Black Theatre Workshop was incorporated in 1972 but has roots going back to the Trinidad and Tobago Drama Committee. The Drama Committee was created by Clarence Bayne and Arther Goddard, both of whom were the founders of the Trinidad and Tobago Association and wrote its first Constitution and bylaws. Dr Bayne invited a number of professional Black Trinidadian artists resident in Montreal in the late sixties to conduct Black Workshops as part of the activities of the Drama Committee. It was the Black Workshops under the auspices of the Trinidad and Tobago Association that produced the first professional play of the BTW, written by Professor Lorris Elliott, and named "How Now Black Man". Dr. Bayne was appointed by the Trinidad and Tobago Association to be the Executive Producer of that production and to represent the Association's interest. Except for a brief absence from the company 1970-1972, Dr, Bayne continued to hold the position of Executive producer and president of the company for early the formative years of the company between 1973-4 to 1990. He negotiated the first professional grant from Canada Council with matching funds from the Multicultural Directorate that launched the company as a professional theatre company in 1984, making it eligible for funding from all three level of the cultural funding agencies. Black Theatre Workshop is an English-speaking theatre company. Its first play "How Now Black Man" was produced in 1970 under the name Black Workshop at the Centaur Theatre. But Black Theatre Workshop de facto existed from July 17, 1968. Over the years the theatre has had many artistic directors including Dr. Clarence Bayne, Errol Sitahal, Terry Donald, Dwight Bacquie, Lorena Gale, Don Jordan, Winston Sutton, Fleurette Fernando, Nancy Delva, Kate Bligh and Rachael Van Fossen, and Tyrone Benskin. Since August 2011, the Artistic Director has been Quincy Armorer. He is a graduate of the Theatre Department at Concordia University and also studied at the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival.
Awards and merits
Among its early ambitious productions was Derek Walcott's Dream on Monkey Mountain. Then Executive Director Dr. Clarence Bayne secured a Canada Council grant in 1976 and contributed new plays for the theater, including The Black Experience, Bonanza 70 and Martin Luther King Who?. Many prominent Black Canadian Playwrights have had their work produced by the theater including George Boyd, Vadney Haynes, Lorris Elliot., Dwight Bacquie,, Walter Borden,, one of the first plays in the history of Black Canadian literature to directly present themes of male homosexuality. Djanet Sears, Andrew Moodie, d'bi Young, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Lorena Gale the infamous story of Marie-Joseph Angélique a slave woman who was hung for allegedly setting fire to her master's house and most of what is today known as Old Montreal. Some emerging playwrights as well including Omari Newton, Anne-Marie Woods, Chimwemwe Miller Djennie Laguerre.
Since 1986 the theatre has given out the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award, presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to African-Canadian artistic and cultural life in Canada. BTW presents the gala each year to celebrate the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King to non-violent social change. BTW presents an award for lifetime achievement, among recipients honorees include: Recipients of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award – In 1987, the 1st Vision Celebration Gala was given to Oscar Peterson: Music. In 1988, Ranee Lee: Music / Actor . 1989, Charlie Biddle: Music . 1990, Rufus Rockhead : Music . 1991, Dr. Dorothy Wills: Community / Arts. 1992, Dr. Clarence Bayne: Theatre & Educator. 1993, Oliver Jones: Music . 1994, Professor Trevor Payne: Music. 1995, Dr. Daisy Peterson-Sweeny: Music. 1996, Salome Bay: Music / Actor. 1997, Lorraine Klaasen: Music . 1998, Anthony Sherwood: Actor. 1999, Austin Clarke: Writer. 2000, Michelle Sweeney: Music . 2001, Aldwin Albino: Music. 2002, Anthony Salah I. Wilson: Music . 2003, Djanet Sears: Theatre. 2004, George Elliot Clarke: Poet. 2005, Jeri Brown: Music . 2006, Walter Borden: Theatre. 2007, Charles Ellison: Music . 2008, Terry Donald: Theatre. 2009, Ethel Bruneau: Dance . 2010, Bertrand A. Henry: Theatre. 2011, Doudou Boicel: Music. 2012, Tonya Lee Williams: Film & Television. 2013, Gregory Charles: Music. 2014. Zab Maboungou: Dance. 2015, Dany Laferrière: Literature. 2016, Jackie Richardson: Theatre & Music. 2017, Winston Sutton: Theatre, Don Jordan: Dance & Theatre, 2018. In 2005 BTW was recognized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Committee of Montreal for its Historic Contribution to the Development of Black Performing Arts in Canada. It has also received a Trail Blazer Award.
