To celebrate Black History Month, the Bleviss Family Library shares reading suggestions of plays written by women of African descent. These scripts can all by perused and borrowed from the library.

A Raisin in the Sun / by Lorraine Hansberry.

“Never before, in the entire history of the American theater, has so much of the truth of black people’s lives been seen on the stage”, observed James Baldwin shortly before A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway in 1959. Indeed Lorraine Hansberry’s award-winning drama connected profoundly with the psyche of Black America–and changed American theater forever. The play’s title comes from a line in Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem”, which warns that a dream deferred might “dry up/like a raisin in the sun.” Set on Chicago’s South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. The Younger family’s heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.

https://thalia.ent-nts.ca/in/faces/details.xhtml?id=p%3A%3Ausmarcdef_0000028742

Harlem Duet / Djanet Sears.

A rhapsodic blues tragedy, Harlem Duet could be the prelude to Shakespeare’s Othello and recounts the tale of Othello and his first wife Billie (yes, before Desdemona). Set in contemporary Harlem at the corner of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X boulevards, the play explores the space where race and sex intersect. Harlem Duet is Billie’s story.

https://thalia.ent-nts.ca/in/faces/details.xhtml?id=p%3A%3Ausmarcdef_0000020356

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide, When the Rainbow Is Enuf: a Choreopoem / Ntozake Shange.

From its inception in California in 1974 to its Broadway revival in 2022, the Obie Award–winning For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf has excited, inspired, and transformed audiences all over the country for nearly fifty years. Passionate and fearless, Shange’s words reveal what it meant to be a woman of color in the 20th century. First published in 1975, when it was praised by The New Yorker for “encompassing…every feeling and experience a woman has ever had”, here is the complete text of a ground-breaking dramatic prose poem that resonates with unusual beauty in its fierce message to the world.

https://thalia.ent-nts.ca/in/faces/details.xhtml?id=p%3A%3Ausmarcdef_0000079214

Serving Elizabeth / Marcia Johnson.

“Serving Elizabeth begins in Kenya in 1952, during the fateful royal visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. Mercy, a restaurant owner, is approached to cook for the Royal couple. Though she could use the money, she is a staunch anti-monarchist. She vows to stick to her principles, but her daughter Faith keeps trying to convince her to take the job. In London in 2015, in the production offices of a series about Queen Elizabeth, a Kenyan-Canadian film student, Tia, serves as an intern on the project. It’s a perfect fit for her as she has been a fan of princesses her whole life. But when she reads the Kenya episode, she starts to understand that fairy tales and real life are very different things. Serving Elizabeth is a funny, fresh, and topical play about colonialism, monarchy, and who is serving whom — or what.”

https://thalia.ent-nts.ca/in/faces/details.xhtml?id=p%3A%3Ausmarcdef_0000084384

Controlled Damage / Andrea Scott.

Controlled Damage explores the life of Canadian civil rights icon Viola Desmond and how her act of bravery in a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946 started a ripple effect that is still felt today. An ordinary woman forced to be extraordinary by an unyielding and racist world, Desmond never gave up — despite the personal cost to her and those who loved her. Andrea Scott’s highly theatrical examination of Desmond and her legacy traces the impact that she had on our culture, but also casts light on the slow progress of the fight for social justice and civil rights in Canada.

https://thalia.ent-nts.ca/in/faces/details.xhtml?id=p%3A%3Ausmarcdef_0000084382

“When day comes we ask ourselves,

where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”

-Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb.

In many respects, this past year has been relentless. While reflecting on the events of 2020, we cannot overlook the pain and suffering brought on by irreversible and careless acts of injustice, violence, domestic terrorism or, more plainly put, hatred.

In 2020, systemic racism became the focus of conversations at home and around the globe. Disparities within the healthcare system, which predominantly affect Indigenous and Black communities, were underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutions began to lend weight to IBPoC voices and experiences, many of which were doing so for the first time. National and International organizations made repeated attempts to address systemic racism within their workplace (many of these efforts were inherently problematic and often inspired by misguided intentions).

Throughout, IBPoC people were once again expected to endure the trauma that comes from living and reliving the experience of existing in a world that is not designed for them; they are consistently asked to answer to, “Why do you deserve a shred of humanity? Why do you deserve to have the same things that we do?” IBPoC people are expected to smile, forgive, and stay calm. And many proceeded to do just that, knowing that their voices might only be welcomed during this fleeting manifestation of reactive activism.

Because of this, and with a sense of urgency, many alliances, coalitions, and collectives were created among IBPoC communities to provide supportive and unifying forums for these groups; this is how the IBPoC Artist Student Coalition was born.

Illustration by Riel Reddick-Stephens (Acting 2).

For those who are hearing about our coalition for the first time, our journey began this summer. Following the death of George Floyd, many institutions put out statements regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. Among these was a declaration released by NTS, Declaration to Fight Systemic Racism (see the declaration here). This prompted a series of conversations (both public and private) between the NTS administration and a group of IBPoC students, who would later come to be known as the IBPoC ASC. These conversations have been fruitful, complex, and have led to many changes within the NTS community.

For those who are members of the student body, this letter serves as an update on changes within the school and what you can expect from the IBPOC ASC this term.

So, what did the Coalition accomplish in 2020 and what is in store for 2021?

2020

1. Firstly, we were able to effectively engage the administration in a dialogue about systemic racism within our institution and pedagogy. This dialogue was initially between Gideon Arthurs (CEO), the IBPoC ASC, and theatre artist/educator, Lisa Karen Cox (Lisa acted as an advocate for the IBPoC ASC during the first several months of discussions). With Lisa’s help, we were able to address our concerns with the administration’s Declaration to Fight Systemic Racism and we created a series of public responses to include the NTS community as well as the wider theatre community (see our summer correspondence here). After effectively engaging the administration publicly, we were able to enter into private and specific discussions with Gideon Arthurs and, eventually, Stacy Delince (project manager/consultant to support both Gideon Arthurs and the IBPoC ASC).
2. Shortly afterwards, the position of a second student advisor was discussed and put in place. One of our major goals in 2020 was to create additional means of support and advocacy for the student body. After working with Gideon and Stacy to develop a job description that we felt was representative of our needs, the interview process began (see job description here). Meetings were set up between student representatives and each candidate, providing the opportunity for the student perspective to be heard. This led to Dona Noel joining the NTS administrative support team. We’re thrilled to have Dona as an advocate and resource for the student body.
3. Lastly, perhaps our most notable accomplishment of 2020 was integrating both French and English perspectives within the IBPOC ASC. This is something we struggled with throughout the year as the needs and experiences of IBPOC students in either section are complex and often different. This remains a challenge as we are still navigating how to foster unity while respecting these distinctions. Now that the IBPOC ASC includes members from both sections, it will strive be a voice for the student body as a whole.

2021

1. Our first major achievement in 2021 was the creation of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee (EDIAC). This committee (composed of students, board members, staff, and various community members) is the result of collaborative work between the IBPoC ASC and the NTS administration over the past several months and will hold its first meeting this month. The committee’s goal is to assess the 4 major pillars of the NTS experience and will work to adapt and review each of these to further serve and support the NTS community (read more about this committee here).
2. Our second major achievement begins right here, with this blog post. Throughout 2021, we intend to provide regular updates and information about the various changes that are rapidly taking place within the NTS community. Much like the NTS webpage, Update on Actions Taken to Dismantle Systemic Racism (see here), the IBPoC ASC would like to provide its perspective on the work that is being done at the National Theatre School of Canada. Starting now, we will be releasing monthly IBPoC ASC blog posts through the NTS website, with the administration’s support. Our intention is not only to provide regular updates, but to also create a platform to amplify IBPoC voices, IBPoC art, and IBPoC experiences within the NTS student body and wider community. We hope these blog posts will become a source of joy and togetherness for the student body.

While we are extremely proud of the support system that we have been able to set up this year, our priority remains the same as it has always been: to always work for the best interest of the IBPoC students at NTS, and to provide both a united voice and a listening ear to anyone who might need it. We continue to invite and encourage students to come to us with their concerns, ideas, or needs. We are aware that the aim of our coalition has not always been clear, and we appreciate the patience and support you have shown us while we explore it together. Throughout 2020, we mainly operated from a place of necessity and survival. In 2021, we would like to return to the joy and beauty that is so universal to the IBPoC experience and we hope that you will be a part of this.

If you have thoughts regarding any of the above or you’re an IBPOC student who would like to be included in our blog posts, please get in touch with us via email (bipocstudentcoalition@gmail.com), Instagram (ibpoc_asc) or Facebook (IBPoC Artist Student Coalition).

We look forward to working with you and for you.

Sincerely,

The IBPoC Artist Student Coalition

So while once we asked,

how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?

Now we assert

How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?”

-Amanda Gorman, ‘The Hill We Climb’

**IBPoC- Abbreviation for Indigenous, Black, & People of Colour.

**Systemic racism, also known as institutionalized racism, is a term coined by Kwame Ture and Charles Hamilton in 1967. Systemic/institutionalized racism is defined as a covert, subtle form of racism that is embedded within established and respected forces or practices in society, and thus receives far less public condemnation than individual racism. Systemic racism is found in areas such as healthcare, education, and the criminal justice system.

**IBPoC ASC – Abbreviation for Indigenous, Black, & People of Colour Artist Student Coalition.

Welcome to our Associate Artists in the English Section! In collaboration with program directors and teaching teams, these gifted and experienced artists provide a wide range of expertise and insight for NTS students across all the theatre disciplines.

“At a time when we continue to be kept apart, and with so many divisions and challenges facing us both as artists and as citizens, we need more than ever to create opportunities to strengthen and enrich our connections, our communication and our opportunities for learning. We are proud to welcome this amazing team of Associate Artists, some returning and some new to NTS, to join us in support of the next generation of artists and theatre makers as we negotiate these complex times together. These brilliant artists and theatre makers bring with them expertise and insight from various parts of our country, from a range of communities and from many disciplines of our collaborative art form. Their contribution to our students and to our communities will be invaluable as we meet the moment in order to transform the future.”

-Alisa Palmer, Artistic Director of the English Section

Quincy Armorer Associate Artist, English Section (since 2017-2018) Montreal, QC

Read the bio!

Meegwun Fairbrother, Associate Artist, Acting Program (since 2018-2019)
Grassy Narrows, ON

Read the bio!

Daniel Bennett, Associate Artist, Production Design and Technical Arts Program
London, ON

Read the bio!

Audrey Dwyer, Associate Artist, Directing Program
Winnipeg, MB

Read the bio!

Marie Barlizo, Professional Mentor, Playwriting Program
Montreal, QC

Read the bio!

Cherissa Richards, Professional Mentor, Acting Program
Winnipeg, MB

Read the bio!

On the occasion of Black Theatre Workshop’s 50^th anniversary, we spoke with Quincy Armorer, Associate Artist of the English section and Artistic Director of Black Theatre Workshop.

This was days before what should have been the premiere of Black and Blue Matters, a play that addresses the important topic of systemic racism was postponed, due to the new health and safety guidelines by the Quebec governement to stop the pandemic.

Black Theatre Workshop is celebrating its 50^thanniversary this year: How are things going? What are some of the upcoming projects planned for the celebration of this important milestone?

We are all excited at BTW to celebrate our anniversary. 50 years! A milestone like this really makes you take the time to look back and reflect on history and legacy, and we certainly have a lot to be proud of at BTW. We want to honour that in the coming year. Those of us who are a part of the company now are standing on the shoulders of so many dedicated and passionate artists and trailblazers who paved the way for us over the course of five decades. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for people like founder and current board member Dr. Clarence Bayne and the many other artists and contributors who helped shape the company into what it is today. They deserve to be celebrated and we want to make sure they get their moment in the spotlight! We’ve unfortunately had to alter most of our original programming for the season. This was supposed to be our grandest season ever, with the three mainstage productions for the first time. Now, as a result of the pandemic, those productions have all been postponed or cancelled. Just last week we had to postpone our first event of the season; an excerpt of the play Black and Blue Matters by Omari Newton, as part of the National Arts Centre’s ”Grand Acts of Theatre” initiative. We will still be presenting our Black History Month school tour, a brilliant play by Makambe K. Simamba called Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers, which is inspired by the life and death of Trayvon Martin. We’ll also be having other events and online content to celebrate the milestone.

BTW has been working on Black and Blue Matters, which was supposed to be presented starting October 11. Unfortunately, due to the new guidelines from the Quebec government, the show has been postponed. Would you still like to talk about this play? What is it about? (Here’s to hoping that we can see it soon!)

Black and Blue Matters is one of the projects I’ve been most excited about during my time at BTW. Even before we were invited to be a part of the National Arts Centre’s ”Grand Acts of Theatre” this fall, the play was scheduled to be a part of our 50th anniversary season. We’ve obviously had to postpone it, so it will now premiere in the 2021-22 season. Black and Blue Matters is a satirical, interactive hip-hop musical, written by Omari Newton and will be directed by Diane Roberts. It’s a companion piece to Omari’s play Sal Capone: the Lamentable Tragedy of, which BTW premiered in 2013. Black and Blue Matters is presented in the style of a rap battle between Sammy, a Black teenager who was violently killed by a local police officer, and David, the white police officer who shot him. The play deconstructs the justice system, truth, white supremacy, and directly addresses anti-black racism. We’ve been developing it for a few years now and, quite unfortunately to be perfectly honest, the play seems to become more and more relevant from one day to the next. We need plays like this right now. I can’t wait until we can finally share it with everyone.

Systemic racism is present everywhere, and theatre is not immune. How do you hope to foster change and lead discussions in that area in your role as Associate Artist of the English section?

These are certainly not easy conversations to engage in, but they are also among the most necessary and important conversations to have. We’ve seen in recent weeks and months that some of our Canadian theatre institutions still have a lot of work to do in this area, and NTS isn’t exempt from that. I’m happy to see that NTS as taken great steps to address some of the concerns that have been brought to its attention recently. This is important work that needs to be done, but we’ve only begun to scratch the surface. I hope NTS will continue to listen and be responsive to the needs of its community, and I hope that I can do whatever possible to amplify the voices that need to be heard.

You’ve been Artistic Director of Black Theatre Workshop since 2011. What do you see when you take stock of the progress that has been made and all that remains to be done?

On a company level, I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at BTW over the past decade. On an industry level, I’ve seen some improvement, sure, but that progress has been extremely slow-moving. I am encouraged to see that in many cases the perceptions of diversity and inclusion have extended beyond just the actors that are hired to include a diversity of stories and aesthetics and practices. That’s definitely a step in the right direction. But we still have a long way to go. We need to have more IBPOC artists in positions of power in our industry. That’s something I’d really like to see.

What are some of the ways that you are working on expanding the representation of Black Canadian artists and bridging cultural divides through theatre.

We are trying to be as diverse as we can in our programming. That’s one of the most important steps for us. There are many Black communities, and we want to share stories from as many of them as possible. The commissioning of plays like Simone Half and Half, which tells a biracial experience, and Black and Blue Matters which has its roots in hip-hop culture, allows us to do just that. We’ve also prioritized including stories about the Black LGBTQIA+ experience in our programming. But I think the biggest shift for us is our goal to expand our programming to include productions in French. Until recently, there had been virtually no French theatre in Montreal that spoke to the Black experience. Last year’s production of Héritage at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe was significant, in part, because of how rarely Black stories are told on French stages here. We want to change that. Last year we toured a production of Rendez-Vous Lakay by Djennie Laguerre to community centres around the city, and we recently collaborated on projects with Espace Libre and Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui. We’re also currently working on a project with Théâtre La Licorne that I’m really excited about and that will be announced later in the year.

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to do theatre but wonders if it still has a relevance in the world today?

If you love it – really love it – then go for it. Theatre has been evolving for millennia. It’s going to continue to change and evolve, but that doesn’t mean it no longer has relevance. The practice of it is different than it was 50 years ago, just as it will be different 50 years from now. But human beings are storytellers by nature, and I believe there’s always going to be a place for what we do. At least I hope so!