Outside of the Box

Abstract

Nine years ago, I wrote an article for Canadian Theatre Review, titled “Into the Margins,” about the challenges of being a Black theatre artist in Vancouver. It was an emotionally charged article. I lamented the loss of my Montreal and Black communities. I berated Canadian theatre for its racial exclusivity, its exclusionary practices, and its narrow-minded perception that Black theatre was of special interest and not suitable for mass (read mainstream) consumption. I vented the frustration of constantly having to prove oneself as a Black artist and justify one’s presence long after one’s talents and accomplishments should have earned respect and acceptance. I spoke to the fears and ignorance and misconceptions within the community, and the rejection and isolation of those daring enough to confront racial issues head-on. I voiced my longing to belong, my yearning to grow and my need for a safe space in which to explore my craft or simply be. At the end of this article, I concluded that mainstream Vancouver/Canadian theatre could not and would not sustain me. Believing bell hooks to be correct in her assessment that marginal space is revolutionary space, I exiled myself to the fringes of the theatre community (see hooks 1992).