55 Years of Resistance
Nurturing The Next Generation of BIPOC Creators
It’s an undisputed fact that the Harlem Renaissance had a profound impact on the world. This movement gave us great music, literature and painters. It also gave us playwrights like Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. However, these were American playwrights. Their experience doesn’t encapsulate the black experience as a whole. Nor can it substitute the unique experience that comes with being a Black Canadian. That’s been the goal of the Black Theatre Workshop since its inception.
Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) is one of the longest running theatre companies in Canada. Established in 1971, this company was created by a group of Trinibagan immigrants looking to share their own stories as a marginalized group. Before then, the stories that were adapted to the stage came from either the US or the UK. Around the same time, the establishment of the Canada Council for the Arts created an opportunity for hundreds of artists and creators to receive the necessary funding to develop their own voices and share their uniquely Canadian experiences.
The Jacklin Webb Scholarship’s first recipient was awarded in 2025.
“We are a huge country. Thousands of miles across. So, somebody living in Vancouver is very different than somebody living in Halifax. But at the same time we’re here, and whatever we live, and whatever our experience is, contributes to what that black experience is.” Dian Marie Bridge, BTW’s current Artistic Director, explains.
Black Theatre Workshop’s mission, outlined on their website, is to “promote and produce outstanding theatre that educates, entertains and inspires.” Elaborating, they state, “The company strives to create greater cross-cultural understanding by challenging its audience and the status quo.” These days, Black Theatre Workshop also has a mandate to educate and support Canadian voices. They don’t just do this through their plays, but also their mentorship program, scholarships and many other events. Beyond their mainstage productions, BTW also facilitates artist mentorship through an annual program that “aims to guide and facilitate emerging artists who are mainly Black or people of colour towards a sustainable professional career.”
In its 13th year, the Artist Mentorship Program (AMP) started off as an extracurricular activity to teach kids about working in theatre. The creation of a youth program was made possible by Canadian Heritage funding. Kids received tangible advice on building a career, learning how to write a CV, network, secure an agent, and more.
But with the Covid pandemic forcing everyone inside, many venues focused on live art (e.g. concert hall, bars, theatres, etc.) were suddenly without revenue. Many of these places would end up shutting their doors forever. Consequently, this led many industry professionals to switch careers, creating a knowledge gap for those just entering the industry. Seeing this shift and recognizing a need, BTW adapted the program to help people gain the production literacy necessary to produce their own work. This mentorship is open to all interested, but prioritizes BIPOC creators.
“A lot of the folks, actually, go into professional communities. So, we maintain relationships with them and in some cases, especially folks who live in Montreal, we actually hire them. So for example, the last two years, we’ve hired designers, technical people and even some actors."
BTW continues to expand despite setbacks. In 2024, two of the founding members of Black Theatre Workshop passed away. Clarence S. Baynes was a constant contributor to the company. Jacklin Webb was instrumental in the foundation of the company. They were both active members of the board right up to their deaths. BTW established the Jacklin Webb Scholarship in her honour to support people who are training in theatre. This scholarship is open to all ages, as long as you’re currently enrolled in a Canadian institution.
In 2025, Black Theatre Workshop held their inaugural Club Zed Festival, an opportunity for playwrights to hear their plays read out loud. Instead of a typical staged setting, plays are experienced through table readings. This format gives more opportunities for new writers to present their work to the public, as well as workshop their ideas. BTW would love to put on more plays with larger casts, but sadly, that isn’t always possible. The Club Zed Festival is a low stakes way of bringing people together, while overcoming limitations.
Touring schools in Montreal is another integral aspect of Black Theatre Workshop’s programming. In the past, these tours would be relegated to Black History Month. Most recently, they’ve decided to spread out the timing of the tours. Firstly, because black history shouldn’t be relegated to one month out of the year. Black history is Canadian history, and to deny that would mean missing the full story. Secondly, because of the harsh Canadian winters, BTW would often find themselves having to cancel showings as schools would shut down for snow days, leading to everyone involved in the production missing out on work. Now, they have a tour at the beginning of the school year and another round during black history month.
The theme for this season is “Tallawah” which is a Jamaican Patois word meaning resistance. Plays chosen are stories with a strong voice, unafraid to address specific experiences where black people don’t have to explain their blackness, they can just exist. In a time where diversity is no longer seen as a strength, BTW continues to defy, supporting performance art creation from backstage to centre stage. The company is very aware that they are in a province that is predominantly Francophone, and they've been working on bridging the gap between the two communities by adding surtitles (i.e. translations of the dialogue that are projected during the production), and selecting plays that can be translated into both languages, plays that demonstrate the true experience of living in a multilingual environment.
Their first play of the current season, Pirates and the Lone Voice, concluded its tour at the end of October. The play follows two teenagers in modern day Barbados as they try to establish their own FM radio station, facing huge opposition from the government. The play was written by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, a long time collaborator with BTW.
our place began November 19, and runs to the 30th. The story takes place in a grocery store in Scarborough, and follows two young women who are undocumented immigrants trying to gain citizenship, while simultaneously navigating love and relationships. The play blends a variety of Caribbean dialects (Jamaican, Trinibagan, Guyanease) to create unique dialogue. This play uses surtitles, and BTW has worked tirelessly to translate the PanCaribbean language to French without losing the play's voice and important message.
Black Theatre Workshop enjoys the support of the community as much as they enjoy supporting the community. Unfortunately, the biggest issue BTW currently faces is funding. It’s an issue that continues to plague the art world as a whole, as we continue to see large institutions put more emphasis on the bottom line, with very little regard for the needs of the community. BTW is one of the few black theatre companies left in all of Canada, along with Obsidian and BCurrent Theatre, both operating in Toronto.
How can we, as a community, support Black Theatre Workshop? Dian tells me, “In addition to coming to our shows and supporting that way, there are also events throughout the year that people can come to. There’s also a donation campaign that we’re going to be embarking on, and we’ll be hosting workshops and readings. There’s different ways to engage. Folks can go to our website and check out any events coming up…come to our events and spread the word.”
To learn more about Black Theatre Workshop, their programming, and important initiatives, visit their website.
Powerful. Heartfelt. Witty.
our place hits the stage of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts Studio November 19-30th. Don’t miss the Montreal premiere of this touching and funny show by Kanika Ambrose. Choose from 11 performances, including a special pre-show talk and dinner catered by Lloydie’s November 22nd. Tickets and details available HERE.
Toutes les performances de our place seront surtitrées en français.
