THE NEGROES ARE CONGREGATING
The Negroes Are Congregating (NAC) unapologetically wrestles with deep-rooted internalized racism through the lens of the Western World and the 'Black experience' that stretches far beyond Canada and the United States, for a pan-African exploration. The laugh-out-loud piece balances comedy with discomfort, pulling audiences beyond the fourth wall, where everyone is invited to cackle, cry and be still together.
Artists Uche Ama (Female 1), Christopher Bautista (Male 1) and Christopher Parker (Male 2) perform this contemporary piece delivered through a fusion of spoken word, satire, soulful dialect and musical vocals. Audiences will enter a realm of private truths and leave with an understanding of what it means to be Black, proud, and ready.
The Negroes are Congregating has already received international acclaim, having been programmed by Théâtre de l'Usine (Geneva, Switzerland); Black Theatre Network Conference (Memphis, TN); Halifax Fringe (Halifax, Nova Scotia); SummerWorks Performance Festival (Toronto, Ontario) and selected 'Best of The Fest' Award at The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival (Atlanta, GA). Tickets can be purchased at www.passemuraille.ca. This production is a PIECE OF MINE Arts Production with the support of Theatre Passe Muraille.
Created and Directed by Natasha Adiyana Morris an award-winning playwright whose work has been presented in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She is the founder and executive director PIECE OF MINE Arts, a platform for Black play creators to showcase work-in-development, featuring over 150 artists since 2013. Natasha is the recipient of several accolades including SummerWorks’ New Performance Text Award, The Black Canadian Awards’ Leadership Certificate, and the Ontario’s Leading Women Building Communities Certificate. She credits local companies b current, anitafrika dub theatre, and Obsidian Theatre for her invaluable artistic training. The Negroes are Congregating originated out of development and excerpt presentations during the Piece of Mine Festival in 2016 at Toronto’s Palmerston Library Theatre.
ABOUT THEATRE PASSE MURAILLE:
Founded in 1968, Theatre Passe Muraille (TPM) believes there should be a more diverse representation of artists, audience members and stories in our theatre. TPM aspires to be a leader locally, nationally and internationally in establishing, promoting and embracing collaborative and inclusive theatre practices. We do this so that we can support and ignite the voices of unique artists, communities and audiences. passemuraille.ca
ABOUT PIECE OF MINE ARTS:
PIECE of MINE Arts presents bold works created by multidisciplinary Black artists, as well as youth programming and education workshops designed to explore African Canadian narratives. Based in Toronto, Canada the organization was founded in 2013 by theatre practitioner Natasha Adiyana Morris to platform developing and complete productions from performing and visual artists. We form opportunities to make space for substantially more voices and stories that celebrate the vastness of Black culture.
Photography by Peter Riddihough
