Black Plays Matter: Watah Theatre, Creating Safe Space for Black Artists in These Dangerous Times

This article explores the Watah Theatre and the crucial role it plays in providing professional development to emerging and emerged Black theatre practitioners in Canada. Watah contributes to, supports, and develops the legacy of Black theatre in Canada by cultivating and sharing a unique African-Caribbean-Canadian womxnist theatre aesthetic, heavily informed by the radical performance tradition of Jamaica’s dub poetry and dub theatre. The company insists on challenging systemic barriers that exclude Black theatre artists and womxn; giving Black arts practitioners a local, national, and international platform to showcase and celebrate their work. Radical arts-engagement sits at the core of Watah’s commitment to providing Black artists with the tools to self-actualize, create relevant art, and uncover crucial mentorship skills for each one to teach one. Year-long residencies that culminate in monodramas written by the artists, ongoing publication of the resident-artists’ work, and the staging of ground-breaking new theatre are the foundation of Watah’s season.