The digitization of this finding aid was made possible - in part or entirely - through the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage, the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Council of Archives.
| Fonds/Collection Number: | F0555 |
| Title: | Obsidian Theatre Company |
| Dates: | 1999-2010, predominant 2000-2010 |
| Extent: | ca. 2.2 metres of textual material. ca.180 photographs : col. and b&w ; 21.4 x 28 cm and smaller. |
| Biographical Sketch/ Administrative History: | Founded in February 2000, Obsidian Theatre Company is a leading black theatre companies in Canada. As a producer of black theatre and community advocate, the company has endeavoured to produce plays, develop playwrights and train emerging theatre professionals. Their mission statement focuses on the exploration, development, and production of the black voice. The founding board included 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, and Philip Akin. Obsidian has encouraged Canada's local black playwrights and actors, mounting local works such as "The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God", "Consecrated Ground", "Born Ready" and "The Monument", as well as the first international collaboration (Canada and Barbados) of Austin Clarke's Giller Award winning novel "The Polished Hoe". They have also produced international plays such as "Intimate Apparel", "Late" and "Black Medea". 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. Obsidian produces plays from a world-wide canon focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on the works of highly acclaimed black playwrights. |
| Scope and Content: |
Fonds consists of production material, organizational documents, correspondence, grant applications and budget reports, as well as press coverage and reviews of theatre productions, community workshops, fund-raising concerts, public readings and other events organized and hosted by members of Obsidian Theatre Company's board of directors. Includes material from the following productions: The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God (2001/2002), The Piano Lesson (2002/2003), Consecrated Ground (2003-2004), Two Can Play (2004-2005), Cast Iron (2004/2005), Born Ready/Pusha Man (2005-2006), The Monument (2005-2006), Hip Hop (Who Stole the Soul?) (2006-2007), The Polished Hoe (2006-2007), Born Ready (2007-2008), Intimate Apparel (2007-2008), Black Medea (2008-2009) and Late (2008-2009). |
| Restrictions on Access and Use: | Some files have been restricted as they contain financial information about third parties. |
| Finding Aid: | File list is available. |
| URL of Finding Aid: | http://archivesfa.library.yorku.ca/fonds/ON00370-f0000555.pdf |
| Accruals: | The fonds comprises the following accessions: 2009-024, 2012-002. Further accruals may be expected. |
| 2009-024 2012-002 |
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| Provenance Access Points: | Obsidian Theatre Company |
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Date of creation: 2009/12/10 Date of last revision: 2014/01/28 |
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