The Globe and Mail: It’s being described as the most significant change to the National Arts Centre since the bilingual, multidisciplinary performing-arts centre opened in Ottawa in 1969.
In 2019, the NAC will launch a new Indigenous Theatre – a department devoted to indigenous performing arts that is intended to be an equal to the arts centre’s long-established English and French Theatre companies.
4 comments:
Indigenous theatre sounds like an awesome idea, and something that is so important to diversifying theatre. It’s sad that it’s taken so long to get to this point however, especially since this is the culmination of a decade long plan. I am glad, however that almost the entirety of the company and its specifics will be decided by the artistic director, who is hopefully indigenous. One of the worst things that often happen in these situations is that while the goal is diversity, all of the decisions are being made by the privileged. It’s still funny that those deciding who will be the artistic director is likely a group of white people. But either way, progress is progress, and I’m glad native voices will be heard. It’s a voice that’s really lacking in the theatre community and this is the first step to creating a truly diverse artistic community. Other companies should take a page out of the National Art Center’s book.
All I can say to this article is about damn time. Canada, a country beginning to acknowledge the benefits of recognizing and rehabilitating its native population, is extending its conciliatory actions to the world of performing arts, and I, for one, could not be happier. I'm also excited to hear that the Indigenous Theater will have a budget comparable to its English and French counterparts, instead of being pushed to the side and taken out and shown off when donors are in town. I'm also glad that this theater has been, it would appear, well planned and though out, not the product of some social media driven fad. All of this being said, I can't fully endorse this venture without any knowledge of the future creative teams and productions. Plays about Native American life, played, designed, and directed by non-indigenous people are objects of the past that deserve to stay forgotten. I hope that this center is dedicated to the production of theater by and for an indigenous audience.
As someone who is from Michigan, I have long been aware that Canada is a superior country to us. This article only further proves that fact. Each week, at least one comment of mine on this blog is about the astounding lack of diversity in American entertainment. This last year’s Oscars were pitiful and an excellent representation of the disgusting white washing in film. Diversity is a problem that our country continues to face and is, for some odd reason, still unable to surmount, or really even come up a valid plan to attempt to fix this gigantic problem. Once again, our wonderful neighbors to the north have made long strides to fixing this same problem. Canada’s policies towards the indigenous people is amazing. This new theater only serves to illustrate that. Like Emma, I hope that the artistic director is an indigenous person who will serve the theater well.
I am so glad this is finally being done on such a massive scale. Theatre for me has always been about telling a story to someone that they might not have ever heard otherwise, or showing audiences a new perspective. I can see indigenous theatre doing that and also expanding theatrical audiences as well. AND this is totally how people of ethnic backgrounds get their foot in the door with theatre. You do a good show where it HAS to be people of a specific race and suddenly everyone wakes up and realizes that people from that race can act. We are right in the middle of that with the MS. Saigon revival. The short terms and long term effects of this will be awesome.I do hope they do this art form justice though. This progressive change could be a step backwards if instead of authentic indigenous practices this team puts on clear imitation.
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