History

Founded in February 2000, Obsidian Theatre Company has quickly grown into the leading black theatre company in the country with a full schedule of productions, playwright/play development and professional training programs. Since the company’s inception, Obsidian has helped to change the profile of culturally diverse theatre in Canada by encouraging other companies to re-evaluate the way they involve artists of colour. As a result, the performing arts sector has seen a huge growth in the work of black artists nation wide.

From the Pulitzer Prize winning The Piano Lesson to our award winning production of The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, to the nationally resonant historical facts of Consecrated Ground, to the gut wrenching human drama in Born Ready and The Monument, to our first international collaboration of Austin Clarke’s Giller Award winning novel The Polished Hoe, to the Canadian premieres of Intimate Apparel, Late and Black Medea, Obsidian Theatre Company continues to provide a gathering place for black Canadian voices.

Obsidian has established partnerships both locally and provincially working with companies such as The Stratford Festival of Canada, Mirvish Productions, The Harbourfront Centre, The Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, The Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, fu-GEN Theatre, Aluna Theatre, Roseneath Theatre, bcurrent, and the Frank Collymore Hall in Barbados.

Founding Members:

Awaovieyi Agie, Ardon Bess, David Collins, Roy Lewis, Yanna McIntosh, Diane Roberts, Kim Roberts, Sandi Ross, Djanet Sears, Satori Shakoor, Tricia Williams, Alison Sealy-Smith, Philip Akin-Artistic Director