ABOUT THE
FESTIVAL
WHY WE EXIST
There exists an enduring legacy of storytelling within the Black community.
Actors, writers, musicians, and dancers, capture the richness of Black stories, moving beyond stereotypes and tropes. The Obsidian Theatre Festival exists to uplift both stories as well as storytellers, and firmly believes in the power of art to change lives. Obsidian will provide the community with the powerful platform it deserves by way of a fresh new stage upon which these stories will be meaningfully celebrated.
OBSIDIAN OVER THE YEARS:
hardening into stone
HOW WE BEGAN
The Obsidian Theatre Festival (OTF) launched back in March 2021 as a platform for emerging Black voices in theatre and film – but, the idea for OTF started that previous summer, June of 2020.
To say that was a crazy time feels like a massive understatement.
Protest marches and rallies filled the streets; shouts of “BLACK LIVES MATTER” echoed throughout the country; and a global pandemic ground the economy to a halt. And for us, for Black artists across the world, we felt stuck, stifled, confined. Simultaneously feeling a need to speak out and shout from the rooftops, while also being forced to stay home; unable to reach our stage.
This is why we started The Obsidian Theatre Festival, to give Black artists a platform, an opportunity to tell their stories and make their voices heard.