Obsidian Theatre Company (OTC) Announces 2017 - 2018 Season

OTC to co-produce with Cahoots Theatre on World Premiere of Other Side of the Game, present Canadian Premiere of hang

August 24th 2017: Coming off of a successful 2016/17 season which saw Obsidian nominated for 13 Dora Award (5 - Master Harold and the Boys; and 8 - Passing Strange) and winners in 3 categories (Best Male performances for both shows and Best Director for Master Harold and the Boys) and winners of the Theatre Critics Award; Master Harold and the Boys (Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor; Passing Strange (Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress) we are proud to announce our upcoming 2017/2018 Season.

Obsidian, in co-production with Cahoots Theatre, will present the World Premiere of Other Side of the Game by Amanda Parris. Parris’ first mainstage production explores the lives of young Black women who backbone their families and communities while struggling to protect loved ones and battle institutions. It is a powerful time spanning work that is evocative and lyrical in its presentation.

Other Side of the Game will be directed by Nigel Shawn Williams and starring, Shakura Dickson, Virgilia Griffith, Ryan Rosery, Peter Bailey and Ordena Stephens-Thompson. You will recognize Amada as being the host of CBC’s TV and Online Arts weekly Exhibitionists and CBC’s Radio 2, Marvin’s Room.

Other Side of the Game will be presented at the Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, from October 14th 2017 to November 5th 2017.

The second show in Obsidian’s season will be a remount of last season hit Master Harold… and the Boys with runs in Montreal and Buffalo (no Toronto dates planned.) The remount is in association with the Shaw Festival, the Segal Centre and Black Theatre Workshop.

Obsidian Theatre Company: Contact – 416 463-8444 – [email protected] 1089 Dundas St. E. Toronto M4M 1R9 Master Harold… and the Boys runs in Montreal at the Segal Centre, from January 21st to February 11th 2018, and in Buffalo at the Shea’s Center for the Performing Arts from February 15th to February 24th 2018.

In February Philip Akin and Kimberley Rampersad will co-direct the Canadian Premiere of hang by debbie tucker green. hang is a powerfully compelling play that brings us into the heart of a woman’s unthinkable decision. debbie tucker green is a prolific British playwright who has won awards for both her plays and films (Olivier and BAFTA) and her plays have been produced at the Royal Court Theatre and the Young Vic. hang premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 2015 and we are pleased to be bringing another one of green’s plays to Toronto. hang stars Sarah Afful, Vladimir Alexis and Zoé Doyle. hang will be presented at the Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto from February 5th to February 25th 2018.

We are pleased to announce our first long distance collaboration with 2b Theatre in Halifax as Obsidian will be in association with them on the World Premiere of The Bridge by Shauntay Grant.

The Bridge is set in a rural Nova Scotian Black community and examines the relationship between two brothers over 20 years of secrecy, sin and shame. A trio of community gossips provide the musical backdrop for this gospel infused story.

The Bridge will be directed by Anthony Black and presented at the Spatz Theatre in May 2018

OTC – The Company Obsidian is ’s leading culturally specific theatre company. Our threefold mission is to produce plays, to develop playwrights and to train emerging theatre professionals. Obsidian is passionately dedicated to the exploration, development, and production of the Black voice. Obsidian produces plays from a world-wide canon focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on the works of highly acclaimed Black playwrights.

Obsidian Theatre Company: Contact – 416 463-8444 – [email protected] 1089 Dundas St. E. Toronto M4M 1R9