Montreal’s Black Theatre Workshop

Jenny Brizard in Angelique by Lorena Gale, directed by Mike Payette. Set & Costume Design by Eo Sharp, Lighting Design by David Perreault Ninacs. Photo by Andrée Lanthier.

Mainstream Canadian theatre, put frankly, is a typically white world. Visions of white performers extending their bodies and amplifying their voices across stages and spaces come to mind; a sea of white faces listening in rapture appears just as easily. The popular theatre world reflects our public comforts: comfortable for performers and audiences who fit seamlessly into typical white places, and uncomfortable for diverse Black performers and audiences who may not.

In this landscape, Montreal’s Black Theatre Workshop (btw) creates a necessary stage for reflecting the varied experiences of Black communities. Established in 1972, the theatre company has shared English-speaking stories written and performed by Black artists for nearly 50 seasons. It’s launched the careers of Canadian theatre heavyweights like theatre director and actor Tyrone Benskin and screen actor Vladimir Alexis.

Quincy Armorer, btw’s artistic director, joined the company as an actor in the 1990s. He went on to coordinate the company’s former YouthWorks program, training and mentoring youth in the art of theatre performance, eventually taking on the role of associate artistic director. For him, the work of btw and other Black companies like Toronto’s Black Theatre Canada and Theatre Fountainhead—both of which closed their doors almost 30 years ago—are important in an arts landscape historically and presently devoid of

much colour.

“I can almost say it would be great if there was no need for companies like Black Theatre Workshop because our stories were being included and appreciated.” In the meantime, he says, “We tell stories that many mainstream companies don’t necessarily put on their stages....”