline Black was the lead singer of the group Selecter, which had a number of hits in the 1980s. Black's other classical credits include Queen Isabella in Christopher Marlowe's Edward II at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton in May 1996 (directed by Lawrence Till and Kate Raper). She was named Best Actress at the Manchester Evening News awards for her performance in the Contact Theatre, Manchester's From the Mississippi Delta in 1993, an award she shared with Josette Bushell-Mingo and Joy Richardson.