Photographed above from left to right: Aba Amuquandoh and Kira Renee. Image description: Two Black women embrace each other smiling. Photo by Marko Kovacevic, makeup by Charm Torres
Playwrights Incubation
Jan 2021-April 2021
In the spirit of events such as the AfriCanadian Playwrights Festival, b current performing arts is developing new work to be presented at our 30th anniversary in late 2021.
To prepare for this momentous occasion, we are taking the time this season to incubate the work of six selected Black playwrights, which will then be presented as staged readings at our future festivities. These pieces will be curated and supported by dramaturgs Dian Marie Bridge, daniel jelani ellis and Natasha Mumba.
In the spirit of events such as the AfriCanadian Playwrights Festival, b current performing arts is developing new work to be presented at our 30th anniversary in late 2021.
To prepare for this momentous occasion, we are taking the time this season to incubate the work of six selected Black playwrights, which will then be presented as staged readings at our future festivities. These pieces will be curated and supported by dramaturgs Dian Marie Bridge, daniel jelani ellis and Natasha Mumba.
dramaturgs
Image of Dian Marie Bridge wearing a blue denim shirt, standing in front of out-of-focus greenery, smiling at the camera.
Dian Marie Bridge is an award winning theatre maker and creative producer. She holds a degree in Theatre Arts and Dramatic Literature from Brock University and attended the University of Minnesota’s Theatre and Dance program. Two decades of practice has afforded Dian work with many organizations including Luminato Festival Toronto, Maison de Poivre Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, The Stratford Festival, Volcano, BAND Gallery, Obsidian Theatre, Canadian Stage, Mirvish Productions, Soulpepper Theatre, Playwrights Guild of Canada, and The Guthrie Theatre. Dian is the recipient of the inaugural Strombergs Family Realization Fund, through Nightwood Theatre, the Stratford Festival’s Elliott Hayes Guthrie Award for Playwriting, and SummerWorks’ RBC Professional Award. Dian was also a part of the Stratford Festival’s first Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction, and has been a mentor through Paprika Festival, AMY Project, Speak Sudan, B Current’s RaizinArtz , Only One You workshops, and the Boys and Girls Club of Vancouver.
Image of danile jelani ellis, wearing a red floral patterned shirt, standing in front of a brick wall, smiling at the camera.
daniel jelani ellis (he/him) is a Toronto-based artist raised in Jamaica by a village of theatre artists, poets, and educators. His art practice is driven by his commitment to celebrate those of us who live within the margins. dan jelani has performed on stages across Canada and the Caribbean. Recipient of The Theatre Centre's Emerging Artist Award, Merritt Award Nomination and 5 Dora Award Nominations. Graduate of National Theatre School of Canada and alumnus of the Playwrights Unit at Obsidian Theatre Company and Emerging Creators Unit at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. He is currently in residency at The Theatre Centre developing a series of plays and performance works. ellis is proud parent to plenty plants.
Image of Natasha Mumba wearing a grey tank top, standing in front of a blue background, looking intensely at the camera.
Natasha Mumba is a Zambian artist currently based in Toronto. She is a graduate of the acting program at The National Theatre School of Canada and a Dora Nominated actress whose recent credits include: Canadian Stage: Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing; Shaw Festival: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Henry V, Middletown, The Adventures of the Black Girl. Obsidian Theatre: School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play; The Citadel: The Untold story of Robin Hood; Tarragon Theatre: Millennial Malcontent; Theatre Kingston: The Mountaintop; Driftwood Theatre: Hamlet (Ontario tour). She also recently stepped into the position of Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre with the generous support of the Metcalf Foundation. Her directing credits include; Driftwood Trafalgar; Balance, Factory Theatre; Lady Sunrise (Assistant Director) YPT; The Water Gun Song.
playwrights
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black woman stands in front of beautiful green foliage, wearing a yellow top and smiling at the camera.
Djennie Laguerre
Actress, Author and Storyteller is a graduate of the Stella Adler Acting Conservatory (New York) and the University of Ottawa (BAC in Art; Theatre and Literature). She has been acclaimed as the performer and author) of Manman la mer at Théâtre la Catapulte and Espoir/Espwa (which she authored with Carline Zamar, Edwige Jean-Pierre) Le malade imaginaire, *LES ZINSPIRÉS and LES ZINSPIRÉS 3D at, Seventeen (Anonymous) Women at the Infintheatre and REZ SISTERS at the Factory Theatre. She is the author and performer of Rendez-Vous with Home/Lakay at the SummerWorks Festival, 2008, & at the Théâtre français de Toronto, 2010 ALSO presented in several storytelling festivals such as Les Contes nomades (NAC) and Le Festival du loup de Lafontaine. She is proud of the ambitious tour of both English and French versions of Rendez-vous with Home/ Lakay with the iconic Black Theatre Workshop (Montreal, February 2018 and November 2019) and the English version with Roseneath Theatre in Toronto 2020!
Film/TV: Flashpoint, Degrassi Junior High and Mrs Happiness /Madame Bonheur, to MiniTFO.
She received the Spotlight Award at the SummerWorks Festival in 2008 for Rendez-Vous with Home. She is a Dora Awards nominee for ""Outstanding Performance - Individual"" Rendez-Vous with Home 2020, for ""Outstanding Performance - Individual"" for Les Zinspirés and ""Outstanding Performance - Ensemble”. Also nomination for ""Best Actress"" at the METAs Awards 2018 for Rendez-vous Home/ Lakay . Your children know her as the storyteller and dancer Madame Bonheur at MiniTFO/CBC.
Actress, Author and Storyteller is a graduate of the Stella Adler Acting Conservatory (New York) and the University of Ottawa (BAC in Art; Theatre and Literature). She has been acclaimed as the performer and author) of Manman la mer at Théâtre la Catapulte and Espoir/Espwa (which she authored with Carline Zamar, Edwige Jean-Pierre) Le malade imaginaire, *LES ZINSPIRÉS and LES ZINSPIRÉS 3D at, Seventeen (Anonymous) Women at the Infintheatre and REZ SISTERS at the Factory Theatre. She is the author and performer of Rendez-Vous with Home/Lakay at the SummerWorks Festival, 2008, & at the Théâtre français de Toronto, 2010 ALSO presented in several storytelling festivals such as Les Contes nomades (NAC) and Le Festival du loup de Lafontaine. She is proud of the ambitious tour of both English and French versions of Rendez-vous with Home/ Lakay with the iconic Black Theatre Workshop (Montreal, February 2018 and November 2019) and the English version with Roseneath Theatre in Toronto 2020!
Film/TV: Flashpoint, Degrassi Junior High and Mrs Happiness /Madame Bonheur, to MiniTFO.
She received the Spotlight Award at the SummerWorks Festival in 2008 for Rendez-Vous with Home. She is a Dora Awards nominee for ""Outstanding Performance - Individual"" Rendez-Vous with Home 2020, for ""Outstanding Performance - Individual"" for Les Zinspirés and ""Outstanding Performance - Ensemble”. Also nomination for ""Best Actress"" at the METAs Awards 2018 for Rendez-vous Home/ Lakay . Your children know her as the storyteller and dancer Madame Bonheur at MiniTFO/CBC.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black woman lies supine among a row of theatre seats, wearing a white top and khaki pants.
Natasha Adiyana Morris
Natasha Adiyana Morris is a playwright of Jamaican-Canadian descent. Recognized for founding PIECE OF MINE Arts, a platform for presenting works-in-progress by Black play creators, she has overseen the showcasing of over 200 artists since 2013. Natasha is the playwright and director of The Negroes Are Congregating, which received a Dora nomination for Outstanding New Play (2020) and won the SummerWorks' New Performance Text Award (2018). The satirical drama touches on internalized racism and has been produced internationally, including Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Natasha Adiyana Morris is a playwright of Jamaican-Canadian descent. Recognized for founding PIECE OF MINE Arts, a platform for presenting works-in-progress by Black play creators, she has overseen the showcasing of over 200 artists since 2013. Natasha is the playwright and director of The Negroes Are Congregating, which received a Dora nomination for Outstanding New Play (2020) and won the SummerWorks' New Performance Text Award (2018). The satirical drama touches on internalized racism and has been produced internationally, including Canada, the United States, and Europe.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black woman wears a red dress and looks at the camera.
Rachel Mutombo
Rachel Mutombo is a Dora award-winning actor, and writer. She is an acting graduate of John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre program as well as the National Theatre School of Canada. Some recent theatre performance credits include Antigone (Young People's Theatre), School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre) and Selfie (YPT). Through the support of Factory theatre, Vierge is the first full length play that Rachel completed. Vierge was recently awarded 1st place in Write-on-Q, an annual Quebec playwriting competition organized by Infinitheatre in Montreal.
Rachel Mutombo is a Dora award-winning actor, and writer. She is an acting graduate of John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre program as well as the National Theatre School of Canada. Some recent theatre performance credits include Antigone (Young People's Theatre), School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre) and Selfie (YPT). Through the support of Factory theatre, Vierge is the first full length play that Rachel completed. Vierge was recently awarded 1st place in Write-on-Q, an annual Quebec playwriting competition organized by Infinitheatre in Montreal.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black woman in an off shoulder sweatshirt embraces herself and looks away from the camera.
Dainty Smith
Dainty Smith is a Toronto based Actor, Burlesque Performer, Playwright, Producer, and curator. Dainty believes that through the art of storytelling and a willingness to be exposed that genuine human connections can be made. Her performances often tell deeply vulnerable stories regarding race, religion, sexuality and challenging social boundaries. Dainty studied performing arts at George Brown College and is a powerful self taught storyteller, performer, and orator.
Some of her work includes:
Allyson Mitchell's performance art piece, Killjoy's kastle: A Lesbian Haunted House.
Victoria Mata's multidisciplinary Callejon de Memoria: The Embodiment Of Memory.
She wrote and self produced a multidisciplinary play titled Daughters Of Lilith .
The second play by Dainty Smith is titled Blood And Memory.
She is the founder of Les Femme Fatales: Women of Colour burlesque troupe, the first burlesque troupe for women of colour in Canada.
Dainty Smith is a Toronto based Actor, Burlesque Performer, Playwright, Producer, and curator. Dainty believes that through the art of storytelling and a willingness to be exposed that genuine human connections can be made. Her performances often tell deeply vulnerable stories regarding race, religion, sexuality and challenging social boundaries. Dainty studied performing arts at George Brown College and is a powerful self taught storyteller, performer, and orator.
Some of her work includes:
Allyson Mitchell's performance art piece, Killjoy's kastle: A Lesbian Haunted House.
Victoria Mata's multidisciplinary Callejon de Memoria: The Embodiment Of Memory.
She wrote and self produced a multidisciplinary play titled Daughters Of Lilith .
The second play by Dainty Smith is titled Blood And Memory.
She is the founder of Les Femme Fatales: Women of Colour burlesque troupe, the first burlesque troupe for women of colour in Canada.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black woman wears an orange and yellow printed top and looks at the camera.
Rhoma Spencer
Rhoma Spencer is an Actor, Playcreator, Director and Comedian. A veteran Theatre Practitioner practicing in Toronto since 2001, she is a graduate of York University with an MFA in Directing
Acting credits include: Solitudes (ALUNA Theatre), Jean and Dinah (Lordstreet Theatre) Mad Miss, Fallen Angel and the Devil Concubine (TA/bcurrent), Stori Ya (bcurrent) and two seasons of the groundbreaking Afri-Canadian sitcom, Da Kink in my Hair for Global TV. Film: Sound of Tears (Short) which received an African Academy Award for Best Narrative Short (Diaspora). The Apartment (TV series Pilot for CCN TV6, Trinidad). Presently acting in the movie Scarborough now in post production.
Directing credits include: Just Jazz, I Marcus Garvey, Our Lady of Spills, Twilight Cafe for Theatre Archipelago, Carnival Medea- Trinidad, For Colored Girls- USA and many more. In addition to stage, she has been the Artistic Director of Pan Alive, the Steelband Music Festival during Caribana for the last three years.
Playcreation Credits: Jean and Dinah by Tony Hall with Rhoma Spencer and Susan Sandiford, (1994) Shango; Tales of the Orishas with Rawle Gibbons (1996), Bassman (1997), Carnival Medea with Shirlene Holmes (2014). Solitudes- Collective Creation with Bea Pizano (2020). Danse Macabre (2020) in development.
Rhoma Spencer is an Actor, Playcreator, Director and Comedian. A veteran Theatre Practitioner practicing in Toronto since 2001, she is a graduate of York University with an MFA in Directing
Acting credits include: Solitudes (ALUNA Theatre), Jean and Dinah (Lordstreet Theatre) Mad Miss, Fallen Angel and the Devil Concubine (TA/bcurrent), Stori Ya (bcurrent) and two seasons of the groundbreaking Afri-Canadian sitcom, Da Kink in my Hair for Global TV. Film: Sound of Tears (Short) which received an African Academy Award for Best Narrative Short (Diaspora). The Apartment (TV series Pilot for CCN TV6, Trinidad). Presently acting in the movie Scarborough now in post production.
Directing credits include: Just Jazz, I Marcus Garvey, Our Lady of Spills, Twilight Cafe for Theatre Archipelago, Carnival Medea- Trinidad, For Colored Girls- USA and many more. In addition to stage, she has been the Artistic Director of Pan Alive, the Steelband Music Festival during Caribana for the last three years.
Playcreation Credits: Jean and Dinah by Tony Hall with Rhoma Spencer and Susan Sandiford, (1994) Shango; Tales of the Orishas with Rawle Gibbons (1996), Bassman (1997), Carnival Medea with Shirlene Holmes (2014). Solitudes- Collective Creation with Bea Pizano (2020). Danse Macabre (2020) in development.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Black man wears an olive green sweater and smiles at the camera.
Marcel Stewart
I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams! Actor, writer, dope mc, arts educator, and organizer who LOVES vacuuming the house while listening to the Waiting to Exhale OST! I am a Black man of Jamaican heritage, born in the UK but raised in Canada. It is my responsibility, as a Black artist, to carry those who have come before me by affirming our contemporary stories, emotions, and ideas through art. It is also important for me to explore the intersections of race and gender, particularly Blackness and masculinity. Breaking down silos by bridging the gap between communities is a core value of mine as an artist. As is genuine kindness, not to be confused with softness. Communication and active listening are the pillars that hold up those core values. My curiosity about history and lineage – within the context of colonialism – is at the basis of my art. I often return to the questions: Who am I? How am I? How did I get here? Who have I lost? What is my purpose?
I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams! Actor, writer, dope mc, arts educator, and organizer who LOVES vacuuming the house while listening to the Waiting to Exhale OST! I am a Black man of Jamaican heritage, born in the UK but raised in Canada. It is my responsibility, as a Black artist, to carry those who have come before me by affirming our contemporary stories, emotions, and ideas through art. It is also important for me to explore the intersections of race and gender, particularly Blackness and masculinity. Breaking down silos by bridging the gap between communities is a core value of mine as an artist. As is genuine kindness, not to be confused with softness. Communication and active listening are the pillars that hold up those core values. My curiosity about history and lineage – within the context of colonialism – is at the basis of my art. I often return to the questions: Who am I? How am I? How did I get here? Who have I lost? What is my purpose?