{"id":17402,"date":"2024-12-02T19:25:51","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T00:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.playwrights.ca\/vancouver-black-theatre-archive\/"},"modified":"2024-12-02T19:43:47","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T00:43:47","slug":"vancouver-black-theatre-archive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.playwrights.ca\/fr\/digitaldramaturgy-ddi\/vancouver\/vancouver-projects\/vancouver-black-theatre-archive\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver Black Theatre Archive"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

VANCOUVER BLACK THEATRE ARCHIVE<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

The Project<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

The history of Black community and culture in this place colonially known as Vancouver tends to be a seldom-told story; and while more people are now aware of the existence of Hogan\u2019s Alley and the rich arts & cultural scene it encompassed, the specific history of Black theatre in Vancouver has continued to be overlooked.<\/p>\n

In the very early stages of development at the time of the residency, this archive project intends to shed light on the artists, artifacts, and performances of the Black community in Vancouver throughout its history. Ideas to be explored include tools to support both in-person and virtual exhibitions, with methods of online engagement and community outreach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Artists<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n

A black and white photo of a young woman dancing, her arms outstretched and her head thrown back, an expression of joy on her face.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n<\/p>\n
  • \n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n Celeste Insell
    \n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
    \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

    <\/button>
    \n <\/h4>\n

    \n<\/p>\n

    In 1971, Celeste Insell<\/strong> immigrated to Canada from the United States and attended the Ryerson Acting program (1972 -1973); and later transferred to the Drama Studies program at York University (1974 -1976). In 1979, she moved to Vancouver, BC. She was cast in the Arts Club Production of \u201cYou Can\u2019t Take it With You\u201d as Rheba (the maid) in 1980. Later that year, she portrayed \u201cLady in Blue\u201d in the very successful Black Arts Theatre production of \u201cFor Colored Girls…\u201d which ran for six months in Vancouver and then toured Western Canada. In that production, she fulfilled her dream to perform the very demanding twenty-minute monologue \u201cA Nite with Beau Willie\u201d. In 1982, she was cast in her first TV principal role as Nurse Graham in \u201cA Piano for Mrs. Cimino\u201d where she got to work with Bette Davis. Shortly afterwards, she founded a multi-cultural theatre company with four friends and called it \u201cCrossroads Theatre\u201d. In the 1990\u2019s she performed and produced various events in the Black community and for other arts groups. In 2001, after a long hiatus from film and TV acting, she began auditioning again for roles in that medium. Ms Insell\u2019s writing credits include articles published in \u201cKinesis\u201d (1992-1993), \u201cThe International Review of African American Art\u201d (1993), \u201cThe Canadian Theatre Review\u201d (1995) and a poem \u201cThe Reunion\u201d published in the magazine \u201cDiaspora Magazine\u201d(1994). She is currently writing two plays for another company she founded called Twenty8Dreams Performing Arts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n<\/p>\n
    \n<\/p>\n
    <\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
    \n
    \n
    \n
    <\/p>\n

    Lili Robinson, a genderfluid femme person in their mid-twenties, looks directly into the camera. They have light brown skin and short curly brown hair that is shaved on the sides, and they are wearing a red dress. In the background a gravel rooftop and apartment building across the road behind are blurred but visible.<\/p>\n

    \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n<\/p>\n
  • \n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n Lili Robinson
    \n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
    \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

    <\/button>
    \n <\/h4>\n

    \n<\/p>\n

    Lili Robinson<\/strong> (she\/they) is a playwright, poet, actor and community organizer based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Lili is passionate about centring voices at the intersections of queerness, Black diaspora, socio-economic diversity and femme identity in their work. Lili has worked as both a writer and actor with longstanding local companies including Theatre Replacement and Rumble Theatre, and pre-pandemic took part in Rumble\u2019s 2020 Director\u2019s Lab. In 2020 they were also a part of the Emerging Playwright\u2019s Unit at the Arts Club. Lili\u2019s debut play, Mx, was the winner of the 2019 Fringe New Play Prize and the 2019 Cultchivating the Fringe Award. Following Mx\u2019s Fringe success, the show was revamped for a digital presentation as part of the Cultch\u2019s 2021 digital season this past February. Currently Lili is working on two new plays, Infest and Maroon, and was recently announced as the incoming Resident Curator at rEvolver Festival. As a facilitator and community organizer Lili is focused on EDI work and projects that uplift the local Black community. She is beyond excited to work with PTC once again, this time as part of the DDI alongside collaborator Celeste Insell.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n
    \n
    \n
     <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
     <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n