Afrocentric Theatre & Dance in Toronto 2009 2010
Black Playwrights, Choreographers & Performers on Toronto Stages
Sep 8, 2009
Toronto’s artists of African and Caribbean heritage maintain a strong and ever-increasing presence within the city’s theatre and dance communities. The 2009-2010 season sees a 10th anniversary for Obsidian theatre, the city’s pre-eminent company exploring the black voice in drama, as well as the 20th anniversary of Patrick Parson`s acclaimed Ballet Creole. Here are some shows to watch for.
Obsidian Theatre 10th Season
Toronto’s black-run repertory company Obsidian Theatre celebrates its tenth season with an ambitious roster of new and remounted work, as well as plays in development. They open the season with a play reading and development series called Canonize This! Running from October 21 to 23, it features the work of such acclaimed authors as Marcia Johnson, Michael Miller, Andrew Moodie, d’bi.young anitafrika, Joe Pierre and ahdri zhina mandiela.
From November 2 to 12, Obsidian presents the challenging drama Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith, which was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in association with Nightwood Theatre, at the Berkeley Street Theatre (upstairs).
From February 8 to March 6, the company remounts its hugely successful production of Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage as part of the Canadian Stage Company season. Set in 1905 New York, it tells the story of an ambitious and independent African-American seamstress who sews elegant undergarments for socialites and prostitutes alike. The season ends with a run from March 13 to April 4 of who knew grannie: a dub aria by ahdri zhina mandiela.
African- and Caribbean-Inspired Dance Productions
Ballet Creole presents the complete version of its longstanding work in progress, Glorious Soulful Messiah, from December 11 to 13 as part of the Harbourfront Centre NextSteps dance series at the Fleck Dance Theatre. The production uses contemporary African and Caribbean choreography to interpret a soul-soaked rendition of Handel’s Messiah. Then from April 15 to 17 the company returns to the Fleck stage with Sankofa, a retrospective work to mark the company’s 20th anniversary.
Among other noteworthy productions, Collective of Black Artists (COBA) presents its Diasporic Dimensions in the NextSteps series during African Heritage Month from February 26 to 28. The inspiring dance Immersion showcase presentation rounds out the NextSteps year from May 27 to 29.
Other Afrocentric Productions in Toronto
From September 25 to October 3, Trey Anthony presents Secrets of a Black Boy, a new play by her brother Darren Anthony at The Music Hall on the Danforth. Trey Anthony is known as the phenomenally successful author of 'Da Kink in My Hair, which was first a sold-out play and later a television series.
From December 2 to 12, the Théâtre français de Toronto presents a double bill of one-act plays in French that celebrate the diversity of the Francophone community. Inspired by a play by French author Georges Courteline (1858-1929), Les noirs sont heureux (The Black People are Happy) by Martin David Peters reimagines a classic French comedy in a contemporary Toronto context. In Rendez-vous Lakay, author and storyteller Djennie Laguerre takes the audience on a trip to Haiti that mixes traditional humour, spoken word and dance in an ode to humanism imbued with the cultural richness born of the blend of French and Creole intermingling. Some performances have English surtitles.
Free local Toronto papers like NOW Magazine (NowToronto.com) and eye Weekly (eyeWeekly.com) carry up-to-date listings and prices for these shows as the season continues. See also Musical Theatre in Toronto, 2009-2010 for more about the Toronto theatre and dance scene.
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