Black Theatre Workshop

Black Theater Workshop is a non-profit theater company based in Montreal. It is Canada's oldest Black theater company in Quebec.

History

Black Theater Workshop was incorporated in 1972, but has roots going back to the Trinidad and Tobago Drama Committee. The Drama Committee was created by Clarence Bayne and Arther Goddard, both of whom were the founders of the Trinidad and Tobago Association, and wrote its first Constitution and bylaws. Dr. Bayne invited a number of professional Black Trinidadian artists from Montreal in the late sixties (1968) to conduct Black Workshops as part of the activities of the Drama Committee. It was the Black Workshops under the auspices of the Trinidad and Tobago Association that produced the first professional play of the BTW, written by Professor Lorris Elliott, and named "How Now Black Man". Dr. Bayne was appointed by the Trinidad and Tobago Association to be the Executive Producer of that production and to represent the Association's interest, except for a brief absence from the company 1970-1972, Dr, Bayne continued to hold the position of Executive producer and president of the company for early the formative years of the company between 1973-4 to 1990. He negotiated the first professional grant from Canada Council with matching funds from the Multicultural Directorate (Ottawa) that launched the company as a professional theater company in 1984, making it eligible for funding from all three levels of the cultural funding agencies.[1] Black Theater Workshop is an English-speaking theatre company. Its first play "How Now Black Man" was produced in 1970 under the name Black Workshop at the Centaur Theatre,[2] but Black Theatre Workshop de facto existed from July 17, 1968.

Over the years the theater has had many artistic directors including Dr. Clarence Bayne, Errol Sitahal, Terry Donald, Dwight Bacquie, Lorena Gale, Don Jordan, Winston Sutton, Fleurette Fernando, Nancy Delva, Kate Bligh, and Rachael Van Fossen, and Tyrone Benskin. Since August 2011, the Artistic Director has been Quincy Armorer. He is a graduate of the Theatre Department at Concordia University and also studied at the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival.[3]

Awards and merits
  • Walter Borden,(Tightrope Time: Ain’t Nuthin’ More Than Some Itty Bitty Madness Between Twilight and Dawn), one of the first plays in the history of Black Canadian literature to directly present themes of male homosexuality.
  • Djanet Sears (The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, Afrika Solo, Harlem Duet).[4]
  • Some emerging playwrights as well including Omari Newton (Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of), Anne-Marie Woods (She Said/He Said), Chimwemwe Miller (When Elephant was King) Djennie Laguerre (Rendez-Vous with Home).[5][6]
  • How Now Black Man
  • Dream on Monkey Mountain
  • Wade in the Water

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award

Since 1986 the theatre has given out the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award, presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to African-Canadian artistic and cultural life in Canada. BTW presents the gala each year to celebrate the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King to non-violent social change.

BTW presents an award for lifetime achievement, among recipients honorees include: Recipients of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award – In 1987, the 1st Vision Celebration Gala was given to Oscar Peterson: Music. In 1988, Ranee Lee: Music / Actor [Jazz]. 1989, Charlie Biddle: Music [Jazz]. 1990, Rufus Rockhead (posthumously): Music [Jazz]. 1991, Dr. Dorothy Wills: Community / Arts. 1992, Dr. Clarence Bayne: Theatre & Educator. 1993, Oliver Jones: Music [Pianist]. 1994, Professor Trevor Payne: Music. 1995, Dr. Daisy Peterson-Sweeny: Music. 1996, Salome Bay: Music / Actor. 1997, Lorraine Klaasen: Music [Singer]. 1998, Anthony Sherwood: Actor. 1999, Austin Clarke: Writer. 2000, Michelle Sweeney: Music [Singer]. 2001, Aldwin Albino: Music. 2002, Anthony Salah I. Wilson: Music [Steel pan]. 2003, Djanet Sears: Theatre. 2004, George Elliot Clarke: Poet. 2005, Jeri Brown: Music [Jazz]. 2006, Walter Borden: Theatre. 2007, Charles Ellison: Music [Jazz]. 2008, Terry Donald: Theatre. 2009, Ethel Bruneau: Dance [Tap]. 2010, Bertrand A. Henry: Theatre. 2011, Doudou Boicel: Music. 2012, Tonya Lee Williams: Film & Television. 2013, Gregory Charles: Music. 2014. Zab Maboungou: Dance. 2015, Dany Laferrière: Literature. 2016, Jackie Richardson: Theatre & Music. 2017, Winston Sutton: Theatre, Don Jordan: Dance & Theatre, 2018.[7]

In 2005 BTW was recognized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Committee of Montreal for its Historic Contribution to the Development of Black Performing Arts in Canada. It has also received a Trail Blazer Award (Black History Month Round Table Award).

References
  1. Le Black Theatre Workshop de Montreal: un nouveau bilan by Clarence Bayne, L'Annuaire theatrical 29, Methods en question, Printemps 2001, pp 141-155.
  2. Canadian Encyclopedia.
  4. Bordon, Walter. "Borden, Walter". Canadian Theatre.com. Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  5. http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Black%20Theatre%20Workshop
  6. http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=d%92bi%20Young.anitafrika
  7. "Gala to Honour Founder of Dawson's Theatre Program," Montreal Gazette, January 28, 2010.


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