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Canada’s largest taxpayer-funded theater sparks fury by staging ‘blacks only’ play that BANS whites and Asians from attending
- A Canadian theater plans to mark Black History Month with an exclusive performance just for ‘black theatergoers’
- The first night of ‘Black Out’, which will feature an all-black performance of the play ‘Is God Is’ at the Babs Asper Theater in Ottawa, will take place on February 17.
- The 897-seat venue will be open exclusively to an “identifying all-black audience” with people of other races who will be required to attend the play on any night during its run.
Canada’s top taxpayer-funded theater sparked fury by holding a “blacks only” performance and banning whites and Asians.
The National Center for the Arts in Ottawa will hold the event in the midst of Black History Month on February 17, with a performance of ‘Is God Is’ at the Babs Asper Theatre.
The 897-seat venue will be open exclusively to an “all-black ID audience” and people of other races will be asked to attend the play at any of the other eight shows from February 9-18.
The Center has said that the purpose is “to allow the conversation and participation to be felt throughout the theater.”
The National Center for the Arts in Ottawa intends to put on a black-only-attendable performance of the play ‘Is God Is’ at the Babs Asper Theater in the middle of Black History Month.
The 897-seat venue will be open exclusively to an “all-black ID audience” and people of other races will be asked to attend the play at any of the other eight remaining shows.
The theater says that those who come will identify themselves based on an honor system and no one will be turned away at the door.
“There will be no checkpoints for Black Out Night ticket holders and no questions will be asked about anyone’s identity, race or gender,” the theater explained.
The venue says the decision to create such an evening was inspired by something similar held in the fall of 2019 for Jeremy O’Harris’ Slave Play on Broadway.
‘A Black Out is an open invitation for Black Audiences to come and experience performances with their community.
“The evenings will provide a dedicated space for Black theatergoers to witness a performance that reflects the vivid kaleidoscope that is the Black experience,” the theater explained in a press release.
The theater’s decision to hold such a night was not well received by many on social media.
”A space dedicated to black theatergoers’ There’s a lot wrong with this. It is not progressive. By definition it is racism.
At the National Center for the Arts. I would also question the value of the event content, but that’s for another tweet,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another described the decision as ‘cultural apartheid’.
The theater’s decision to hold black-only performances was not well received by many on social media with one suggesting that whites could sabotage the event.
‘The identity left proudly appropriates an oldie but goodie. Canada is starting to make the US look like Hungary,” said David Rieff.
Another social media user suggested that others were trying to sabotage the event.
‘During Black History Month, the NAC is hosting a Black Out nightly performance of ‘Is God Is’.
“Prepare not to be surprised: even though there are plenty of other performances available to them, white losers are buying tickets to Black Out night in protest.”
The play, Is God Is, was written in 2016 by American playwright Aleshea Harris and tells the story of two twin sisters who travel from the south to the California desert to get revenge on their abusive father.
The Center also plans to hold another ‘Black Out’ night on May 5 for a performance of ‘Heaven’, a play about the African-Canadian settlement of Amber Valley, Alberta.
The Center is also planning another ‘Black Out’ night on May 5 for a performance of ‘Heaven’, a play about the African-Canadian settlement of Amber Valley, Alberta.
No other ethnicity has received its own night of dedicated performances from the National Center for the Arts; however, those who self-identify as indigenous can obtain $15 show tickets.
Black Out Nights has already been presented by other theater groups, including the Toronto-based company Theater Passe Muraille.
Their website even stated what would happen if non-black patrons came to a show.
‘If someone self-identifies as non-black and demands to enter the room, a member of our staff will be present to speak with this person.
“We do everything possible to land this job with a non-black staff member and will have non-black leadership, technical and production team members present in the lobby to help reduce such situations. ‘